Liefde in die familie van God. 'n Beskrywende uiteensetting van familiale liefdesverhoudinge in die Johannesevangelie

Abstract

Love is the central ethical term in John's Gospel. The meaning of the term is often misunderstood. This article investigates the use of the term in John's Gospel, especially within its familial context. It is established that, reverentially, love includes loyalty towards members of the community and the acceptance of responsibility. This implies that love is expressed in actions. It works reciprocally. The Father sets the example which should be followed in obedience by the children. The nature of love depends on the situation. In the case of the Father love is expressed by giving his Son to die on the cross. In the case of the disciples, love is expressed by them obediently following the commands of the Father and the Son. In both cases it involves giving something, whether it is your Son or life, or in the case of the disciples, themselves.