Bible Study: The Most Important Verse in the Bible

What is the most important verse? John 3:16?

John 3:16 dovetails with the most important verse. Understanding the more important verse is key to fully understanding John 3:16. What does John 3:16 say?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Let’s focus on the verbs: love, give, believe, and have. From this assortment of four verbs, let’s look into the meaning of the first, love.

Commonly used dictionaries fail to expose the deep meaning of select words in the Bible. Love, for example. English-language dictionaries offer, in this example of WordReference.com, 48 definitions. Meanwhile, the Bible uses four.

• storge:  family love, the affectionate bond that develops naturally between parents and children, and brothers and sisters
• philos: the love between friends
• eros: physical, romantic love (sexual)
• agape: selfless and unconditional love

The Greek verb agape translates as diligit in the Latin text. The base verb is diligo.

1. to bind fast, to tie (up), to fasten
2. to make fast by tying
3. to bandage
4. (bandage) to tie
5. to love, to hold dear
6. to value, to esteem, to favor
7. to have a special regard for

Mark 10:16 provides a word picture of unconditional love. In this verse, Jesus embraced them (complexans eos).

Consider 1 John 4:8, the Modern English Version, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

In contrast, the Latin, “Qui non diligit, non novit Deum: quoniam Deus caritas est.“

Let’s focus on the brief phrase in John 3:16.

• English: For God so loved the world
• Latin: Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum

The keyword for love in 1 John 4:8 and John 3:16 means unconditional love. Unconditional: not limited by conditions; absolute. Synonyms: complete, unqualified, categorical.

If you do not understand unconditional, irrevocable love, you cannot understand how God loves you.

If you do not love others unconditionally, you cannot know God.

Bonus

“But if you do not forgive men for their sins, neither will your Father forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:15

John White
Rockwall, Texas