The Essence of Love

The English word love has many facets and is overworked. Some dictionaries list as many as twenty-five meanings for love. The Creeks of the New Testament era used five words which specifically describe degrees or types of love. The first is epithumia which is a strong desire of any kind. When used in the Bible in a negative way, it is translated as lust. And when it is used in a positive way, it is translated as desire. Secondly, eras was used in a romantic way. The third word used for love was storge. This love is used several times in the New Testament in reference to natural love between parents and children and brothers and sisters. Fourthly, the word phileo appears many times also and is used to describe tender affection for, or an intimate desire to share with someone. Finally, there is agape love which has spiritual implications; it is pure, unselfish, true love. It was agape love which brought Christ to the earth to give Himself as a sacrifice for unworthy wretches. “But Cod commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

The English words true and love are entities in themselves; however, when they are joined, in true love, they form an entity outside of themselves and have divine origin. It is this love that Christ expressed in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

Were we not always required to exercise brotherly love? Why then is this called a “new” commandment? The first four commandments in the Decalogue point to love for God, while the remaining six commandments deal with love for our neighbor. When Christ was tempted by a lawyer, Matthew 23:35–40, he referred to these commandments when he said, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

In this second table of the law, we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself. This command excludes no one. It has no parameters but is the very rule of life given to us by God. We may take note here, that this command is to love as ourself. Keeping this in mind, the command Christ gave to His disciples makes a significant difference, for they are commanded to love each other, and here is the difference, as He loved them.

Where there is no schism between knowledge and practice, there is blessedness and peace.

The scene where this new command was given finds Christ alone with His eleven disciples. Judas, the betrayer, is running to the chief priests on feet freshly washed by the Master. His enmity was so great, for being reproved for his covetousness, that he would sell his Master for the price of a slave—thirty pieces of silver. We can imagine that Christ spoke very intimately with His true followers at this time, knowing that there was not a traitor present. Even as a father knowing his end to be near would gather his children about him and, with all possible love, speak a word of instruction to them. A poet once wrote, “He loved with a love that was more than love.” And we may believe that Christ so met with the eleven.

Christ knew that soon Peter would deny Him and they all would desert Him. He knew they were but sin-prone men and yet He gave this command and expected them to obey. His love is strongest when we least deserve it.

Brotherly love in the New Testament is a test of true discipleship. This new command was to His disciples and to us as office-bearers. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). In Revelations we read of the followers of the Lamb having the Father’s Name written on their foreheads. This can only signify that it was written with brotherly love, for God is love.

Ties with which the Lord intended to knit His people together were three: faith in Christ, love to one another, and a benevolent effect for the salvation of sinners. Christian discipleship practices these three elements which cement the church together in true unity. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

How profitable it is when brethren gather in unity, not striving to make a name for themselves, but to serve with a single eye in the Lord’s work! When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son, it is remarkable that the servant’s name was not once mentioned. And what a blessing it is if we may be about the Master’s work and not have our name mentioned! For who and what are we to be chosen for such a work? It would be a blessing to always have a Gideon-like spirit “and I am the least in my father’s house.” It does not profit us to readily admit our shortcomings if these admissions are not accompanied with a spirit of humility—to be truly sorry for them.

This command encompasses a special love among office-bearers, a command to love not as we are loved, but as Christ loved. Obedience, as the fruit of knowledge, is accepted and commended by Christ. Where there is no schism between knowledge and practice, there is blessedness and peace. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul describes the attributes of love. Words fail to fully describe love, but we have Christ’s exemplary example in His close life with His disciples.

Who then is sufficient for all these things! It behooves us in the face of fresh memories of Christ’s sufferings, to walk softly before the Lord all our days, with a continual prayer, “Lord, guard my every thought, my every word, my every motive—for Christ’s sake.”

G. Kwekel serves as elder of the First Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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