# 1 Corinthians 13 for Greek Exegetes



## Puritanhead (Sep 28, 2005)

1 Corinthians 13 for Greek Exegetes...

Many pastors often do sermons on 1 Cor. 13 under the auspices of a title like _Charity and its Fruits_, such as Jonathan Edwards. Of course, the King James version utilizes _Charity_ instead of _Love_ like most modern translations.

In the original Greek manuscripts, the equivalent word _Charitikos_ for _Charity_ is not used but rather _Agape_ is found. My question is simple: is Charity relatively interchangable with Agape? Should a pastor note and expound upon the significance of _agape_ love as well as charity or in addition to it.

Simply put, how would you define the two? In a paragraph or less?


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## SolaScriptura (Sep 28, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Puritanhead_
> 1 Corinthians 13 for Greek Exegetes...
> 
> Many pastors often do sermons on 1 Cor. 13 under the auspices of a title like _Charity and its Fruits_, such as Jonathan Edwards. Of course, the King James version utilizes _Charity_ instead of _Love_ like most modern translations.
> ...



First of all, I could not find "charitikos" in the Greek NT - unless I somehow typed it in incorrectly.
Second, the KJV uses the word "charity" 28 times. In every case, it is from the Greek word "agape." 
Third, when I switch to another version, the other version (take your pick) will usually use "charitable acts" or "righteous deeds" or "alms" while the KJV exclusively use something along the lines of the latter two. This is because at the time of the KJV, in English "charity" meant "love" and not what it means now, which is more along the line of an act of compassion or mercy or benevolence.


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## andreas (Sep 28, 2005)

http://www.lifegoeson.net/MonkeyShines/4loves.htm


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## Steve Owen (Sep 29, 2005)

_Charitikos_ is not found in the NT. The KJV translators used 'Charity' instead of 'love' to try and distinguish _agape_ from the other NT Greek word for 'love', _philia_.

A standard work that explains these two words is _New Testament Synonyms_ by Archbishop Trench, first published around 1870. Trench suggests that _philia_ is the standard word for affection, whilst _agape_, seldom found outside the NT, is that love which is less emotional, but rather seeks the good of its object. Thus, we can be ordered to love (_ayapao_) our wives and, indeed, our enemies, where it might be said not to be in our power to _phileo_ them.

More recently, Don Carson, in his _Exegetical Fallacies_, suggests that the two words actually mean exactly the same thing. Interestingly, both Trench and Carson use the same proof text, John 21:15-17.

What do I think? I'm with Trench. 'The old is better.' 

I don't know whether Trench's work is still in print. My copy dates from 1890. Well worth having if you can find it.

Martin


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