Interpretation of the Bible / 1 John 4:10
Love is a central theme in the Bible, and this particular verse, 1 John 4:10, gives us a deep understanding of what God’s love means. This letter was written by John, one of Jesus’ disciples, around 90-95 AD.
In this passage, John tells us about the nature of love and where it comes from. He points out that love is not something we can create ourselves, but rather, it comes directly from God. John introduces us to the idea that love is given to us by God, and also shows us that the ultimate expression of His love is found in the fact that God sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The verse 1 John 4:10 gives us a clear definition of what love means. First, we are told that love does not originate in ourselves, but in God. He is the source of all love. The love expressed by God is genuine, pure, and true.
Secondly, we are shown that love is not just an emotion or feeling, but has a concrete expression in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. God so loved the world that He sent His Son to die in our place.
This means that love goes beyond what we can do or feel. Love is an action. If we want to understand the love of God, we need to look to Jesus on the cross. Here we see the greatest expression of love the world has ever seen.