Agapetos…
This is one of my Bibles. This certain Bible has “Love is Louder” scrawled on it’s cover. I wrote that after several years of wear. This particular Bible has been with me since the end of my senior year in High School. My best friend & I exchanged new bibles at the time to share with eachother our favorite verses. It is the Bible I used all through college, every Bible class, psychology class, Chapel, church service, Bible study, and personal devotion. It holds my notes, my tears, an early “Him” list (list of qualities I want in a partner). It is falling apart at the spine from use, and now it’s home is my car, where I know I always have access to His Word.
This is the Bible I used most often during the time when I first learned the word Agapetos.
Beloved.
It is the Bible that has seen more of my pain & recovery than any other Bible I own. And though, I have a Bible that is slightly more important to me than this one, this one is very special in my heart.
I show this picture because I want to introduce where my journey to being Beloved began, and I thought, Maybe some people don’t really know what this means…
So, I’ll tell you.
In laymen’s terms: the Greek word Agapetos means Beloved (which I’m sure you know by now 🙂 ). But, it’s more than that:
- dearly loved
- well loved
- dear [one]
This word appears 62 times in Scripture.
God uses this word to describe Christ when He anoints him. God literally opened up the sky and said of Christ: “this is my beloved [Son], in whom I’m well pleased” (Matt 3:17, 12:18, 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 3:22).
It is used of God’s people, with the NT writers calling all of God’s children the Beloved, knowing that God has adopted us into his family.
And, it is used of God’s people in fellowship with one another. We are to be dear to one another, living in Love. All of 1 John is about the love of God & loving others. (It is one of my favorite books, I’d recommend it).
This word stirs up a lot for me. This short, 4 syllable word packs so much love, nothing in English quite does it justice. It reminds me of how much I am truly loved: By God & by His people. And, it reminds me how I am supposed to love: God & His people.
This kind of love is related to another Greek word, where English language is so lack: Agape: an unconditional, forever love…but I’ll save that for another post…
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children…”
– Ephesians 5:1
Author Candice Jenee’ 