How is "brotherly love/affection" (philadelphia) different from the general love and affection we should have for one another?

[MysticMissMisty]

Salvete, omnes!

In at least one place in Sacred Scripture, Paul states that we should have “brother love” or “brotherly affection” (philadelphia) toward one another, but why does he simply not use the term “love” or “affection” to describe what we should have toward one another? How are the two concepts different? I mean, is not being caring/emapth(et)ic/concerned/compassionate/etc. encompassed in “agape” which contains within it an affection for the other person? How does the “brotherly” part distinguish this kind of love from, say, affection and even “agape” itself?

Many have observed that the literal “love between brothers” (literal siblings) does actually tend to be closer than that of one sibling with anyone else. However, it would seem that Paul is advocating even among non-biological siblings this kind of close love. So, then, is it wrong to love one’s (biological/adoptive) brother or sister in this “greater” way than other people, since everyone should apparently be loved equally in this brotherly way? Actually, I’ve always conceived of this love between siblings as resulting from all the things they’ve been through together and, possibly, as they’ve gotten to know each other and each other’s needs better. So, then, are we to love all men in this same way, equally, not just our biological siblings? Again, is it wrong to be closer to our biological siblings than to other people?

And, sort of as a side note, is this notion of “philadelphia” a part of what we might call a “universal morality”, i.e., is it written naturally, as it were, on the hearts of all men throughout time at least at a very basic level, or is it something unique to Christian morality alone?

Or, rather, is “philadelphia” here being used very specifically to refer to the brethren within the Church? Are people within the Church supposed, then, to have a greater affection for one another than for people in the world? I mean, I would think, again, that we are to love everyone equally.

Gratias.

 

[HelenRose]

Salvete, omnes!

In at least one place in Sacred Scripture, Paul states that we should have “brother love” or “brotherly affection” (philadelphia) toward one another, but why does he simply not use the term “love” or “affection” to describe what we should have toward one another? How are the two concepts different? I mean, is not being caring/emapth(et)ic/concerned/compassionate/etc. encompassed in “agape” which contains within it an affection for the other person? How does the “brotherly” part distinguish this kind of love from, say, affection and even “agape” itself?

Many have observed that the literal “love between brothers” (literal siblings) does actually tend to be closer than that of one sibling with anyone else. However, it would seem that Paul is advocating even among non-biological siblings this kind of close love. So, then, is it wrong to love one’s (biological/adoptive) brother or sister in this “greater” way than other people, since everyone should apparently be loved equally in this brotherly way? Actually, I’ve always conceived of this love between siblings as resulting from all the things they’ve been through together and, possibly, as they’ve gotten to know each other and each other’s needs better. So, then, are we to love all men in this same way, equally, not just our biological siblings? Again, is it wrong to be closer to our biological siblings than to other people?

And, sort of as a side note, is this notion of “philadelphia” a part of what we might call a “universal morality”, i.e., is it written naturally, as it were, on the hearts of all men throughout time at least at a very basic level, or is it something unique to Christian morality alone?

Or, rather, is “philadelphia” here being used very specifically to refer to the brethren within the Church? Are people within the Church supposed, then, to have a greater affection for one another than for people in the world? I mean, I would think, again, that we are to love everyone equally.

Gratias.

I don’t believe that God expects the impossible. But, God is certainly expecting us to reach beyond the ordinary and expects us to love with greater love and concern for all.

Whenever I am faced with questions like this, I generally turn to the example of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was able to love beyond the expectations of the ordinary. For me, she is the example a true Christian love.

 

[MysticMissMisty]

Just a quick clarification on my “universals” question:

What I meant was not that “philadelphia” is necessarily universally practiced. Of course it’s not. What I meant is whether it, as a moral “law”, is universally written on the hearts of men, whether they be Christian or not, or whether it is a particularly Christian virtue.

 

[TaurusRex]

Salvete, omnes!

In at least one place in Sacred Scripture, Paul states that we should have “brother love” or “brotherly affection” (philadelphia) toward one another, but why does he simply not use the term “love” or “affection” to describe what we should have toward one another? How are the two concepts different? I mean, is not being caring/emapth(et)ic/concerned/compassionate/etc. encompassed in “agape” which contains within it an affection for the other person? How does the “brotherly” part distinguish this kind of love from, say, affection and even “agape” itself?

Many have observed that the literal “love between brothers” (literal siblings) does actually tend to be closer than that of one sibling with anyone else. However, it would seem that Paul is advocating even among non-biological siblings this kind of close love. So, then, is it wrong to love one’s (biological/adoptive) brother or sister in this “greater” way than other people, since everyone should apparently be loved equally in this brotherly way? Actually, I’ve always conceived of this love between siblings as resulting from all the things they’ve been through together and, possibly, as they’ve gotten to know each other and each other’s needs better. So, then, are we to love all men in this same way, equally, not just our biological siblings? Again, is it wrong to be closer to our biological siblings than to other people?

And, sort of as a side note, is this notion of “philadelphia” a part of what we might call a “universal morality”, i.e., is it written naturally, as it were, on the hearts of all men throughout time at least at a very basic level, or is it something unique to Christian morality alone?

Or, rather, is “philadelphia” here being used very specifically to refer to the brethren within the Church? Are people within the Church supposed, then, to have a greater affection for one another than for people in the world? I mean, I would think, again, that we are to love everyone equally.

Gratias.

When we speak of “brotherly love”, we aren’t speaking of hugging and kissing, we’re speaking of being willing to lay down one’s life to save one’s brother.