[b-greek] Re: sorting out the slight distinctions of John 21 synonyms (per AGAPAO/PHILEO)

From: Steven R. Lo Vullo (doulos@chorus.net)
Date: Tue Jan 09 2001 - 17:42:50 EST


On 1/8/01 7:09 PM, One of the McKays wrote:

> And if there is a distinction, it would seem likely to me also, that Peter
> intends to raise the stakes, and says he loves Jesus truly, madly, deeply,
> or something of the kind.
>
> Makes a lot more sense than the other way round. I can't imagine the Peter
> we find in the Gospels saying "No, I only love you a little bit!" Can you?

While I don't think that I would use an adverb like "madly," I do think
"warmly" or perhaps "deeply" may be appropriate. I think you are taking the
discussion in the right direction. (I think Carl earlier seemed to be going
in this direction also.) Even though I don't think there is a MAJOR
difference semantically, I do think if a distinction is to be made it is
much more in keeping with the context to take FILEW as the semantically
broader term. What I mean is that the context would seem to indicate that
FILEW has to be at least broad enough to contain AGAPAW. Here's why I say
this:

One of the words in Jn 21:15-17 that has received no attention up to now (to
my knowledge) is the little emphatic particle NAI (yes). It is used in
Peter's answers of Jesus' questions in vv. 15 and 16. In both cases Jesus
says AGAPAiS ME and Peter responds NAI. The reason I bring this up is that I
think it would be very odd for someone to answer a question in the
affirmative and immediately go on to speak words that fall short of the
affirmation. Plainly and simply Peter's answer to Jesus' question "do you
love (AGAPAiS) me" is "yes" (NAI). This shows that as far as Peter was
concerned he DID love (AGAPAW) Jesus. Thus, whatever additional nuance we
ascribe to FILEW, it must be at least broad enough to contain whatever is
meant by AGAPAW. It just won't do to say that FILEW is inferior to AGAPAW or
falls short of what is meant in that term. For in that case NAI would make
no sense. We would have something like the following encounter:

JESUS: Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

PETER: Yes, Lord; You know that I like you.

The problem with that, of course, is that the initial affirmation is voided
by what follows. We must keep in mind what Peter was saying "yes" to. It was
AGAPAiS ME. If FILEW in any way falls short of AGAPAW Peter's "yes" might as
well have been "no." And keep in mind, he (or at least the writer), better
than we, knew what AGAPAW meant and whether or not he had AGAPH for Jesus.
And his answer is "yes."

Let me use an illustration some of you may be able to relate to. Let's say
you are in love with a woman. You say to her, "I love you. Do you love me?"
She in turn says, "Yes, I just like you as a friend." Does the "yes" in that
response make any sense at all? Isn't there a huge disconnect between the
"yes" and what follows? Wouldn't you rather expect her to say, "No, I just
like you as a friend." Similarly, if Peter had in mind a love that fell
below the standard that Jesus had in mind, wouldn't we expect him to answer
something like, OU KURIE, SU OIDAS HOTI MONON FILW SE? ("No Lord, you know I
only like you.") On the other hand, let's say you ask the woman of your
affections, "Do you love me," and she answers, "Yes, I adore you." Wouldn't
you assume in this case that whatever else "adore" might signify it at the
very least encompasses "love." You certainly wouldn't think this answer fell
short of what you were asking! I think the same must be said of the
relationship between AGAPAW and FILEW in the passage in question.

I think Jesus' imperatives following Peter's affirmations also fit well with
this view. They seem to be predicated on Peter's answers and imply that he
answered well. After all, if these answers fell short of Jesus' standards,
why would he after every answer respond with a command to take care of his
people? If Peter was not prepared to love as he should, why inflict him on
others? The fact that Jesus in every case expresses his desire that Peter
take care of his people seems to indicate that he was quite satisfied with
Peter's answers.

Steve Lo Vullo,
Madison, WI



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