Love of Jesus
Information on the Love of Jesus
Perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16, which states:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV).
This verse speaks of the great love of God for the world, which was made manifest in Jesus. The love of Jesus is radically different from the love present among most societies in the world today.
The Bible speaks of four types of love. The first type of love is romantic or sexual love, or eros in Ancient Greek. This is the most common form of love in the world today, but is not the same as the love Jesus has for us. The Church sees nothing wrong with romantic love within the context of marriage, but it is not the primary way Jesus taught us to love.
The second type of love found in the Bible is brotherly or friendly love, or philia. This type of love is valuable and demonstrated by Jesus in the Gospels.
A third type of love is storge, or love for family. Although this word is not found in scripture, it is demonstrated in both the Old and New Testament, such as the love and affection of Noah and his family or of Mary and Martha for their brother, Lazarus, and it is commonly considered one of the four biblical forms of love.
The final type of love in the Bible is agape, or selfless love. This type comes from the soul and is extended to all people, regardless of circumstance. This love reconciles us with those we hate and even extends towards our enemies. This is the primary Greek word used in the Bible.
Jesus not only preached this love in His ministry, but lived it in His entire life. The love of Jesus is found in His willingness to endure suffering, violence, and death on a cross for His enemies. Yes, we are His enemies because of our sin. And Jesus extends His love to all sinners throughout history. And we, in turn, are asked to share that same type of selfless love with the world, giving of ourselves in the same way our Lord did nearly 2,000 years ago.
Updated 02-09-2023 by Elizabeth Craig