WORD STUDY

The Greek word anupokritos appears six times in the pages of the NT documents (Rom. 12:9; II Cor. 6:6; I Tim. 1:5; II Tim. 1:5; I Pet. 1:22; James 3:17). It is used with reference to Love three times ....... Faith two times ....... and Wisdom one time. This word never appears in the Greek OT writings, and appears only twice in the Apocrypha (Wisdom of Solomon 5:18; 18:16). It means "to be an actor on the stage .... to play a part, to simulate, feign, pretend" (Wuest, p. 213).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Lev. 19:18, 34 Matt. 22:36-40 Mark 12:28-31 Luke 10:25-28 Rom. 13:8-10 Gal. 5:13-14 James 2:8f I John 3:18

COMMENTARY

"Love stands at the head, and is the fontal source of all separate individualized duties ... and the main point on which he insists is sincerity" (Maclaren, p. 262).

"Christian love is a love which is cleansed of self. It is a pure outgoing of the heart to others" (Barclay, p. 177).

"Hypocrisy is, of all vices, one of the worst to which Christians may be addicted. The most vehement denunciations of the Master himself were directed against it" (Coffman, p. 433).

"Genuine benevolence is not that which merely professes attachment, but which is evinced by acts of kindness and affection" (Barnes, p. 280).

"The apostle counsels genuine love that takes its cue from God's love in Christ and is out for the very best for other people" (Layman's, p. 1411).

"Feigned love is hate disguised. Love was so prevalent, and so strongly characterized the early church, that he who had it not was tempted to simulate it" (Lipscomb, p. 225).

"If there be supreme love of God in the heart, all duties toward God will be discharged. If there be the love of the neighbor as of the self, all duties toward mankind will be performed" (Shedd, p. 366).

"Love is primary, but if it is not sincere, it is not real love but only pretense. The whole of the believer's conduct should be bathed in love. If he fails to love his brother, doubt is cast on his professed love for God" (Expos. Comm., p. 132).

"Genuine love is Paul's bidding: Not stage-actor love" ..... it is the "supreme fruit of justifying faith, and must be found in every believer" (Lenski, p. 766).

"Love is undissembled, it is the unaffected Christian grace" (Expos. Greek, p. 691).

"Have no hypocritical love; let not your love wear a mask; make no empty professions. Love God and your neighbor; and, by obedience to the one and acts of benevolence to the other, show that your love is sincere" (Clarke, p. 139).

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