Love: Most Precious (Matthew 22:36-38; 13:44-46; Romans 1:31; 12:10; 2 Timothy 3:3; John 21:15-17)

Jesus was asked, "...which is the great commandment in the law?' (Matt.22:36).

MOST IMPORTANT

The Pharisees; Sadducees; and Rabbis debated this question, having identified 613 individual statutes, consisting of 248 commands and 365 prohibitions, that they supposedly lived by.

The import of the question was, which is "...the most important commandment" (E.V.Rieu)

RANKING SYSTEM

The religious leaders had a ranking system as to which scriptural laws or commands were of more or of lessor importance, based on the punishments for breaking those commands. In other words, if the repercussions to their disobedience were not too severe, then they could confidently live however they chose, especially if their transgression wasn't exposed.

OBEDIENCE & LOVE

It seemed that the religious leader's motivation, was sort of like a young child, seeking to push the limits, as to how much they could get away with, in regards to their parents "rules", rather than seeing that the boundaries set, were out of concern and compassion, for the child, and the intention was that the child would realize the parents' reasoning, and the child would respond from a heart of obedience and love, to those parental controls.

MATTHEW 22:37-38

Jesus responded by saying, "You shall love the Lord, your God, in all your heart, and in all your soul, and in all your mind. This is the first and great commandment".

LOVE

First and foremost, the motivation for doing or obeying any of the scriptures, was and is, out of "love". If you don't actually "...love the Lord, your God", then everything you are doing is just religious conformity, and there is no life or purpose in it, just legalism and a slow painful death by tradition.

The Greek word translated "love", in Matthew 22:37, is the same Greek word used in the parallel passage in Mark 12:30 and the similar passage in Luke 10:27.

LOVE 4 WAYS

There are 4 Greek words translated in English as "love":

PHYSICAL LOVE (Eros) - This is where we get the English word "erotic". This word eventually degenerated into simply "sexual love", but originally meant any form of "physical" touching or caressing. This Greek word is not found in the scriptures.

PARENTAL LOVE (Storge) - This word, or a compound form of it, is only found 3 times in the scriptures [Rm.1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3 - speaking of those who are without "natural", (i.e., parental or family) affection] and encouraging all Believers to have a strong "natural" affection (Rm.12:10) for other Believers, because we are all part of the same family.

PLEASURE LOVE (Phileo) - This Greek word is used approximately 24 times in the NT and 27 times in the Greek OT. It refers to an affection or "love" for someone, because you enjoy being with them. They are a friend, because it is pleasurable to be with them; you derive pleasure from their company.

DIRECT BENEFIT

Each of these 3 definitions of "love" are rooted in the fact, that there is some direct benefit received, by you, from the other party or individual, and therefore, you "love" them.

1) You enjoy them physically (eros) and your personal benefit from that contact.

2) You are related to them, and have a natural affection towards them (storge) because of the benefit of that family relationship.

3) You find that they give you pleasure (phileo) and the pleasure you derive from their company is to your personal benefit. [This is the category that most friendships are built upon - some sort of mutual benefit].

PRECIOUS LOVE (Agape) - This "love" sees the intrinsic value in someone or something, and doesn't "love", because of what they can get from someone or something, but sees the person or individual, as extremely valuable, precious, in themselves, above anything else.

AGAPE

This is the most common word for love in the old or new testaments. Even without counting it's derivatives or compounds, (agape, 25 [Strong's]) is used at least 205 times in the Greek (LXX) translation of the OT and at least 123 times in the NT.

MORE PRECIOUS

It is often characterized as the love that God, our Father has towards us, but it is not restricted to that definition, because it literally refers to something or someone, that you deem to be more precious, and more valuable to you, than anything or anyone else.

TREASURE

The word is illustrated by the parable of "...treasure hidden in a field, which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy of it goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field" (Matt.13:44) or "...like a merchant man, seeking fine pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matt.13:45-46) [We are the treasure; we are the pearl of great price, which the Father gave everything for].

JOHN 21:15-17

Jesus asked Peter, "am I more precious to you than anything or anyone else (agape, 25)?" Peter responded to Jesus, "Yes Lord, You know that You give me pleasure to be around You (phileo, 5368)". Jesus said to Peter a second time, "am I more precious to you than anything or anyone (agape,25)?". Peter replied again, "You know that You give me pleasure to be around You (phileo, 5368)". Jesus asked Peter a third time, " Am I even a pleasure to be around you, in your life (phileo, 5368)?". Peter was very grieved because Jesus asked him, "am I even someone that you find pleasurable to be around (phileo, 5368)", and so he said, "O Lord, You know all things, and You know that I find you pleasurable to be around (phileo, 5368)" [paraphrased].

MOST PRECIOUS

At that point in his life, Peter couldn't say that Jesus was the most precious and more valuable than anything else in his life.

Jesus said, the first and great commandment, is that, IN all your heart; IN all your soul; and IN all you mind, the Father God is the most precious and valuable to you, above all people or possessions, friends or family: He is more precious to you.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours