Missing The Point

 He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love. 

First Epistle Of John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament 

I read a short blurb written by Wayne Jacobsen on something known as the Four Degrees of Love.  Written by the monk Bernard of Clairvaux, the four degrees of love include (1) Loving ourselves for our own sake, (2) Loving God for our own sake, (3) Loving God for His own sake, and (4) Loving ourselves for God's sake (Assuming we continue to have a independent self?).  Now, I didn't think much of this as ol' Bernard seemed to follow the traditional church mantra that we indeed are independent beings.  However, it did bring me back to a conversation I had with a brother recently about the meaning of the different translations we find in scripture.  We find in scripture, especially in the New Testament, that there may be differing definitions of love depending on the situation.  The Greek word Phileo translates to a emotional love which transcends casual friendships.  The Greek word Agape refers to an unconditional love, which can be compared to the love of the Father for us.  Yet the word Eros is used to portray love in an erotic fashion.  Everyone got this so far?  Far from being different degrees of the same thing, as the monk proclaims, we see different words for different situations.  This is the language of the ancient Greeks.  When we read the scriptures, we tend to see one of the Greek words signifying love and we attach one single meaning to it.  The apostle John writes of the love of the Father {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  Which Greek word best describes this passage?  I see the word Agape as referring to the Fathers love for His children, which is unconditional.  When Jesus inquires of Peter, "Are you loving Me more than these?", He was not looking for the correct translation of the word, but for what was on His apostles heart {Johns Account 21:15}.  While we may regret that our language has no words which refer to a degree of love, we know full well the love we feel in our hearts.  

Perceive what manner of love the Father has given us, that we may be called children of God!  And we are!  Therefore the world does not know us, for it did not know Him. 

First Epistle of John 3: 1, Concordant New Testament 

I don't think the our friend the monk is the only one who is missing the point here.  If we consider the differing degrees of love we might fall into the idea that we are indeed independent, which is the lie of the deceiver spoken in the garden {Genesis 3: 5-6}.  Has the Father shown us differing degrees of love?  Are there stages of love which we need to graduate into?  No, for as I said, this idea of degrees of love is more about translation than the true meaning of the word.  Our friends the Greeks simply had different words to describe what they were feeling.  The monk latched onto this, took it and ran.  Now, could we ourselves benefit from having words which differentiate the different feelings of love which we feel?  Perhaps, maybe that is why so many peoples intentions get misconstrued by others.  They say one thing but those around them are hearing something else.  Indeed, one of the most oft used and abused phrases in the English language are the words "I love you."  We seem to toss these words around without thinking more often than not.  We have no differing words to describe the different situations of love.  Now, one can say, "I love you like a brother" and be perfectly fine.  But it doesn't always turn out that way.  I believe it's less about the words and more about what's in our hearts.  

~Scott~