A Study of agape in the Light of Scripture

Abstract

Rev. Allen R. Beyersdorf’s thesis explores the biblical concept of agape—God’s unique, self-sacrificing love—as revealed in the New Testament. Beginning with Anders Nygren’s influential work Agape and Eros, Beyersdorf critiques philosophical and theological interpretations of love, affirming the divine origin and distinctiveness of agape. He examines the Greek terms for love, especially agape and agapao, across the writings of the Synoptic Gospels, John, Paul, and other epistles, emphasizing their theological depth and consistency. A detailed exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 13 highlights the enduring, selfless, and transformative nature of Christian love. Beyersdorf concludes by applying these insights to homiletics, offering practical guidance for preaching on love in various biblical texts. The thesis affirms that agape is not merely an emotion but a divine gift, rooted in God’s grace and expressed through faith in Christ. Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).