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Love in the Bible

Today, people use the word “love” so regularly in a daily speech that it has almost lost its meaning. But in the Bible, love is powerful and sacred; it is the greatest spiritual action one can perform. The Lord Jesus taught His followers one commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). To really understand what Jesus was saying, we must take a closer look at the word love in the original Aramaic/Hebrew.

What does it mean to love?
When did Jesus ask the one who asked Him “what shall I do to inherit the heavenly kingdom?” what the greatest commandment in the Torah was? He famously responded by citing two verses that mention love. Indeed, love is the core idea underlying so many of the Bible’s teachings. But what does it mean to love in the Bible? Is it merely affection or strong friendship? To answer this question, we need to examine the word love in the original language of Scripture: Hebrew/Aramaic.

Three Humble Hebrew/Aramaic Letters
The Hebrew/Aramaic word for love is ahav (ܐܚܒ אהב), comprised of three letters: AHB. The first letter aleph (א ܐ) means “chief” and the final letter bet (ܒ ב) means “house.” Together they spell AB אב ܐܒ, meaning “father.” Our Lord Jesus called out to His heavenly Father, saying abba – the Aramaic equivalent of ab ܐܒ. Holding these two letters together is the letter heh (ה ܚ), symbolizing the Spirit of God with its soft breathy sound.

Discover the essence of God’s Word
The Hebrew/Aramaic word for love (AHB אהב) shows us that the essence of love is God. The first letter of John says, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." (1 John 4:16). Hebrew/Aramaic teaches us that love is how God manifests Himself in the world.

What Love Means for Us
Love does not come naturally to us in our sinful state. However, it does come naturally to God and is an integral part of Him. By drawing closer to Him and experiencing His love, we are able to begin to understand what this real love means. Only through Him can we show and experience true love.