Selfish Obsession: φίλαυτος (Strong’s G5367: philautos) Destroys Spiritual Growth

Strong’s G5367: A compound adjective combining philos (loving) and autos (self), meaning “lover of self.” This characteristic leads to spiritual deterioration, appearing in Paul’s warning about the dangerous traits of people in the last days, emphasizing excessive self-focus at others’ expense.

U- Unveiling the Word

φίλαυτος represents more than mere self-interest; it describes a destructive self-absorption that places personal desires above divine purposes and others’ needs. The compound nature reveals the depth of this spiritual malady – combining the warmth of “love” (φίλος) with “self” (αὐτός) creates a perversion of proper love’s direction. While healthy self-care reflects God’s design, φίλαυτος represents an excessive self-focus that disrupts relationships and spiritual growth. Early church fathers like Chrysostom identified this trait as a root of various evils, viewing it as particularly dangerous because it masquerades as self-care while actually representing pride’s corruption of love. This understanding remains crucial today as our culture often confuses healthy self-worth with narcissistic self-absorption.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φίλαυτος, philautos, /fil’-ow-tos/
• Pronunciation: fee-LAW-tos (where ‘fee’ as in “feet,” ‘LAW’ as in “law,” and ‘tos’ as in “toss”)
• Part of Speech: Adjective

Etymology:

• φίλ- (phil-): prefix meaning “loving” or “fond of”
• -αυτος (-autos): from αὐτός meaning “self”
• Combined meaning: “self-loving” or “lover of self”

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary meaning: loving oneself
• Self-centered
• Narcissistic or selfish

For compound words:
φίλ- contributes the aspect of “loving” or “having affection for”
-αυτος provides the object of that love – “self”

Translation Options:

• “Self-loving” – Most literal translation capturing both components
• “Selfish” – Common translation emphasizing the practical impact
• “Self-absorbed” – Modern equivalent capturing the consuming nature

E – Exploring Similar Words

φίλήδονος (philedonos) /fil-ay’-don-os/ – lover of pleasure, differs in object of love
See G5369

φιλάργυρος (philarguros) /fil-ar’-goo-ros/ – lover of money, specifies materialism
See G5366

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Being an adjective, φίλαυτος follows these patterns:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Masculine, Feminine, Neuter
• Declension: Second declension

The word would modify nouns according to case, number, and gender. For example:

• Masculine nominative singular: φίλαυτος
• Feminine nominative singular: φίλαυτη
• Neuter nominative singular: φίλαυτον

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The major lexicons provide a comprehensive view of φίλαυτος as a term denoting dangerous self-absorption. BDAG emphasizes its usage in moral discourse, particularly in vice lists. Thayer’s highlights its connection to pride and its opposition to genuine love. LSJ provides classical context showing its consistent negative connotation. Vine’s connects it to the broader theme of love gone wrong in Scripture. Strong’s emphasizes its compound nature. LEH shows its usage in Hellenistic literature as a character flaw. Moulton and Milligan demonstrate its use in personal letters as a serious character criticism, showing it was well-understood in everyday contexts as deeply problematic.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves [φίλαυτος], lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” 2 Timothy 3:2

Additional References:
This word appears only once in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

φίλαυτος represents a profound spiritual warning about the dangers of misplaced love. When we direct the powerful force of love inward rather than toward God and others, we corrupt its divine purpose. This word appears at a crucial moment in Paul’s letters, warning about the characteristics of dangerous times. The good news is that in King Jesus, we find the perfect example of love properly directed – He emptied Himself for others, showing us that true fulfillment comes not through self-love but through self-giving love that mirrors His sacrifice.

D – Did You Know?

1. φίλαυτος appears in ancient medical texts describing psychological disorders, showing early recognition of excessive self-love as unhealthy.
2. Early Christian monastics used this term to warn against spiritual pride disguised as religious dedication.
3. The word influenced modern psychological terminology, contributing to concepts of narcissistic personality disorder.

Strong’s G5367: A compound adjective combining philos (loving) and autos (self), meaning “lover of self.” This characteristic leads to spiritual deterioration, appearing in Paul’s warning about the dangerous traits of people in the last days, emphasizing excessive self-focus at others’ expense.

Part of speech: Adjective

Tags: self-love, pride, vice, last days, pauline epistles, pastoral epistles, compound words, character, moral qualities, warnings​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​