Beloved

We ought not to pass over this expression, though the word itself is so generally understood. There is somewhat in it so truly blessed, when we consider it in relation to Christ, as the Christ of God; and also, in relation to the church, considered from her union with Christ, and interest in Christ, that the word beloved, when spoken of either, comes home to the affection peculiarly sweet and endeared. To refer to all the passages of Scripture, in which Christ is declared beloved, would be very many indeed. It will be fully sufficientto all the present purposes intended, to remark, that in all the parts of the divine word, at every place, and upon every occasion, when God the Father is represented as speaking of his dear Son, or to him, he expresseth himself with the greatest rapture and delight. He calls him his elect, his chosen, his only beloved, his dear Son; as if he would have every individual member of his church, (and which is indeed the case) to fall in love with him. And what I would beg the reader particularly to remark with me on thisoccasion is, that this love of the Father to the Son is specially spoken of in Scripture, not with reference to his divine nature, but in his mediatorial character. It would have been of no profit to us, (for the subject is above our faculties of apprehension) to have been told of the love of the Father to the Son, in the nature and essence of the GODHEAD. How the divine persons love each other in the infinity and eternity of their nature, none but themselves in their eternal nature can have any conceptions concerning. But the loveofGod, yea, all the persons of the GODHEAD to the person of Christ, as God - man Mediator; this is a subject concerning which we find somewhat for the mind to lean upon; and, under divine teaching, can make discovery sufficient to create a joy from it, "unspeakable and full of glory." What a rapturous thought to the soul is it, that our Jesus is beloved of JEHOVAH, because he undertook our cause, became our Surety, lived for us as such, and died for us as

such, and is now carrying on the one glorious design for which he became incarnate, in bringing "many sons unto glory." The Lord Jesus speaks of his Father’s love to him on this very account. "Therefore, (saith Jesus) doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John x. 17, 18. See also Isa. xl2: 21.) And as Christ is thusbeloved on the account of his gracious office and undertaking as Mediator, so is the church on his account, and for his sake beloved also. He it is, indeed, that gives this loveliness to his church, for there is nothing in the church, or in the acts of the church, which can be lovely, but on the Lord’s account, and as beheld and accepted in him. But as considered as one with Christ, and made comely, from the comeliness which Jesus hath imparted to her, and put upon her, she is lovely in God the Father’s view, and beloved byJEHOVAH for ever. Yea, the Lord Jesus not only calls her his beloved, and tells her that she is all fair, and that there is no spot in her, but he saith, in that sweet prayer he put up to the Father, in the night before his sufferings and death, that "the Father loveth the church as the Father loved him." (See John 17. 23.)

BELOVED.—Wherever the word rendered ‘beloved’ (ἀγαπητός—in 9 places Authorized Version has ‘dearly beloved’ and in 3 places ‘well-beloved’; in every case Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 has ‘beloved’ only) is used in the NT, it seems to imply a love deeper and more intimate than the common affections, and is therefore but sparingly employed. In the Epistles it is the indication of the inner brotherhood, and its very form ‘beloved brethren’ has passed into every liturgy. St. Paul uses it to distinguish, as with peculiar honour, those whom he has personally enlightened with the new faith, as Epaenetus (Rom 16:5), Timothy (1Co 4:17), or a whole community (1Co 10:14, Php 2:12). But in the Gospels the word is used solely concerning Christ, and marks out the Son’s especial relationship to the Father. There is abundance of love throughout the Gospels: whether of Jesus for John and the rest, or of the disciples and others for Him: and there is no weakness or timidity in the expression of the love. But to none other save Himself is the word ‘beloved’ applied. He Himself uses it but once, and then in the parable of the Lord of the Vineyard, wherein the ‘beloved son’ is the evident picture of the Son of Man (Mar 12:6 [Authorized Version ‘well-beloved’], Luk 20:13). Elsewhere the Evangelists (Synoptists only), who give the word, report it as the utterance of God, the Divine recognition and approval of the Son. The influence of the OT is plainly visible in the words heard at the Baptism. Jesus hears the voice of God pronouncing a benediction in clearest remembrance of Psa 2:7, ‘Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee,’ and of Isa 42:1 ‘My chosen, in whom my soul delighteth’ (quoted in Mat 12:18; cf. Bruce, Expos. Gr. Test., in loc.); for the Synoptists agree in the phrase ‘My beloved son in (thee whom) I am well pleased’ (Mat 3:17, Mar 1:11, Luk 3:22). And there is something beautifully fitting in this consecration of the opening of His ministry by a blended echo of psalm and prophecy. The other occasion of the word is that record of another great revealing moment of His life—the Transfiguration, when two of the three tell of ‘a voice out of the cloud (saying), This is my beloved son, hear ye him’ (Mat 17:5, Mar 9:7; in the || Luk 9:36 the true reading is ἐκλελεγμένος).

Literature.—The Lexicons of Cremer and Grimm-Thayer, s.v. ἀγατητός; R. H. Charles, Ascension of Isaiah (1900), p. 3 and passim; J. A. Robinson, Epistle to Ephesians (1904), 229; art. ‘Beloved’ in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible .

E. Daplyn.

BELOVED.—See Love.

bē̇-luv´ed, bē̇-luv’d´ (ἀγαπητός, agapētós): A term of affectionate endearment common to both Testaments; in the Old Testament found, 26 out of 42 times, in Solomon’s Song of Love. Limited chiefly to two Heb words and their derivatives: אהב, ’āhēbh, “to breathe” or “long for,” hence, to love, corresponding to the New Testament, ἀγαπάω, agapáō, “to prefer,” i.e. a love based on respect and benevolent regard; דּוד, dōdh, “love,” chiefly love between the sexes, based on sense and emotion, akin to φιλέω, philéō (Latin amare). Used occasionally, in their nobler sense, interchangeably, e.g. the former of a husband’s love for his wife (Deu 21:15, Deu 21:16); twice of a lover (Son 1:14, Son 1:16), Thus lifting the affection of the Song of Solomon out of mere amorousness into the realm of the spiritual and possibly Messianic. Both words used of God’s love for His chosen: e.g. Solomon, “beloved of his God” (Neh 13:26); Benjamin “beloved of Yahweh” (Deu 33:12); so even of wayward Israel (Jer 11:15).

In the New Testament “beloved” used exclusively of Divine and Christian love, an affection begotten in the community of the new spiritual life in Christ, e.g. “beloved in the Lord” (Rom 16:8). The beauty, unity, endearment of this love is historically unique, being peculiarly Christian. “Brethren” in Christ are “beloved” (1Th 1:4; 1Co 15:58; Jas 1:16; Jas 2:5). Many individuals are specified by name: Timothy (2Ti 1:2); Philemon (Phm 1:1); Amplias, Urbane, Stachys, Persis (Rom 16:8, Rom 16:9, Rom 16:12), etc. The aged John is the conspicuous New Testament illustration of the depth and tenderness of Christian love. In his epistles alone he addresses his disciples 12 times as “beloved.” Paul terms “God’s elect” “holy and beloved” (Col 3:12).

The term rises to still Diviner significance as an epithet of Christ, whom Paul, grateful for His “freely bestowed” grace, terms “the Beloved.” This is the word used repeatedly to express God the Father’s infinite affection for Jesus His “beloved Son” (Mat 3:17; Mat 12:18; Mat 17:5; Mar 1:11; Mar 9:7; Luk 3:22; Luk 20:13).

Agapētos rendered as above 47 times is 9 times “dearly beloved” (the Revised Version (British and American) uniformly omits “dearly”) and 3 times “well beloved” (the Revised Version (British and American) omits “well”). The former rendering found only once in the Old Testament (ידידוּת, y^edhı̄dhūth, “something beloved”), portraying God’s tender love for His people: “dearly beloved of my soul” (Jer 12:7). Thrice is Daniel spoken of as “greatly beloved” of Gabriel and of God (חמוּדות, ḥămūdhōth, “precious,” i.e. delight = beloved; Dan 9:23; Dan 10:11, Dan 10:19). Through the apostles the word has become familiar in pastoral and sermonic address. Few New Testament words better illustrate the power and impress of the Christian spirit on succeeding centuries than this.

(ἀãáðçôüò, sometimes ἠãáðçìÝíïò; ἀãáðçôüò is also sometimes translated in English Version ‘dearly beloved’ [Rom_12:19] or ‘well beloved’ [16:5, 3Jn_1:1])

In the NT outside the Gospels ‘beloved’ is found as (a) a description of Christ, (b) a description of Christians.

(a) For the first usage, cf. Eph_1:6 (ἠãáðçìÝíïò); also 2Pe_1:17 ‘This is my beloved (ἀãáðçôüò) Son, in whom I am well pleased’ The latter is a quotation from the gospel story (cf. Mat_17:5).

(b) As applied to Christians the term is much more frequent. Sometimes it refers to their relation to God. ‘ἀãáðçôïὶ èåïῦ is applied to Christians as being reconciled to God and judged by Him to be worthy of eternal life’ (Thayer Grimm’s Gr.-Eng. Lexicon of the NT, tr. Thayer , s.v. ἀãáðçôüò). Cf. Rom_1:17, 1Th_1:4, Col_3:12 (the Gr. in the last two cases is ἠãáðçìÝíïò). The commonest usage, however, is in reference to the mutual relations of Christians one to another; cf. Phm_1:16, 1Ti_6:2, ‘Hence they are often dignified with this epithet in tender address, both indirect (Rom_16:5; Rom_16:8, Col_4:14) and direct (Rom_12:19, 1Co_4:14, Heb_6:9, Jam_1:16, 1Pe_2:11, 2Pe_3:1)’ (Thayer Grimm’s Gr.-Eng. Lexicon of the NT, tr. Thayer ). Particularly noteworthy is the phrase ἀãáðçôὸò ἐí êõñßῳ (Rom_16:8). In the sub-apostolic literature we find similar usages. ἠãáðçìÝíïò is used of Christ in Barn. 3.6; 4.3, 8, (some place this work in the 1st cent. a.d., though a 2nd cent. date is more usual). In 1 Clem., which is generally admitted to be of the 1st cent., we have ἀãáðçôüò of the relation of Christians to God (8.5); while in the same epistle it is also found of the mutual relation of Christians to one another, and was a mode of address: ‘beloved’ (1.1, 5 etc.). Cf. also Barn. 4.1-9.

Origin and significance of the above usage.-In reference to Christ the origin of the term ἀãáðçôüò (ἠãáðçìÝíïò) is in Isa_42:1. As a name of our Lord it is parallel with ἐêëåêôüò: both belong to the original Messianic stratum of early Christian theology, which, when set in opposition to the later developed ‘pneumatic’ Christology, receives the name of ‘adoptianist.’ Such opposition is, however, not necessary, as is shown by the occurrence of the term in Ephesians along with a highly developed Christology.

The use of ἀãáðçôüò to describe Christ is, however, undoubtedly closely associated with the description of Christians as ἠãáðçìÝíïé èåïῦ. Cf. Harnack, Hist. of Dogma, Eng. translation , London, 1894-99, i. 185, note 4, where it is pointed out that ‘Barnabas, who calls Christ the “Beloved,” uses the same expression for the Church.’

As regards the usage in reference to the mutual relation of Christians one to another, the only points which need comment are its frequency, and the evidence this affords of the spirit of brotherhood which characterized the Primitive Church.

Robert S. Franks.