The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Brotherly Love."
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 is about love, the love that the Thessalonian believers have for one another and for God’s family throughout Macedonia. Interestingly, two transliterated Greek terms, familiar to most Christians, appear in verse 9. The first to appear in the verse is philadelphia the second is agapē. “Now about your love (philadelphias) for one another, we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love (agapan) each other.”
Of course, contemporary readers immediately think of Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, upon hearing the first term (cf. Rev 1:11; 3:7), which appears in only one other place in Paul’s writings. To the Romans, he writes: “Be devoted to one another in love (philadelphia). Honor one another above yourselves” (12:10). On the meaning of the word, one commentator, who prefers to translate the term “family love,” writes: “We have converted the traditional ‘brotherly love’ to ‘family love,’ to make it clear that this is love between siblings, regardless of gender. The term deserves close attention, since ‘in profane Greek and the LXX [family love] philadelphia is confined to the love of those who are brothers by common [i.e., biological] descent’” (Gary S. Shogren, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, vol. 13, ZECNT, 167). This word, used throughout the Greco-Roman world for love between actual siblings, is adopted by the New Testament to connote the familial love that God’s newly formed people have for each other because of their common relationship to God through Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 4:9 and in its other occurrences in the New Testament (Heb 13:1; 1Pe 1:22; 2Pe 1:7 [2x]), it always refers to love between members of the community of faith, because they have a common Abba in heaven.
Of the two words, philadelphia and agape, the second appears far and away more often in the New Testament than the first. Agapē is selfless love that sacrifices for the good of others. Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example love that sacrifices for the sake of others, even for those who may care nothing at all for the one who loves. Agapē as modeled by Christ is not based on a feeling; rather, it is a determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above the welfare of oneself. It’s the love described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 where he writes: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (vv. 4-7). It’s the love Jesus commanded his disciples to have for one another, in the “new command” he gave them on the night he was betrayed. “A new command I give you” he told them, “love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (Jn 13:34). Two small words stand out in his command; they are “as” indicating comparison and “must” indicating necessity. Agapē is the way he loved, and it’s the way his disciples of necessity love.
Although it’s listed among the fruit of the Spirit, one might easily argue that agapē is the root fruit from which the others shoot by the power of the Holy Spirit. To the Galatians Paul writes: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). Love (agapē), the first fruit mentioned is the one fruit behind them all.
Central Message of the Text:
Extend your unlimited God-given capacity to love others in God’s family to even more members of the Christian community.
Family Talk:
In some ways the English language is ridiculously confusing (they’re, there, their?!) but in others, it’s overly simplistic. Consider “love.” Why do we use the same word to describe our feelings about pizza, Taylor Swift, our spouse and the Lord? There’s got to be more. There are several words used to communicate different expressions of love in both Hebrew and Greek. Our passage this week is focused on brotherly love between believers. The Thessalonians had a reputation for deeply loving and caring for one another as well as other churches in the region. This makes me think of the many Community Groups at CBC. I hear story after story of how families in community link arms in times of financial strife, health issues, job concerns and challenging family situations. When my husband and I were first married, our Community Group completely set up our home while we were away on our honeymoon. To this day, we are surrounded by a group of friends that walk with us through thick and thin. When our bonus child first came to live with us, they went over and above providing resources and physically standing by us as he walked through the hardest time of his life. They constantly sent messages encouraging us with Scripture or prayer. I can’t imagine walking through that tumultuous time without the firm foundation of our community. My kids got a front row seat of how God works through His Church. Are you experiencing the love of community? Maybe this week you’ll take the first step by attending a Home Group. If you attend Central Bible Church and are not sure where to go, email connect@wearecentral.org.