We love what we want, although we can talk about love for inanimate things like money or wine, friendship implies a relationship of reciprocity explains Aristotle in his book Magna Moralia. Friendship is based in what is lovable: what is good, pleasant or useful. "There are therefore three kinds of friendship, equal in number to the things that are lovable", explain Aristotle in Nicomachean ethics, chapter VIII.
Aristotle adds: "Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good, and alike in virtue", Nicomachean ethics. Aristotle continues: "Further such friendship requires time and familiarity; as the proverb says, men cannot know each other till they have "eaten salt together".
Jesus in the bible teach us about the relationship between the ethical friendship and the friendship based in the pleasure of the soul, that is, friendship based on the similarity of the people:
"Jesus said to Simon Peter: Simon, son of John, do you "Agape" more than these? Yes, Lord, you know that I "Philia" you", John 21:15-16
Agape is the benevolent love, is the love projected to the whole creation of God. Aristotle explains : "benevolence is the beginning of the friendship". Agape predisposes us to act benevolently towards our neighbor, to wish the good and the best to our friends, as Jesus teach us: "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life to one's friends" John 15:13
When we give our lives for our friends, we lose our lives to get the glory.
Philia is the love of friendship, the love of the soul, the love that comes to see ourselves reflected in the others, this form of love is based in virtue and pleasure, not in the nature of the good. The friendship related to this form of love lasts as long as the pleasant lasts. Philia represents an intermediate state between the good and the evil.
Agape is a spiritual gift, a charism, the apostles receive the Agape in Pentecost, Acts 2.
Jesus reminds us the importance of the ethical friendship: "Love your neighbor as yourself" Mark 12:31, the friendship that is given without asking for anything in return, but that expects everything from God.
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