agape love

by highdose 2 Replies latest jw friends

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  highdose

  remember the org banging on about the wonderfull agape love? as if only they had access to the greek language? and agape love was supposed to be the kind of love you have for others?

  Well i'm learning greek, i've just got to the greek verb "to love". Now the interesting thing about greek is that all the verbs are split up into 1st person,2nd person ,3rd person, mascline plural,feminine plural and nutral plural. So were as the English would be just "to love" the greek has 6 words for the same verb all depending on who you are talking about.

  The word Agape does indeed mean love, but it means third person love. it does not mean " i love my brothers and sisters". Agapo is 1st person love.

  Kinda makes a mockery of it all dosn't it?
• 

  DJK

  Agape love is a term I first started to hear in the 70's before I left in 74. My opinion of it then is as it is now; "BS".
• 

  Narkissos

  You're finding out about conjugation... it actually exists in most languages, including English although the formal differences are fewer (I love, he loves); and that doesn't make 6 words but one verb.

  Btw, agapè (with final èta) is not the verb "to love" = agap(a)ô but the feminine noun (or substantive), (hè) agapè, (the) love. And you will see this noun changing forms too depending on its function in the sentence (declension).

  That being said, you are quite right about the Biblical use of agapè / agâp(a)ô etc. not implying a certain type of love. It is used in the LXX of the Amnon's "love" for his half-sister Tamar in 2 Samuel 13 for instance... not exactly "principled love". ;)