Agape, the divine, selfless love. enemy love. The result of a decision, principle, not emotion. One hears it again and again in sermons, reads it in articles.

Greek words from the New Testament have had to be used for entire teachings in the history of theology.

This often left me with a stale feeling. Because it seems as sterile as mathematics and philosophy, only that these are often more fascinating. Is agape theology shaped by Greek thought? Does it not seldom remain theory, becomes ideology and unfortunately all too often stands in contrast to everyday life?

When I was young, I wanted to study theology. After my community service, I decided at short notice to study languages ​​because someone urgently advised me not to study theology after a specific prayer on the matter. It was a surprising turning point for me at the time.

Instead of Greek, I now focused on Hebrew. That changed my approach to the Bible a lot. Today I am grateful for that. For it has become clear to me that the New Testament writers only used Greek as a world language in order to reach as many people as possible. But their thinking remained Hebrew.

And in Hebrew, the most important word for love is chesed. This word also includes the concepts of mercy, grace, favour, grace, faithfulness, goodness and is always connected with the practice of life or is only expressed in it. So this word is full of emotion and passion. So maybe the apostles were not talking about this love when they used the term agape?

This love is evident in the lives of Naomi's daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. What a dedication spoke of her life that Naomi had to say: »The LORD do Chesed to you, as you did to the dead and to me.« (Ruth 1,8:XNUMX)

The Bible describes this love in many places: »Give thanks to the LORD; for he is kind, and his chesed endures forever.« (Psalm 118,1:31,3) »I have always loved you, therefore I have drawn you to me out of sheer chesed.« (Jeremiah 6,6:XNUMX) »For I have a desire in Chesed and not in the sacrifice" (Hosea XNUMX:XNUMX).

A person who has internalized Chesed is a Hasid, a loving, pious, God-fearing, merciful, holy: »Love the LORD, all his Hasidim!« (Psalm 31,23:97,10) »You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of his Hasidim.« (Psalm XNUMX:XNUMX)

The other Hebrew word for love, ahava, also lacks the spiritualized, disembodied connotation that the Greek concept of agape can sometimes produce.

“Put me like a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm. For Ahava is strong as death and passion irresistible as the realm of the dead. Their embers are fiery and a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench the Ahava, nor rivers drown them.” (Song of Songs 8,6.7:XNUMX)

Whoever is caught by this fire, his faith remains no spiritual exercise, no attitude, no lip service, no feel-good gospel that qualifies on a checklist. This fire connects with the Almighty and with fellow human beings. This fire warms the world!

Perhaps the following section sounds brand new to our ears now:

'Ye gifted with chesed, let us show chesed to one another; for Chesed is from God, and whoever practices Chesed is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not practice chesed does not know God; for God is Chesed... And we have known and believed the Chesed that God has for us: God is Chesed; and he who abides in Chesed abides in God, and God in him... Fear is not in Chesed, but perfect Chesed casts out fear... Let us pass on Chesed, for He first gifted us with Chesed. If anyone says: I have chesed for God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For whoever does not show chesed to his brother, whom he sees, cannot show chesed to God, whom he does not see. And we have this commandment from him, that whoever gives God a gift of Chesed should also give Chesed to his brother.« (1 John 4,7.8.16.18.19:21-XNUMX paraphrased)