You Tube Theology

In this episode, Mike Tolliver joins Dru Johnson for a deep dive into whether the Greek word storge—meaning familial or kinship love—actually appears in Scripture, and why that question might not be the best way to approach biblical theology. While the specific term storge is absent from both the Hebrew Bible and Greek New Testament, Tolliver argues that its conceptual footprint is everywhere.

Using Paul’s use of astorgos (the absence of storge) in Romans 1 and 2 Timothy, Tolliver explores how the New Testament sees failure in familial love as a hallmark of moral collapse. He connects this insight to the Ten Commandments, showing how several of them—including honoring one’s parents, sexual fidelity, and right worship—are undergirded by principles of kinship and generational responsibility.

The discussion critiques the limits of word studies and calls for a more nuanced approach: looking for ideas that are lived, not just labeled. Storge love, as Tolliver presents it, is foundational to Israel’s social system, shaping everything from economic survival to intergenerational blessing.

This episode reframes how we think about family, love, and moral formation in scripture—offering a rich portrait of what biblical faithfulness looks like in everyday relationships.

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:03 Understanding Storge in Hebraic Thought
04:07 The Role of Storge in the Ten Commandments