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“Love” in the Christian Greek ScripturesThe Watchtower—1960 | June 15
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Coming now to philéo, or the friendship love or affection, it is at once inferior to and superior to agápe love. How so? It is inferior as to quality but superior as to its being a privilege. It is the first element of such words as Philadelphia, love of brother; philosophy, love of wisdom; philanthropy, love of mankind, as well as of many other words used in the Scriptures that have not been carried over into the English language, such as philarguría, love of money (silver), and philágathos, loving good or virtue. Jesus used this word when he said that the religious leaders liked the front seats in the synagogues and that the world was fond of its own. Indicating its inferiority to agápe love is Peter’s command to ‘add to our brotherly affection [philadelphía] love [agápe].’—Luke 20:46; John 15:19; 2 Pet. 1:7.
As to philéo, affection, being a privilege, note that, while God showed his agápe love for sinners, “the Father has affection for the Son.” That is why Jesus assured his followers that the Father had, not merely love, but affection for them: “The Father himself has affection for you.” And why? “Because you have had affection for me,” and not merely because of their need. Yes, God has affection, or treats as friends, only the deserving ones.—John 5:20; 16:27; Jas. 2:23.
Likewise with Jesus. He felt love (agapáo) for the rich young ruler, but he felt both love and affection (philéo) for John his preferred apostle. (Mark 10:21; John 19:26; 20:2) When speaking to Peter after his resurrection, the first two times Jesus asked Peter if he had love for him, but the third time he asked if Peter had affection for him. Each time, in reply, ardent Peter used the more intimate term: “Master, you know I have affection for you.”—John 21:15-17.
Today on every hand we see an overemphasis on sexual éros, while there is ever less and less natural affection, storgé. The world knows nothing of the agápe love that is the fruitage of God’s spirit and involves the mind and will, is wholly unselfish and is based on principle. Jehovah God is the very personification of this kind of love, and we are commanded to be like him in this. This is the love we must have for God, for our neighbor, our enemies, yes, and even for ourselves. But as Christians we may express philéo, affection, only for fellow Christians.—Matt. 5:44-48; 1 Cor. 15:33.
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Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1960 | June 15
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Questions From Readers
● In the statement at Revelation 5:10, “they will rule as kings over the earth,” why does the New World Translation use the word “over,” while other translations, such as the King James Version, American Standard Version, Douay and Diaglott, use “on”?—J. D. J., U.S.A.
The New World Translation at Revelation 5:10 renders the Greek preposition epí in connection with the earth as “over” the same as it renders the identical preposition followed by the genitive (possessive) case as “over” in Revelation 9:11 and Re 11:6. “They have over them a king.” “They have authority over the waters.” Thus you see that this preposition followed by the genitive case does not in every instance have the meaning of “upon” or “on.” This preposition, epí, followed by the genitive case, may refer to place in answer to the question, “Where?” and may thus signify “upon, on, in, at, near,” but it may also refer to a position as above or as denoting pre-eminence. Thus we read at Matthew 2:22 that Archelaus was king “of” or “over” Judea, and at Ephesians 4:6 that God is “over” all. Also, it may
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