What is love?

            Millennia ago, when the ancient sage, Moses invited his people to love their God with all their heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5), a unique spiritual concept of love was introduced to the world. The term love, used by Moses, had the idea of a pledge or covenantal choice, which is personal, intimate, and trusting. It was a response to love that was received from their God. The word, ‘love’ was not abstract or vague. It was carefully chosen to represent man’s relationship with God, in response to their God’s love to his people. This love was the identity of the Hebrew people. The Shema repeated twice every day reinforced this identity, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. . . .”

The Hebrew words lēb (heart/mind), nephesh (soul/life), and mēʼōd (strength), have rich meaning . . . far richer than the Greek  interpretation of it as attributes of human personality (McBride, 1973, p. 303), namely, dianoia or kardia (heart/mind), psychē  (soul), and dynamis (spiritual/moral power). In the ancient Hebrew language, lēb was used metaphorically for the seat of emotions and intellect. The nephesh, which is the throat or neck through which breath is taken, indicated life. Finally, the word mēʼōd, which appeared only twice in the Hebrew Scriptures as a noun, represented economic or social strength (Block, 2004, p. 203). Therefore, the leb emphasized absolute and undivided devotion and loyalty, the nephesh implied commitment to the point of martyrdom, and the mēʼōd stood for the substance, namely wealth and property, given in the service of God (McBride, 1973, p. 303).

The Hebrew was not just called to love his God, he was also commanded to love his neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). His identity was not one of mere awareness but it was to be lived or practiced every day. In fact, the central thought of life for the Hebrews was the practice of Scriptures (Green 1997, p. 425). They were asked to remember and be reminded of their laws (Deuteronomy 11:18) so that they would walk in God’s ways (Deuteronomy 30:16). This called for the daily exercise or "living out" of leb or undivided devotion to God and to others and the generous sacrifice of his wealth (mēʼōd) including his life (nepesh) if needed for God and for the benefit of others. Indeed, for the Hebrews, the most supreme identity of self was the love for God in response to God’s love for man, which is lived out every day in love for one another.

When Jesus, the Hebrew who claimed to be their Messiah, came he reinforced this idea of love and showed  that the radical practice of this love was expected of the Hebrews by God. It was to be unconditional with covenantal loyalty and self-giving towards everyone he encountered (Matthew 22:39; Luke 10:27-37), including those who broke the law (John 8:1-11), and one’s enemies (Matthew 5:44) (Hindson & Caner, 1984, p. 335). Therefore, a follower of Jesus, is to be marked by his or her love for God and love for all people. This love is the sole identity of a follower of Christ. This love, according to Christ, sums up and triumphs over all ethical and moral teaching in our world.

References

Block, D. I. (2004). How many is God? An investigation into the meaning of Deuteronomy 6:4−5. JETS 47 (2), 193−212.

Green, J. B. (1997). The gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Hindson, E. & Caner, E. (1984). The popular encyclopedia of apologetics. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers.

McBride, S. D. (1973). The Yoke of the kingdom: An exposition of Deuteronomy 6:4−5. Interpretation 27, (3), 273–306P