Synonyms (AGAPAW-PHILEW)

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Sun Jan 7 12:13:08 EST 2001


At 12:06 PM -0500 1/7/01, Theodore H Mann wrote:
>    I haven't followed this thread too closely, so I hope this hasn't
>already been discussed.
>    In the circles with which my wife and I associate, we are very often
>told that AGAPAW always refers to a much higher form of love than FILEW;
>that AGAPAW is reserved for the kind of love God has for His son and for
>His children, and is the kind of love one Christian should have for
>another.  (Therefore Peter's responses to Jesus in Jn. 21 indicate a
>lower from of love.)  I wonder if anyone else encounters similar
>definitions.
>    Don't the following references pretty much refute that notion?
>
>1.  Lk.6:32  "And if you love (AGAPE) those who love you, what credit is
>that to you?  For even sinners love (AGAPE) those who  love (AGAPE)
>them."
>2.  Lk. 11:43  "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love (AGAPE) the front
>seats in the synagogues
 "
>3.  Lk. 16:13  "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate
>the one, and love (AGAPE) the other
 "
>4.  Jn. 5:20  "For the Father loves (FILEO) the Son
 "
>5.  Jn. 16:27  ".. for the Father Himself loves (FILEO) you, because you
>have loved (FILEO) me.. "
>6.  Jn. 20:2  "And so she [Mary] ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the
>other disciple whom Jesus loved (FILEO).. "
>7.  1 Cor. 16:22  "If any one does not love (FILEO) the Lord, let him be
>accursed."
>8.  2 Tim. 4:10 ".. for Demas, having loved (AGAPE) this present world
 "
>9.  Tit. 3:4 "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love
>(FILEO) for mankind  appeared
 "
>10.  Tit. 3:15  "Greet those who love (FILEO) us in the faith
 "
>11.  Rev. 3:19  "Those whom I love (FILEO), I reprove and discipline.. "

Yes; they refute any notion that there is a clear distinction that is
universally upheld in all NT texts.

-- 

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/



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