Notes on Daniel

It’s been a long time, since the last post.

A series of notes on the book of Daniel is on the way.  As readers, you might be interested in how your interpretation on some details in the book of Daniel fits with Daniel’s intent in his book.

A critical and sound review is most welcome.

May God help us in determining the meaning of the text of Daniel as we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and inspiration.

Love in the New Testament

It is common understanding among Christians that there are four kinds of love: Storge, Philos, Eros and Agape.  However, if we explore the Greek words for love in the New Testament, only Agape and Philos are found.  Storge and Eros are found outside the Bible.

If we explore more how the NT authors use Agape and Philos, we will know that they sometimes overlap in meaning.  I observed this ten years ago, especially in John 21:15-17:

“15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agapao) Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agapao) Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (phileo) Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love (phileo) Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (phileo) You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”

Please take note how Jesus change his terms for love from agapao to phileo. Why is that?

Is it possible that terms are just used for convenience, I mean to describe or express something which could easily be understood by listeners and that a word, while having each basic denotational meaning can have its full meaning when it is used in a particular context?

It seems that Peter couldn’t capture the exact meaning of agapao that prompted Jesus to change agapao into phileo for his third question.
Before we generalize about agape, how do we explain some usage of the inflected verbal form of agape (noun)/agapao (verb) and phileo (verb)? Is it possible that agapao and phileo are just synonymous, depending on the usage in the context?

Phileo (verb):
NAU John 5:20 “For the Father loves (= philei, verb indicative present active 3rd person singular of phileo) the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.

KJV John 11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved (= ephilei, verb indicative imperfect active 3rd person singular
of phileo) him!

NAU John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love (= phileis, verb indicative present active 2nd person of phileo) is sick.”

NIV John 16:27 No, the Father himself loves (= philei, verb indicative present active 3rd person singular of phileo) you because you have loved (= pephileikate, verb indicative perfect active 2nd person plural of phileo)
me and have believed that I came from God.

NAU 1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone does not love (= philei, verb indicative present active 3rd person singular of phileo) the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.

NIV Titus 3:15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love (= philountas, verb participle present active accusative masculine plural of phileo) us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

KJV Revelation 3:19 As many as I love (= philo, verb subjunctive present active 1st person singular of phileo), I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Agape (noun) /agapaw (verb):
KJV Matthew 5:46 For if ye love (= agapeiseite, verb subjunctive aorist active 2nd person plural of agapao/agape) them which love (= agapontas, verb participle present active accusative masculine plural of agapao/agape) you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love (= agapeisei, verb indicative future active 3rd person singular of agapao/agape) the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

KJV Luke 6:32 For if ye love (= agapate, verb indicative present active 2nd person plural of agapao/agape) them which love (= agapontas, verb participle present active accusative masculine plural of agapao/agape) you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love (= agapontas, verb participle present active accusative masculine plural of agapao/agape) those that love (= agaposin, verb indicative present active 3rd person plural of agapao/agape) them.

KJV Luke 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love (= agapate, verb indicative present active 2nd person plural of agapao/agape) the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

KJV John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved (= egapeisan, verb indicative aorist active 3rd person plural of agapao/agape) darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

KJV John 12:43 For they loved (= egapeisan, verb indicative aorist active 3rd person plural of agapao/agape) the praise of men more than the praise of God.

KJV 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved (= agapeisas verb participle aorist active nominative masculine singular of agapao/agape) this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

KJV 1 John 2:15 Love (= agapate, verb imperative present active 2nd person plural of agapao/agape) not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love (= agapa, verb subjunctive present active 3rd person singular
of agapao/agape) the world, the love [= agape(i), noun nominative feminine singular] of the Father is not in him.

KJV 1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth

Let’s balance our traditional understanding of “agape” by summarizing and understanding the quoted biblical data beforehand (check them if you have some doubts).

Phileo (verb):
Among other usages, “phileo” is also used by God the Father to His Son (John 5:20 “For the Father loves the Son) and to His disciples (John 16:27), by Jesus to Lazarus (John 11:3, 36 he loved him!), by Jesus’ disciples to Himself (John 16:27), by Jesus to whom He rebukes and chastens (Revelation 3:19), by anyone who does not love the Lord (1 Corinthians 16:22 “If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed”), by other people who loved Titus and other brethren in the faith (Titus 3:15).

Agapao (verb):
In the same way, “agapao” is also used by the disciples and the publicans/tax collectors/sinners for those who love them (Matthew 5:46; Luke 6:32), by anyone who serves two masters: God and mammon (Matthew 6:24), by the Pharisees for their uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets (Luke 11:43), by evil men who loved darkness (John 3:19), by some Jewish rulers/leaders for the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:43), by Demas for this world (2 Timothy 4:10), by anyone loving the world (1 John 2:15), and a child of the devil, who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10).

This is another example that we ought not to easily believe the generalizations and conclusions of some theologians without examining the Biblical facts/data. It means that before we make our own interpretation, check the primary source first.

So, is it possible that agapao and phileo are just synonymous and that it is just a matter of style of writing or choice of words by a biblical writer to make either word more meaningful according to its usage in a given context? (This is not easy to accept, but the Biblical data seems to show than the traditional maxims of most theologians and of those known inspired extrabiblical authors). Paul seems to prefer the shorter noun agape (1 Corinthians 13) to the longer the noun philadelphia (brotherly love, Roman 12:10).

Besides, there is no shorter nominal form of the verb phileo to mean love and equate agape (1 Corinthians 13), the nominal form of love, since the nominal form philos means friend (plural in Acts 10:24; 19:31; 27:3) and the nearest nominal synonym of agape seems to be philadelphia (Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Peter 1:7).  Therefore, it’s a matter of the writer’s choice/style on synonyms.

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Welcome to Exegetical Notes! This is my first post.  I’m grateful that WordPress extends me the privilege of using their services, so I can share my ideas to specific people: biblical scholars, pastors, ministers, laymen, free thinkers, and anybody who is interested in Biblical research.

This page is about my independent, personal, and Biblical research on some biblical passages.  This is not affiliated with any religion or denomination, since I believe that the Bible is its own interpreter.  Some hermeneutical principles and guidelines will be set forth in the near future, to guide the research and interpretation of the biblical text.

You might wonder whether I am capable of doing exegesis, that is, the special methodology and process in determining the meaning of the biblical text.  It is employed by using several eclectic disciplines, such as comparative philology (near eastern languages, e.g. Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Aramaic, Biblical Greek, and other ancient languages), grammar, syntax, textual criticism, semantics, archaeology, history, sociology and other newer fields.  I also attempt to incorporate some statistical methods into the process, if a particular text demands its attention.  To know more about my skills and interests, please visit my short curriculum vitae.

You might find yourself disagreeing with some exegetical studies found in this site.  Please take time digesting some non-traditional insights and interpretation with honest and open mind to appreciate the intent of the meaning of the Biblical text, based on a sound methodology and evidence.   I would appreciate it if you give some comments on this blog, if you find this helpful in your area of discipline or work.  Rest assured, I will freely consider them with utmost care and attention.