Above all, love each other deeply…
Summary: Peter echoes the Great Commandment (Matthew 22: 37-40) when he tells us to love each other deeply.
When Peter writes, “love each other deeply,” he is speaking of a specific type of love. He wants us to agapē each other deeply. Agapē is a Greek word that means caring for someone with affection and goodwill. It is the kind of love one has for a brother or a sister. Agapē is the kind of love that genuinely wants the best for another person. This is the same word that Jesus used when he gave the Great Commandments (Matthew 22: 37-40). He said, “Love (agapē) your neighbor as yourself.”
When Peter writes that we are to love “each other,” he is talking about “God’s elect” (1 Peter 1:1). These are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In Luke’s Gospel, Luke relates a story known as “The Good Samaritan” (Luke 10: 30-37). Jesus was being tested by a teacher of the law who asked about inheriting eternal life. Jesus, being God and knowing the man’s heart, throws the ball back into his court. He asks him, “What is written in the Law?”
The man knows full well what the law says. He answers, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Jesus responds with something like, “That’s right. So why did you ask me?” (Okay. He didn’t say it that way, of course! 🙂 )
So Jesus tells him the story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10: 30-37) The Jews didn’t like the Samaritans for a lot of reasons, and the Samaritans knew it. They expected Jews to treat them like dirt. In the story of “The Woman at the Well” (John 4: 1-42), John explains: “…Jews do not associate with Samaritans.” (John 4:9)
So Jesus uses a man who has every reason to resent and hate the Jews as an example of someone who demonstrates mercy by helping a Jew despite being hated. I mention this because mercy is also a component of love. We are to care for everyone, show mercy to those who hate us, and love our brothers and sisters in Christ deeply.
Application: In any family, there is a tendency towards friction. Church families are no different. Be the grownup in the family. Love deeply.
Food for Thought: What do you think Peter means by, ”deeply”?
With all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind not holding anything back. Love with more than you love yourself.
Well said, Tim!
The word “deeply” itself means to go below the surface, considerable extent downward beneath the surface. I believe this is exactly what it means to love with all your heart, soul, strength, and not holding back. Loving others more than you love yourself and more than you love material things.
Loving deeply is an action and a trust, because loving anyone deeply also brings the risk of being hurt. However, Jesus loved us deeply, and as a world, people hurt Him every day with their actions and denial of what He did for us. The bible, however, reminds us continually, He is always close to us whether in joy or sadness and the reward of loving others outweighs the risk of being hurt.
Darla,
I like the contrast between going “deep” and being on the “surface.”
Good comments Tom and Darla.
The word deeply can also mean to love intensely or with great zeal. In other words, love is not a weak, halfhearted thing. It takes all that we have to love this way with every ounce of our being. It is what Jesus did. He is the standard and whom we should imitate in our love. The challenge is a difficult one, but the results when we succeed are beautiful. 1 John 4: 7 – 16.
Rich,
The challenge, as you put it, is indeed a difficult one. This meditation was challenging to write for that very reason.
Coming in weak on this one. Earlier comments are great!
Different versions use different words, fervent, constant, severe, warmly, constant mutual, earnest. In the end it is possible the term deeply is used to counter any thoughts of a shallow, superficial love.
Ron,
I beg to differ. Your word study adds a lot to today’s discussion. I love the depth you add to our understanding of loving deeply with words like “constant” and “warmly.”
👍🏻