Agape and Phileo

 

Agape and Phileo

 

1 Corinthians 16:1-2: "Concerning the collection for the saints (tes logeias: singular), do as I have commanded the churches in Galatia: on the first day of every week each of you set aside a sum according to your income, so that when I come, there will be no need for a collection (tote logeias: plural)."

 

Logeias (λογείας) is derived from Logos (the Word), and its root is Logia (keeping the Word of God in the heart). The term tes logeias (τῆς λογείας), translated as "collection," signifies an offering. It does not mean to observe offerings according to specific regulations, but rather to help the Jerusalem church by making offerings in accordance with the command of the Logos to help the church, as the Jerusalem church was suffering from famine at the time. Therefore, Paul said that they must help the Jerusalem church by hearing the word of the Lord and conveying it to each church. Thus, the word "collection" signifies a relief offering. It is believed that the translator rendered it as "offering" with the offering box used for relief funds in the Old Testament in mind. The message is that the believers should not collect the offering only when Paul arrives, but should gather it in advance. Paul intends to send someone to deliver the offering. Although Paul has the desire to go to the Corinthian church, Jesus has not permitted it.

 

Jesus is telling Paul to go to Ephesus. This implies that while the door for evangelism is open in Ephesus, there are also many adversaries. These adversaries are within the church. 1 Corinthians 16:10-11: “When Timothy arrives, be careful that he be among you without fear, for he is a worker of the Lord just as I am. Therefore, do not despise him, but send him on in peace to me, for I wait for him to come with the brothers.”

 

In order to go to Ephesus, it was necessary to produce many workers. Although Paul urged Apollos to go to the Corinthian church, he had no intention of going at that time. Perhaps Apollos was intimidated by the fact that the believers in the Corinthian church had received many spiritual gifts. Apollos possessed a great deal of knowledge of the Scriptures. This was because, while the Corinthian church had received many gifts, they showed weakness in the Word of Scripture. Therefore, the message is that although Apollos will eventually go to the Corinthian church, he should not be intimidated, but should go forth like a man, strong and resilient. A man named Achaia evangelized Stephanas, and Stephanas, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, intends to serve the saints and carry out the ministry of the gospel. The message is that just as Stephanas served the saints after being filled with the Holy Spirit, all believers should submit to the Lord and become servants.

 

Paul rejoices because Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus were filled with the Holy Spirit and experienced the presence of the Logos in their hearts. Although they (the believers of the Corinthian church) had attended church for a long time, their level of faith was low, so Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus would fill in what they lacked in terms of faith. This is why Paul intended to send these three men to the Corinthian church.

 

Paul believes that their faith has reached a level where they are filled with the Holy Spirit and experience the Logos in their hearts. Therefore, he asks the people of the Corinthian church to acknowledge them. Furthermore, Paul told the believers of the Corinthian church that if they do not love the Lord (philei), they will be cursed. Agape and Phileo (Philei) are love with different meanings. Agape is the love of the Cross intended to revive a dead spirit, while Phileo is the kind of love one has for a friend. It means to love Jesus as a friend.

 

When Jesus resurrected, went to Galilee, and met Peter, He asked, "Do you love me?" (Agape). Peter answered, "I love you, Lord" (Phileo). The "Do you love?" (Agape) question Jesus asked was essentially asking, "Do you consider me to be the Christ who died on the cross and resurrected?" However, Peter was saying that he loved Jesus with the same heart he had with whom he had walked for three years. Then Jesus asked the same question a second time, and Peter gave the same answer.

 

Thirdly, Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me with Phileo?" And Peter's answer to the third time was also Phileo. Then Jesus told him to feed His sheep. The Lord lowered Himself to Peter's eye level. This was because Peter was in a state where it was not easy for him to bear Jesus's Agape love.

 

Therefore, Peter likely loved Jesus with phileo, but upon realizing agape, he transitioned to agape love. The believers in the Corinthian church were in a state where they lacked not only agape love but also phileo love.

 

Agape love signifies the death of Jesus Christ on the cross to revive dead spirits. Since those who are in Christ are also united with Christ, agape love applies to them. It can be said that those who do not believe in dying and resurrecting with Jesus Christ are far removed from agape love.

 

However, no matter how devotedly a believer extends love to others, it is nearly impossible for them to practice the same agape love as Jesus. Therefore, they are compelled to practice phileo love. Because all humans possess a physical body, they cannot bestow love akin to the death on the cross. It merely indicates that while they have received God's love through union with Jesus, they are beings incapable of extending such love to others.

 

For a believer to say they love the Lord with phileo means feeding the sheep according to the Lord's will. Evangelism is a task akin to a duty for believers. However, if you take the Lord's words to heart, it comes not as a duty, but as love. For reviving a dead spirit is truly a beautiful act of love.