Tag: Luke

  • All you need is Love Love Love

    All you need is Love Love Love

    Or should I say, Love, love, love, love perhaps four times?

    (As just a bit earlier than the Beatles another Englishman, Clive Staples, pointed out 4 loves — each at least somewhat different from the others?)

    Christians throw around the LOVE jargon rather vaguely and with much overlap (as does the world).

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. JOHN 3:16 green man
    For God so loved the world.. John 3:16
    • The word, “Love” occurs over 500 times in the Bible
    • translated more than 200 times from New Testament Greek into the English Standard Version

    Let’s have some Biblical intercourse about the real definitions of the Biblical loves to which C.S. Lewis referred.

    The Four Loves

    C.S. Lewis, born just a couple of years before my grandfathers, capitalized on this in his popular RADIO program and published a book called THE FOUR LOVES in A..D. 1960 (when I was only ten and John Lennon was just twenty).


    To outline Lewis’ approach briefly:

    The Four Loves was Lewis’ look at some of the different loves described in Greek thought: familial or affectionate love (storge); friendship (philia); romantic love (eros); and spiritual love (agape) in the light of Christian commentary on ordinate loves.

    Source: C.S. Lewis.org

    Although in A.D. 1960 Lewis began elsewhere, today let’s start with the world’s contemporary favorite:

    Eros – ἔρως

    Eros is the Greek term for romantic or passionate love. While the word itself is not used in the New Testament, the concept is present in the biblical understanding of marriage and the intimate relationship between husband and wife. Eros is seen as a gift from God, intended to be expressed within the covenant of marriage.

    The Song of Solomon [O.T.] is often cited as a biblical celebration of eros, highlighting the beauty and intensity of romantic love.

    Source: Biblehub.com

    Affection (storge)

    Affection covers an array of loves. Like animals, the care of mother to babe is a picture of affection. It relies on the expected and the familiar. Lewis describes it as humble.

    It’s the familiarity of, “the people with whom you are thrown together in the family, the college, the mess, the ship, the religious house,” says Lewis.

    Source: Biblehub.com

    My long search for affection in the Bible

    I do not mean affection literally (in English), but a Greek word for affection, STORGE.

    God blessed me with an additional embrace of His Personal and mysterious, complex love for us through searching aimlessly for love in the Bible. Only after researching further in other commentaries did I connect this word of affection with the Lord’s additional loves we experience so personally.

    God’s affection in the Person of His only Son JESUS was there all along and I had missed it.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    ..says Lewis. The affection for the people always around us, in the normal day-to-day of life, is the majority of the love we experience, even if we don’t label it.

    ‘Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.’
    had jumped out to me in the NIV

    But in addition to our affection meaning devoted, when Paul writes to the Romans, the word the Apostle uses here for love obviously applies to brotherly love – philadelphia.

    I also liked his mention to ‘honor‘ each other above your SELF.

    Seems familiar to JESUS’ second summary point from the Commandments. LOVE actually appears in BOTH of these commandments cited by our Lord:

    Jesus said to him,

    “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.
    And the second is like it:
    You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
    On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

    Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV

    What is the greatest love?

    ἀγαπάω – agapaō

    *Thou shalt love kyrios thy theos.

    pillar of fire in the midst of Moses and the Hebrews

    Do we not hold FEAR rather than embrace the LORD our theos as a pillar of fire?

    But what about the Lord Jesus’ second commandment (which we often claim as our ‘GOLDEN RULE?’

    And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

    Gospel of Matthew 22:39 KJV

    ἀγαπάω – agapaō

    *Thou shalt love thy plēsion [neighbour]…

    The Lord seems to mention others as at least equal to our need for self-love, if not more honor as Paul suggests in writing to the Church in Rome. 

    This LOVE is the SAME Love, that is: agapaō !

    Storge – Other Loves plus Devotion

    Although the specific term storge is not used in the New Testament, the concept is evident in passages that emphasize family relationships and responsibilities. Romans 12:10 


    φιλόστοργος – philostorgos – adjective

    a Greek conjunction PHILO plus STORGOS - Do you see both LOVES?

    And look at its definition:

    1. the mutual love of parents and children and wives and husbands
    2. loving affection, prone to love, loving tenderly
      • chiefly of the reciprocal tenderness of parents and children
    Which brings us to a third love C.S. Lewis highlights:

    Philia (φιλία)

    Friendship is the love dismissed.

    “To the Ancients, Friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves,”

    says Lewis,

    “the crown of life and the school of virtue.

    And at this writing in ~ A.D. 1958 or 1960 Lewis laments of such philos friendships: 

    The modern world, in comparison, ignores it.” Why?

    Perhaps we know it’s the most time consuming, the least celebrated, the one we could live without.

    Can we?

    Even in 2025 Common Era time-crunching christian church gatherings pressed to entertain all sinners in these last days?


    Discovering Phila-Delphia

    philadelphosStrong’s G5361

    a Christian loving Christians

    YES, it’s a great adjective describing the relational fruit of Biblical Christians.

    From φίλος (G5384) and ἀδελφός (G80)

    φίλος – Strong’s G5384philos

    Adjective

    Here's HALF of the Phila Delphia ANSWER. Read on and I'll get to the other HALF later. 

    †φίλος phílos, fee’-los; properly, dear, i.e. a friend; actively, fond, i.e. friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.):—friend.

    “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends  G5384.

    “You are My friends  G5384 if you do what I command you.

    Jesus Christ, from the Good News of John 15:13-14 LSB

    JESUS, the Son of Man and Son of God EMBRACES His disciples as close friends.

    And you may have guessed it: 
    The relational word the beloved Apostle John uses here for LOVE is agapē.

    φιλέω – Strong’s G5368 – phileō

    a verb with similar meaning that we won’t want to miss

    1. to love
      • to approve of
      • to like
      • sanction
      • to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend
    2. to show signs of love
      • to kiss
    3. to be fond of doing
      • be wont [an accustomed familiarity], use to do

    Perhaps the most convicting encounter with JESUS using this word phileō for LOVE occurs in His most personal encounter with the Apostle Peter after our Lord’s resurrection.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

    He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love G5368 You.”

    “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

    He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love G5368 You.”

    He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love G5368 Me?”


    Now returning to our compound Greek word for Philadelphia we must consider one additional connection of LOVE:

    • philadelphosStrong’s G5361
      • From φίλος (G5384) and ἀδελφός (G80)

    ἀδελφός – Strong’s G80 – adelphos

    masculine noun — From ἄλφα (G1) (as a connective particle) and delphus (the womb)

    1. a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother
    2. having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman
    3. any fellow or man
    4. a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection
    5. an associate in employment or office
    6. brethren in Christ
      • his brothers by blood
      • all men
      • apostles
      • Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place

    ἄλφαStrong’s G1 – alpha

    You've probably already guessed it and why this Greek word was designated as 'G1' in the Strong's concordance. 

    indeclinable noun – Of Hebrew origin


    “I am the Alpha G1 and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 1:8

    “I am the Alpha G1 and the Omega, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, the beginning and the end.”

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 22:13 LSB


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  • What is the Gospel? What are the Gospels?

    What is the Gospel? What are the Gospels?

    Ask five Christians,

    What is the Gospel?

    And you may hear THREE different answers, see an empty puzzled look and perhaps hear an honest, “I don’t really know; how do you define the gospel?”


    Go ahead: EMAIL ME your definition BEFORE you read the following OR add your definitive COMMENT at the bottom of this Christian Jargon post. 

    Gospel & Gospels – Two Definitions

    photo of earth from the moon

    You have probably heard from one version of this Scripture:

    “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

    Gospel of Mark 16:15b NIV

    I mention ‘Gospel‘ in two different contexts here:

    1. Gospel from a quote of the risen Lord Jesus Christ
    2. Gospel identifying the written account of the disciple John Mark

    Four Gospels recorded by four witnesses

    Briefly:

    1. Matthew
    2. Mark
    3. Luke
    4. John
    We've quoted these four writers of the Gospels many times AND we cross-reference these Scriptures in other accounts as well. 

    TalkofJESUS.com treats the GOSPELS as a single category due to the connected importance of the Good News of Jesus Christ reported LIVE and IN PERSON from different perspectives.

    manger of a timeless Christ "I will be with you always even to the end of the earth

    Gospel of Matthew 28:30 – Quote of JESUS after the Lord’s resurrection.

    that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
    Gospel of LUKE 1:4
    John Mark (mentioned above) and Luke, the physician who continued his detailed account of Jesus and the early Church with Acts of the Apostles, were both gentile (non-Jewish) believers who interviewed the Twelve and other witnesses of JESUS. 

    Matthew (quoted above) and John are two of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus includes John and his brother James along with Simon Peter in the Lord's inner circle of closest confidants and friends.
    about the Author the Gospel of John - photo of quill and pen & computer talkofJesus.com
    The GOSPEL of JOHN

    Luke also introduces himself in both volumes of his accounts Luke-Acts.

    The Gospel: Definition

    εὐαγγέλιον

    Strong’s G2098 – euangelion

    And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.


    Topical Encyclopedia

    The term “Gospel” originates from the Old English word “godspel,” meaning “good news” or “glad tidings,” which is a translation of the Greek word “euangelion.”

    In the context of the Christian faith, the Gospel refers to the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, encompassing His life, death, resurrection, and the promise of eternal life for believers.

    gos’-pel (to euaggelion): The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word which meant “the story concerning God.”

    The Gospel is simple really, yet with the mysterious depth of God proclaimed as the good Word of saving sinners.

    I have written topically about the Gospel at least twice: 

    (Go into all the world and) SHARE the Gospel – 2


    Further Study

    Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words offers a deeper study of biblical words used in the English language. English entries are mapped to each applicable Greek root according to the Strong’s reference numbers, and include biblical usage, main occurrences in the Bible, English transliteration, and definitions.

    εὐαγγελίζω – euangelizō – verb

    Strong’s Number: g2097

    Gospel (Noun and Verb: to Preach):“to bring or announce glad tidings” (Eng., “evangelize”), is used

    (a) in the Active Voice in Rev 10:7 (“declared”) and Rev 14:6 (“to proclaim,” RV, AV, “to preach”);


    Some claiming Christ, christians or even churches, will claim the Gospel without understanding.

    OR worse, pulpits may proclaim the Gospel while hiding behind it.

    AND some christians and churches take no action at all in evangelization or preaching the Gospel to our own personal need of Christ Jesus for salvation.

    Good News before our inevitable end

    death — and the JUDGMENT of ALMIGHTY GOD!

    2025 of the Common Era seems to have begun with story after story and yet more of the continuing BREAKING NEWS of our fallen world.


    Common Era NEWS begins with the same old sins of the world wrapped in the false idolatry: MOTHER NATURE and a world out of control * and a human-created environmental apocalypse – impending DISASTER out of reach of all their hand-holding gods.

    God as provided a paradise for man but the Lord will take vengeance who will not fear the fire of His wrath and judgment. Maui fires of AD 2023 are not the Lord's first warning to the idolaters of the earth
    Fire Maui Hawaii US
    A Kurdish Syrian woman walks with her child past the ruins of the town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on March 25, 2015. (Yasin Akgul/AFP/Getty Images)
    1945 dead slave labors
    Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the driving rain (Pic: Andrew McGowan)
    prepare for Judgment! Revelation 8:2 KJV apokalypsis of the 7th seal pictured 2 (of seven trumpets) shofars - Prepare, Christians, for Jesus' return on the clouds!
    And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound…

    .. but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He proclaimed G2097  good G2097  news G2097 to His slaves, the prophets.

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 10:7 LSB


    WHAT NEWS TODAY?

    How many died THIS TIME? And how many were SAVED for nothing more than BAD NEWS? (And for how long until the inevitable return of each broken body into the dust of the grave?)

    Does the world’s news end with a feel-good story? *Do YOU feel good about YOURSELF now?

    What percentage of us will die sometime soon?


    What does the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST mean to your eternal soul

    — your deeper human created in God’s image — the YOU by which so many souls you love in this world (or perhaps just a few) know you well as more than flesh and blood?

    Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out - Acts 3: Peter preaching repentance
    Repentance!

    and BELIEVE the Gospel.


    “Many false prophets will arise and will deceive man.

    And because lawlessness is multiplied, most people’s love will grow cold.

    But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

    Gospel of Matthew 24:11-13

    Talk of JESUS .com

    “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole world as a witness to all the nations,
    and then the end will come.

    Matthew 24:14 Legacy Standard Bible

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  • Hail Mary, humble wife of GOD

    Hail Mary, humble wife of GOD

    And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

    Gospel of Luke 2:16 King James Version

    Mary an Introduction

    Christians, Jews and unbelievers know parts of the iconic scene unfolding in Bethlehem through a virgin Jewish mother. 

    Today I honor Mary most appropriately by retelling her story of Christmas mostly from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

    Mary, Eve of the Virgin Birth

    And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem..

    .. with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

    Gospel of Luke 2:4-5 KJV excerpt

    And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

    Mary, wife of Joseph?

    Not quite, according to custom and Jewish law.

    Do YOU know any young woman who has been pregnant (even near full term) yet not married to the man she knew?

    μνηστεύω Strong’s G3423 – mnēsteuō – from a derivative of G3415; to give a souvenir (engagement present), i.e. betroth:—espouse.

    Recall that GREEK is the common language not only of Luke the Physician but also of all of the Roman Empire ruled by Caesar Augustus. 

    Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused G3423 to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

    Gospel of Matthew 1:18 KJV

    SCANDELOUS !

    (as least in the A.D. First Century)

    Mary, ENGAGED to Joseph

    AND they both know that the Virgin Mary had NEVER come together with Joseph her fiancé!

    Joseph, an honorable man

    (like his namesake and ancestor, Joseph, son of Jacob, who the LORD used to rule Egypt under Pharaoh.) 

    Gospel of Matthew 1:19- KJV

    Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,

    Joseph, thou son of David,
    fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:
    for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

    Matthew 1:20b KJV

    And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

    for he shall save his people from their sins.

    Gospel of Matthew 1:21 KJV


    An angel of the Lord speaks to you!

    What to do?


    The adoptive father of JESUS believes God (of course). And Joseph is a righteous and honorable man.

    Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

    And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

    Gospel of Matthew 1:24-25 KJV

    Signs and Witnesses

    Prophesy of Isaiah and others centuries Before Christ.

    Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

    Isaiah 7:14 KJV

    And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

    For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

    And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

    Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

    Gospel of Luke 2:8-14 King James Version

    Witnesses and worship

    Signs before Jesus’ birth

    There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

    And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

    And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

    And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

    Gospel of Luke 1:5-11 King James Version

    An Angel of the Lord standing beside the Priest of God right inside the Holy of Holies! A pretty big deal.

    Briefly, what happens next is a foretelling prophetic birth of JOHN the BAPTIST, preparing the way for the Lord Jesus, the consolation of Israel and Messiah sent of God the Father.

    Elisabeth, John and the Holy Spirit

    • Zacharias the Priest of God continued to serve his term in the Temple unable to speak.
      • Daily worshipers in Jerusalem must have know that something was up.
    • He returns home.
    • Elisabeth conceived.
    • An angel of the Lord then appears in Nazareth prior to their trip to register for the census of Caesar and also tells Mary:

    And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.

    Gospel of Luke 1:36-37 KJV

    • And Mary went into the hill country of *Juda
    • And entered into the house of Zacharias
    • and (knowing the the angel had revealed) saluted Elisabeth.

    And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,

    the babe leaped in her womb;

    and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

    Gospel of Luke 1:41 KJV signs confirming the Messiah when Mary greeted the mother of John the Baptist

    In the Year of the most controversial birth in history

    Jesus Christ born in a manger

    Church fathers, theologians who study such things, took a few centuries to articulate the trinitarian Christology from the Apostles recorded in Scripture from the A.D. first century.

    The clarity of their CREEDS and CONFESSIONS of FAITH define our hope of eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
    And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
    Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
    and was made man

    Nicene Creed excerpt
    AD 325 & AD381

    εὐλογέωeulogeō

    .. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

    Luke 1:42b KJV

    κύριος – kyrios

    As were Joseph and others to whom the Lord sent His angels:

    The soul of Mary is humble, as is JESUS from her womb to the Cross.


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