In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks about love explicitly and implicitly in numerous instances. It's difficult to give a precise, single number because what constitutes "talking about love" is open to interpretation. However, we can break it down into key areas:
Explicit References to Love:
* "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 13:34-35, 15:12, 15:17): This command, and variations of it, is repeated multiple times and is a central theme. This command appears in the later chapters.
* "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16): This is a foundational statement of God's love for humanity.
* Love for Jesus = Obedience (John 14:15, 14:21, 14:23-24): Jesus connects loving him to obeying his commandments.
* Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. (John 11:5): Explicitly states that Jesus loved them.
* The Father loves the Son (John 3:35, 5:20, 10:17, 17:23-26): Jesus repeatedly affirms the Father's love for him, which also emphasizes the importance of love within the Trinity.
Implicit References to Love:
* Jesus' actions: His miracles, healings, compassion, and willingness to sacrifice himself are all demonstrations of love.
* Jesus' relationship with the disciples: His care, teaching, and encouragement of his disciples demonstrate love.
* The concept of *agape* love: The type of love emphasized in John is *agape*, a selfless, sacrificial love.
Counting Considerations:
* Repetitions: Do you count each time a phrase is repeated as a separate instance?
* Implicit vs. Explicit: How many instances of his *actions* do you count as talking about love?
Estimate:
If we were to count only the explicit references to love (the command to love one another, God's love for the world, and the connection between love and obedience), and count each repetition of a phrase, we might be looking at 15-20 instances. If we were to be more generous and include the many indirect references to love displayed through Jesus' actions and words, the number could increase significantly to around 30-40.
Conclusion:
While a precise number is hard to define, the Gospel of John prominently features the concept of love, both through explicit statements and implicit actions, making it a central theme in the Gospel.