新キリスト教聖書研究

解説

 

What the Bible says about Love

作者: John Odhner
tiny hand my love, by Jenny Stein

Someone once asked Jesus,

"Which is the first commandment of all?"

Jesus answered him,

"The first of all the commandments is 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Luke 12:28-34)

Above All Things

So, the commandments about loving God and others are first and foremost. There is no other greater. Jesus even said that "all the Law and the Prophets hang upon these two commandments." (Matthew 22:40)

And in fact, this teaching is echoed throughout the Bible:

Peter wrote, "Above all things have fervent love for one another." (1 Peter 4:8)

Paul also said that we should put on love above all else (see Colossians 3:14), and that we should "owe no one anything except to love one another." (Romans 13:8)

Love is called "more excellent than any other gift or ability." (1 Corinthians 12:31)

"Now abide faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

The law of love is called the "royal law" (James 2:8), which we are "taught by God." (1 Thessalonians 4:9)

We are asked to "make love our greatest aim," (1 Corinthians 14:19, and to "be rooted and grounded in love." (Ephesians 3:17)

These laws about love are so important that the Lord said they should be in your heart.

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." (Deuteronomy 6:6,7)

"Let all that you do be done with love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

Power Against Evil

There are some very good reasons why we are directed to have love above everything else. One reason is that love has power over evil.

Paul wrote,

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

A person who genuinely loves God and his neighbor will want to overcome any evil in himself that is against God or hurts the neighbor.

For example,

"love does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not think evil, does not rejoice in injustice." (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

Since love is opposed to doing evil, it fulfills all the laws against evil.

"Owe no one anything but to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law; and for this, You shall not commit adultery,' You shall not murder,' You shall not steal,' You shall not bear false witness,' You shall not covet,' or if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:8-10)

Since love leads us to turn from evil, it also brings forgiveness. Jesus once said of a woman that "her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much." (Luke 7:47)

He also said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

Patient Love

Love also brings patience. "Love suffers long...bears all thing...endures all things. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Jacob loved Rachel very much, and was willing to labor for her father seven years in order to win her hand in marriage. "So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed but a few days to him because of the love he had for her." (Genesis 29:20)

Born Again by Love

Another reason why love comes above all else is that it is through love that a person is born again. Peter described the process of rebirth as "purifying your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love of the brethren."(1 Peter 1:22)

John put it more simply:

"Everyone who loves is born of God." (1 John 4:7)

We pass from death to life when we love others. (See 1 John 3:14)

The reason we become born again when we love others, is that then we become like God. Jesus asked us to love others as He as loved us. (See John 13:34, 15:12)

When we have His kind of love for all people, we become reborn as His children. (See Matthew 5:43, Luke 6:35)

When Is a Christian a Christian?

Since the first and foremost of all God's commands is to love the Lord and the neighbor, the primary mark that identifies a Christian is the love he has for others.

Jesus said,

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35)

Again and again we are asked to judge ourselves by the love we have for others:

Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. (1 John 3:18,19)

If we love one another, God abides in us, as His love has been perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. (1 John 3:14)

He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:11, and see also, 1 John 2:3-5, 3:10; 4:7,8)

Faith and Love

For some people, faith is more important than love. Some are more concerned about whether a Christian has the right beliefs than they are about how he lives and loves. Of course, faith is important--how can a person love God without believing in God? How can you be loving, unless you are also faithful? In the New Testament, these two go hand in hand. Consider how often, for instance, we find phrases like "faith and love." (1 Timothy 1:14; 2:15; 4:12; 6:11; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2:22; 3:10; Titus 2:2)

Faith by itself is useless. It cannot save a person. It is dead faith. (James 2:14,17)

"Even the devils believe--and tremble." (James 2:19)

It doesn't matter how much faith you have--it is still nothing without love.

"Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2)

Worship and Love

Worship and ritual are likewise useless without love. The Lord desires "mercy and not sacrifice." (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; 12:7)

Love is "more than all the whole burnt offerings," (Mark 12:33) and better than the most careful tithing. (See Luke 11:42)

"And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

Love Brings Faith

One reason love and faith should never be separated is that love is the source of faith. Love "believes all things." (1 Corinthians 13:6)

Love "rejoices in the truth." (1 Corinthians 13:7)

A person who loves others "knows God for God is love." (1 John 4:8)

Real belief must be from the heart. (Romans 10:10)

Thus "a person who loves his brother abides in the light." (1 John 2:9,10; compare John 3:19,20)

Love Saves

As it is love that brings a person to believe, it is also love that brings a person to heaven. Someone asked Jesus how he could have eternal life. Jesus answered that he would have it if he would just love the Lord and love his neighbor. (Luke 10:25, 28; see also Matthew 19:17-19)

A person who puts love in the first place, He said, is "not far from the Kingdom of God." (Mark 12:34)

聖書

 

Matthew 22:40

勉強

       

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

聖書

 

John 13

勉強

   

1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and was going to God,

4 arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

5 Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"

7 Jesus answered him, "You don't know what I am doing now, but you will understand later."

8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with me."

9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

10 Jesus said to him, "Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you."

11 For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, "You are not all clean."

12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?

13 You call me, 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You say so correctly, for so I am.

14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

16 Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18 I don't speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.'

19 From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he.

20 Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me."

21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me."

22 The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke.

23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus' breast.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks."

25 He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus' breast, asked him, "Lord, who is it?"

26 Jesus therefore answered, "It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

28 Now no man at the table knew why he said this to him.

29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, "Buy what things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

30 Therefore, having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.

32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.

33 Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you can't come,' so now I tell you.

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another.

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "where I am going, you can't follow now, but you will follow afterwards."

37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won't crow until you have denied me three times.

   

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