Brigid Daull Brockway is technically a writer

Brigid Daull Brockway is technically a writer

A blog about words, wordplay, and etymology, with slightly more than occasional political rants.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

I love you, man

I'm starting to have no idea what I have and haven't written about. But since it's Sunday and all, I'll take the risk of repeating myself and talk about the language of God. A lot of this is stuff I remember from religion class in high school, and stuff dad learned in seminary.
In the Bible, Jesus calls God Abba. Folks translate this as father, but it actually means something more like daddy. I love that bit.
Also, when Christ says Amen, it doesn't just mean yes. It means God says this and this is so. Which was part of what worked the religious leaders into a froth.
When Christ thrice asks Peter "Do you love me," he uses a word that refers to a deep, abiding, and unconditional love, which John translates to the Greek agape. Peter replies that he loves Christ, but he uses a word that John translates as phileo, which refers to brotherly live. So it was more like Jesus was saying "Do you love me," and Peter was replying "Yeah, sure I luv ya, bro." I imagine it was as weird then as it is now for a dude to tell another dude he loves him.
That's all I got for today, kids.

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