"There was reclining on Jesus' breast one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved." (John 12:23)
You know as well as I that the prevailing definition of "love" is "a feeling." Songs, e.g., "True Love," "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing," or the phrase in the old song, "my heart skips a beat every time we meet," all reveal the philosophy that love is mostly feelings. Then there are the poems, movies, etc. All of the aforementioned reinforce the pervasive belief that love is predominantly a feeling.
In contrast, there is what I have been asserting for a long time, that "love" is a verb, a "work," if you will. It is not something we feel, but something we do. You can "fall in love" and fall out of love, that is, if love is a feeling. If, on the other hand, love is a verb, something I do, a "work," if you will, then there is never a "falling out" of, "do unto others."
As I read our text today, the thought occurred to me that many have a conflict with the term, "one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved." If love is a feeling, then I can understand that. If love is a deed, however, it changes some things. Could it be, "....whom Jesus loved", means that John was more "available" to Jesus, pressed in more than the others, made opportunities for the expressions of Jesus' love more frequent because he did not, "follow afar off," but was the one who, probably more than once, was found, "on Jesus' Breast."
A part of this misconception of love can be found in the popular translation of John 3:16, "God so loved the world...." The, "so," there is the problem. It implies degree or the "how much" God loves. Jesus' love knows no "how much." The Love of the Blessed Trinity is Eternal Love; hence, "God loved the world thus," or, "this way-- He gave...." is the best translation of John 3:16. You will recall the oft quoted phrase, "God demonstrated His Love at the Cross." In other words, God's love is not "talk" love, but "doing" love. Now I am not saying that there is no "feeling" in the Godhead. My attempt is to get us out of Hollywood love into Jesus' Demonstrated love.
I also read today in Malachi that "troubling" statement, "Yet I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau." I am thinking of what I have written about love could also apply to hate. Maybe it is not so much here a "feeling" but an act, consequences perhaps which fell upon the two brothers, consequences which came from their heart-attitude of life and towards God Himself. "To be continued."
Father, in Jesus' Name, teach me more and more how to always be, "reclining on Jesus' Breast." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
