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SCRIPTURAL APPROACH ON LOVE

Mark Francis Acosta

Jeson Ly Berdida
Yuriko Rapael Maralit, OSJ
Ericson Pendoy, OFMCap

“Deus caritas est” (1 Jn 14:16). Quoting the very words of St. John, Pope

Emeritus Benedict XVI began his first encyclical considering the question of

Christian love or charity. He discussed in length the virtue of love in all its facets

and dimensions from the love between man and woman to the love that the

Church has for others in her expression of charity. God is love and this very image

of God is the heart of the Christian faith, meaning to say, our faith in Christ Jesus

is rooted in the very love of God for God is love. Charity is fundamental in our

lives. Man’s actions must be infused with the spirit of charity or love and must be

directed to the ultimate good, God who is love. The Ten Commandments and the

very manual of a happy life, the Beatitudes, are all rooted in the love of God and

the love of neighbor, an “agape” kind of love.

There are several approaches in understanding the virtue of love and how it

governs one’s life. The very foundation of these approaches is seeing this virtue in

the lens of the Sacred Scripture, both in the Old Testament and the New

Testament, most particularly in the Gospels, wherein the stories of Jesus’ love for

humanity is presented. The Gospels in themselves are the manifestations of love

of Jesus, the God made flesh, the God who is love. Here, we will have a run

through of some of the stories in the Scripture, that we can see the kind of love

and how this love is manifested in the life of some of the Biblical characters.

In the Old Testament, we can see the Story of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 18;

11 – 14). Abraham and Sarah are two prominent characters from the Old

Testament where we can see expressions of the love of God. Abraham and Sarah

provide an inspirational tale of how trusting in God will lead to favor in life.

Beginning with two hearts united as one in one of the greatest love stories on

record. It is a story that continues to this day and of which we are very much a

part. Sarah’s love for Abram was so strong that she was willing to see him have a

child with another woman to please him, having a surrogate mother was equally as

acceptable to her as having her own child with Abram. This is surely a story that

shows us that love makes us do some meaningless things to please the person that

we love. We see that trusting God is the only way to live, we see the pain that

comes from disobedience to God, and we see how important it is for a husband to

follow God’s leading with all his heart and how important it is for a wife to

submit to her own husband as an act of faith in God.

Also, the story of Joseph and his brothers (Gen 37; 42 – 46). The story

portrays forgiving love and providential love God has for his people. Joseph was

once sold by his brothers to the Egyptians. He was even plotted to be killed by his
brothers but thrown into the pit. He became a slave and imprisoned. When his

brothers asked him food, with tears in his eyes, he looked at them with mercy and

compassion and gave them food. Despite the tribulation he experienced caused by

his brothers, he still accepts, love, and forgive his brothers. He still accepts his

brother who sold him. He still loves his brothers who plotted to kill him. He still

forgives his brothers who has sinned grievously. His forgiving love saves his

brothers from famine. At the end of the story, forgiving love makes him and his

brothers united again. Moreover, it is because of God’s providential love that

brought Joseph safe in Egypt, became the right hand of the Pharaoh, and enjoyed a

wealthy life. It is also the providential love of God that Joseph learn to love and

forgive his brothers. Indeed, it is the providential love of God and the cooperation

of Joseph that he is able to unite back with his father and brothers.

Another story in the OT where we can see the value of love is the story of

Ruth. Ruth stayed with her mother in law, after the death of her first husband

whom she loves dearly. This act of loyalty and service impressed and attracted

Boaz. In turn Boaz cared for her. This love shows the love in terms of service. It is

done for others. The story moves one to be protecting, caring and supporting for

the person whom you love.

In the New Testament, love is expressed more clearly in the very life of

Jesus, in his ministry to the lost, the least and the last. His works are
manifestations of the very love of the Father toward His people. The love of Jesus

was so great to the point of shedding His blood for the redemption of the world.

His very purpose of coming to this world is love: “For God so love the world, that

He gave us His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish

but will have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). His death on the cross depicts the kind of love

that is redemptive. Jesus allowed himself to suffer and the cross because of his

love to humanity. It is redemptive because we have debt to face in punishment of

our sins but Jesus paid the sins, we have indebted to God by allowing himself to

be crucified. The suffering of Jesus in the cross is the enduring love that saves

people. It is the love of Jesus that redeems humanity. This redemptive love of

Jesus is unconditional love or agape. His love is purely self-giving without any

expectations in return.

The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is an expression also of Jesus’ love

for the sinners and the outcasts of society. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus the day

he came to town even though he was known as a sinful, tax collector. Unkind,

unpleasant, unlovable people still want to be known and loved even though they

don’t act like it. Jesus gives a wonderful example in this story of reaching out to

someone who is unloved by many. He goes out of his way to reach out and

Zacchaeus’ heart is changed by his love. The very message of this bible story is

loving the unlovable. Jesus Christ accepted Zacchaeus just as he was. Christ loved
and accepted Zacchaeus unconditionally, even though he knew what a great sinner

he was. This is what caused Zacchaeus’ change of heart. Love is the only thing

that causes conversion. If we just knew how to love more like Christ loves

people, our world would change and become a better place. Christ was able to

love deeply, because he is both human and divine. The Holy Spirit bound him

and his Father together and they thought, loved and acted as one. Christ was

rooted in his Father’s love. Just as Jesus was rooted in His Father’s love, our heart

needs to be centered in God’s unconditional love for us, in order for us to be able

to begin loving other people the way that Jesus did.

Jesus exhorts us to love even our enemies (Lk 6:27-36). This gospel passage

gives us of a love that is challenging. This love is showing a love that goes beyond

the ego. It is love that transcends one’s pride. The golden rule of doing to others as

they would do unto us is an example of a love that is in the service of other. This

command of love which Jesus tells us is about being merciful, acceptant,

forgiving and compassionate. One is lead to a realization that love is not merely

for those who loves you back but also to others who hate and despise you. To love

is expect nothing in return.

The parable of the Loving Father, also known as the parable of the Prodigal

Sons (Lk 15:11-32) is one of the greatest stories in the NT that highlights the deep

love of God to His people especially the least, the lost and the last. It is a moving
story that teaches us that no matter how sinful we are, God will not treat us as

hired servants but will restore us to the dignity of being His children and this is

great selfless love. At the sight of his son, the father runs to him, hugs him and

kisses him. To all of us who where lost from the Father’s love, He still loves us

and constantly calls us to conversion.

In conclusion, we can see how the Scripture, both in the OT and the NT

expresses the profound love of God teaching us how the virtue of love should

govern our very lives. The virtue of love urges man to seek and love God as the

highest good in one’s life. In the OT, God’s love for his people is contextualized

in a covenantal love, expressed in the great commandment of love (Dt 6:5). It is a

bond of affection symbolized by the love between a mother or a father and her/his

child (Hos 11:1-4; Is 49:15). This unfaltering love is the virtue of a just man (Sir

2:15). In the NT, God is simply the God of love (2 Cor 13:11; 1 Jn 4:16). God’s

love for men is primarily a father’s love (Lk 15:11-32; 1 Jn 3:1). This love is

manifested in the very life of Jesus Christ (1 Jn 4:9), the very foundation of our

moral life. Morality must be rooted in love, and this goal for the highest good is a

life lived in love, leading to a happy life, a life in beatitudes. God is love and this

love urges us to love Him back, in the very example of Jesus.