The English language fails to distinguish between various concepts of love when translated from the Greek language. The English word “love” fails to express variations of love with just that one word. In the Greek language, several terms are used to express various “types” of love. Not all Greek words that might be translated “love” are found in the New Testament, but the definition, meaning and use of these words can add depth to our understanding of the concept of love in the New Testament.
There are four Greek words that were in use in New Testament times that we might translate love. The first of these is eros. This word speaks mainly of love between the sexes, passionate love. From the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, we learn eros is “passionate love which desires the other for itself.” The Greeks praised the god, Eros, who was supposed to compel all in sensuous action. The word “erotic” comes from eros. Eros is not in the New Testament.
The second Greek word translated “love” is stroge. This word expresses the idea of family affection. Stroge does not appear in the New Testament, but an adjective form of this word is found in Romans 12:10 and is translated “kindly affectioned” or “tenderly affectioned.”
The noun philia was the most common word for love in New Testament times, though it appears only once in the New Testament in James 4:4. There it is translated “friendship.” The verb form, phileo, is found 25 times in the New Testament. Twenty-two of the twenty-five times it is translated “love.” This word means to “look on someone or something with affectionate regard; to cherish.” It includes physical love in some instances, but it is much more than that. It can refer to friendship love and even to include the friendship love of husband and wife. Barclay says “it is best translated cherish.” In the New Testament, this word is used in regard to love of persons and love of things. These uses suggest the idea of tender affection for someone or to cherish something.
The noun agape and the verb form agapao are words for a special kind of love. These words are found a number of times in the New Testament. The other words for love usually have to do with emotions and feeling. Agape and agapao are words for love that require a decision. In other words, it is a decided love. This love is the ultimate kind of love. It is a love of appreciation and respect. It is devotion to the object of love. It is a commanded love (Matthew 5:43-48). There, we are told to love our enemies. How? Why? Jesus says this is so we can be like God the Father.
Agape is Christian love. When we love with agape love, we have the other person’s best interest at heart. It seeks man’s highest good and treats man like God would treat him. “Beloved, let us love one another…” (1 John 4:7).
