Have you ever had an earworm?
No, no. Not that worm (actually a caterpillar, the corn earworm that attacks the ears – and all parts) of the corn plant.
You know, that
“… earworm or brainworm, also known as sticky music or stuck song syndrome, [that] is a catchy or memorable piece of music or saying that continuously occupies a person’s mind even after it is no longer being played or spoken about.”
Yes. Probably.
About 98% of people report having them.
Why the Info on Earworms?
Because I got one recently:
Oh-oh-oh, what’s love got to do, got to do with it?
What’s love, but a second-hand emotion?
What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?
Who?
Yes, What’s Love Got To Do With It? as sung by Tina Turner.
Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It (Live from Arnhem, Netherlands)
[And thank you Graham Lyle and Terry Britten for the lyrics]
And that made me wonder:
What IS Love?
Word Study:
Old Testament: Hebrew: Checed
Checed2617 Noun
checed2617 N : goodness, kindness
[love (from God), lovingkindness, mercy]
(favor, good deed, kindly, loving-kindness, merciful kindness, mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing
From chacad2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety: rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) Beauty — favour, good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-)kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.)
The Hebrew word checed2617 is often used for God’s love.
It’s translated with several different English words, depending on what the translators decide.
For example: the NASB: “lovingkindness” versus the ESV: “steadfast love”
5 Your lovingkindness2617, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 36:5 NASB
and
5 Your steadfast love2617, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness2617 and truth. Psalm 86:15 NASB
and
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love2617 and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15 ESV
Another Hebrew word that means Love is a Verb–Noun pair: aheb157 and ahabah160.
Aheb157 Verb – Ahabah160 Noun
aheb157 V : to love
(beloved like, friend)
ahabah160 N : love
from aheb157
Aheb157 V
17 “I love157 those who love157 me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Proverbs 8:17 NASB
Aheb157 V and Ahabah160 N
1 Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love157 a woman who is loved157 by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves160 the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love157 raisin cakes.” Hosea 3:1 NASB
New Testament: Greek
In my research I found a few articles that I found interesting because of their different takes on Greek words for Love.
Greek words for love, in context – Found in Antiquity
The Greek words for ‘love’ in the New Testament | ShareNoesis
Word Study
New Testament: Greek: Agapaó25 Verb and Agapé26 Noun
agapaó25 V : to love
love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem.
agapáō25 – properly, to prefer, to love; for the believer, preferring to “live through Christ” (1 Jn 4:9,10), i.e. embracing God’s will (choosing His choices) and obeying them through His power. Agapáō25 preeminently refers to what God prefers as He “is love” (1 Jn 4:8,16). See agapē26.
With the believer, agapáō25 (“to love”) means actively doing what the Lord prefers, with Him (by His power and direction).
True agapáō25 (“loving”) is always defined by God – a “discriminating affection which involves choice and selection” (WS, 477).
1 Jn 4:8,16,17 for example convey how loving (“preferring,” agapáō25) is Christ living His life through the believer.
agapé26 N : love, goodwill
love, benevolence, good will, esteem; plural: love-feasts.
agápē26 – properly, love which centers in moral preference. So too in secular ancient Greek, agápē26 focuses on preference; likewise the verb form agapáō26 in antiquity meant “to prefer” (TDNT, 7).
In the NT, agápē26 typically refers to divine love (= what God prefers).
(charity, love. From agapao25; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence)
Agapaó25 : V
19 We love25, because He first loved25 us. 1 John 4:19 NASB
16 “For God so loved25 the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 NASB
8 But God demonstrates His own love25 toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NASB
25 Husbands, love25 your wives, just as Christ also loved25 the church and gave Himself up for her, Ephesians 5:25 NASB
Agapaó25 : V and Agapé26 : N
9 “Just as the Father has loved25 Me, I have also loved25 you; abide in My love26.
10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love26; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love26. John 15:9-10 NASB
Agapé26 : N
13 “Greater love26 has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 NASB
Word Study
New Testament: Greek: Phileó5368 – Philia5373 – Philos5384 – Philadelphia5360 :
phileó5368 V : to love
love (of friendship), regard with affection, cherish; I kiss.
philéō5368 (from phílos5384, “affectionate friendship”) – properly, to show warm affection in intimate friendship, characterized by tender, heartfelt consideration and kinship.
(to love : From philos5384; to be a friend to (fond of (an individual or an object)), i.e. Have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while agapao25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety)
philia5373 N : friendship
friendship, affection, fondness, love.
philía5373 – friendship, warm affection. See phileō5368.
friendship.
From philos5384; fondness — friendship.
philos5384 Adj : beloved, dear, friendly
friendly; subst: a friend, an associate.
phílos5384 – a friend; someone dearly loved (prized) in a personal, intimate way; a trusted confidant, held dear in a close bond of personal affection.
Note: The root (phil-) conveys experiential, personal affection – indicating phílos5384 expresses experience-based love.
[(agapáō25 focuses on value-driven (an decision-based) love – which of course does not exclude affection!]
(loving, friendly : Properly, dear, i.e. A friend; actively, fond, i.e. Friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.) — friend.)
philadelphia5360 Noun : the love of brothers, brotherly love
brotherly love, love of Christian brethren.
philadelphía5360 (from phílos5384, “loving friend” and adelphós80, “a brother”) – properly, affection for the brethren (fellow-believers).
(brotherly love, kindness : From philadelphos5361; fraternal affection — brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren.)
(brotherly love, kindness : From philadelphos5361; fraternal affection — brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren.)
Phileó5368 : V
20 “For the Father loves5368 the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. John 5:20 NASB
15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love5368 us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Titus 3:15 NASB
Phileó5368 : V and Philos5384 : Adj
3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love5368 is sick.”
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend5384 Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” John 11:3, 11 NASB
Philia5373 : N and Philos5384 : Adj
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship5373 with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend5384 of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Philadelphia5360 : N
9 Now as to the love of the brethren5360, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love25 one another; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 NASB
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren5360, fervently love25 one another from the heart, 1 Peter 1:22 NASB
Re: Jesus and Peter
Ok, but what about the agape-philos thing between Jesus and Peter after the resurrection?
Agapaó25 V and Phileó5368 V
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love25 Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love5368 You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love25 Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love5368 You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love5368 Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love5368 Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love5368 You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. John 21:15-17 NASB
Some people say there is a significance about Jesus agapaó-ing and Peter phileó-ing.
For a different take, take a look at this article:
A Little Greek Can Be a Big Distraction (thegospelcoalition.org)
So,
What’s Love Got to Do with It?
Well then.
What is “It”?
No. No.
Not Manna!
[That’s just so last year!]
More about “It”…
…next time.
Blessings,
TLThomas
It’s ok to doubt, if you check it out!
Be a Berean!
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
© 2024 TLThomas