Daily Bread 7/26/2022

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Daily Bread – July 26, 2022 (The Third Day – Genesis 1:9-13) John 13:34 – I give to you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. A New Commandment The Greek verb used here for love is ‘agapao’ – this usage associates ‘agapan’ with divine love. In the Gospel of John, the disciples are always commanded to love each other with ‘agapan’ love. The new commandment now demands men to love one another with the same love as the Father – divine love. In fact, love is more than a commandment, it is a gift given to those who are born of the Spirit. The “one another” the believers are to love is defined in 1 John 3:14 – “the brothers”, the family of God. In the Old Covenant, men were only required to love with the same kind of love which they loved themselves (Leviticus 19:18). It is translated in the Authorized Version as love 135 times, and beloved 7 times – for a total of 142 occurrences. It occurs in the Septuagint 284 times and is translated from the Hebrew ‘ahav’. It first occurs in Genesis 22:2 and in the New Testament, Matthew 5:43. The Greek noun is ‘agape’ which is translated in the Authorized Version – love 86 times, charity 27 times, dear 1 time, charitably 1 time, feast of charity 1 time. It occurs in the Septuagint 19 times and is translated by the Hebrew ‘ahavah’. It first occurs 2 Samuel 13:15 and in the New Testament, Matthew 24:12. Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen