In English-speaking cultures, we regularly say, “I really like you.” Parents say it to their children. A husband will tell his wife that he loves her, and she’s going to tell him the identical. Even friends will say I really like you to one another. While they might all use the word love, the word love has a distinct meaning inside each context. Obviously, you’ll love your wife in a different way than how you like your mother. In English, there is just one word for love, and the context defines what kind of like it is. In the Greek language, which the New Testament was written in, 4 words are used for love. Those words are agape, storge, phileo, and eros.
When you read through scripture, only three of those words are explicitly used (within the Greek New Testament or in Greek translations of the Old Testament). As we’ll see, the fourth word is the basis of several words the Bible uses to explain a certain type of love. However, simply because the Bible doesn’t use all 4 words on this exact form doesn’t mean that the Bible doesn’t speak about all 4 kinds of affection.
We learn rather a lot about tips on how to practice these kinds of affection well through Scripture’s context.
Let’s see what we will learn.
What Defines Each of the Four Greek Words for Love?
Since agape, storge, phileo, and eros all mean love, let’s give attention to the various understanding of those words and see how they’re utilized in a scriptural context.
- Agape is a selfless, pure, willful, sacrificial love. It is the kind of love that desires the best good for another person. I might add agape love is intentional, meaning you select or purpose to like someone. When we take into consideration love, we regularly consider the emotions that we associate with love. Agape love may produce emotions but just isn’t born out of emotion. It is the alternative of your will. You love because you would like to and decide to. It comes out of your will, not your emotions.
- Storge describes familial love shared between parents and kids or siblings. Think concerning the love you are feeling to your relations (most of them), which is able to provide help to understand what storge is.
- Phileo refers to a warm, affectionate kind of love. With this kind of love, the 2 parties have a way of mutual affection or personal connection. You might imagine of people who find themselves close companions or best friends. With phileo, there may be mutual respect and a high value for being within the presence of one another. This kind of love is present when there may be a real community. Think of a few of your closest relationships together with your friends, and also you get the sense of the phileo kind of love.
- Eros refers to passionate and intense love, often marked by strong physical attraction and desire for an additional person. It centers on the physical and emotional features of affection. This kind of love is usually shared between a husband and wife or anyone in a romantic relationship.
What Are Some Biblical Examples of the Four Greek Words for Love?
As I discussed before, the New Testament doesn’t include all these exact terms: agape, storge, phileo, and eros. However, you possibly can see examples of the opposite forms of love within the Bible in case you look closely.
Agape. Here are two scriptures that offer you a transparent picture of agape love.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“But God demonstrates his own love for us on this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Notice the weather of agape love inside these verses. They each give attention to God loving you and me. Romans tells us he loved us after we were sinners. Since God is ideal and holy, he selected to like us because God hates sin. In our sin, now we have rebelled against God doing all of the things he didn’t want us to do. Yet, he selected to like us. Because he loved us, he sought our biggest good, which moved him to motion. He sent Jesus to die for us after we were in our sin. This opened the door for us to search out forgiveness and everlasting life. God selected to do that because he was showing agape like to us.
Storge. As Candice Lacey explains, the Bible doesn’t use storge by itself; it’s the basis of words like philostorgos for family love and likewise for astorgous, heartlessness (Romans 1:31 uses each terms).
One clear biblical example of familial love is Abraham’s love for Isaac.
“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you like—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I’ll show you.’” (Genesis 22:2)
In this verse, God mentions Abraham’s love for Isaac. While some agape love is mixed in there, their relationship as father and son represents the love shared inside families.
Phileo. David and his friend Jonathan provide an incredible picture of the kind of love shared between two people when there may be mutual respect and private connection.
“After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.” (1 Samuel 18:1)
This is an incredible picture of the kind of love shared between two people when there may be mutual respect and private connection. This can also be an image of the kind of love Jesus requires that now we have for one another because Jonathan loved David as himself. If you remember, the second biggest commandment is to like your neighbor as yourself. When doing so, you display the kind of love that builds community amongst people of all different backgrounds. This is the kind of love David and Jonathan shared.
Eros. You can find an ideal example of the eros kind of love within the lifetime of Jacob and Rachel. Their story is present in Genesis 29. As you read this, notice how the Bible describes Jacob’s love for Rachel.
“Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll be just right for you seven years in return to your younger daughter Rachel . . . So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they appeared like only a number of days to him due to his love for her.’” (Genesis 29:18, 20)
“Jacob made like to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban one other seven years.” (Genesis 29:30)
Not only did Jacob work fourteen years to earn Rachel’s hand in marriage, however the Bible says it felt like no time to him due to his love. This story shows the fervour Jacob experienced for Rachel, along together with his strong physical attraction and desire for her. These are elements you discover within the eros kind of love.
How Do the Four Greek Words Apply to Our Relationships Today?
These various kinds of love will overlap inside relationships. For example, in a marital or dating relationship, at various points, you might display agape, storge, phileo, and eros. I do know we regularly limit eros to a marital context. However, passion and desire develop before marriage but shouldn’t be fully expressed until marriage. Just take into consideration Jacob and Rachel. Within all other relationships, agape, storge, and phileo can overlap, and that could be healthy with God guiding our love in proper directions.
As you concentrate on loving one another, I would like to remind you of what Jesus said.
“A latest command I offer you: Love each other. As I even have loved you, so you need to love each other. By this everyone will know that you just are my disciples, in case you love each other.” (John 13:34-35)
The most vital aspect of affection just isn’t knowing it but showing it. Our responsibility just isn’t simply to know what love is. We must show what love is. Let’s display agape, storge, phileo, and eros in the suitable context. Let’s not be individuals who speak about love; let’s be individuals who live out love. When we love one another the best way Jesus wants us to, that may turn into the best testimony to the world of our faith in Jesus.
“Dear children, allow us to not love with words or speech but with actions and in reality.” (1 John 3:18)
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