Does the Bible speak of friendship? Jonathan and David’s friendship is obviously in the Bible. The Greek word “philadelphia” (cf. Heb. 13:1) refers to brotherly love and is made up of two words, one for a kindness type of love (often associated with friendship love) and the other for brother. So, we have a friendship love, characterized by kindness, between Christian brothers (and sisters of course). So yes, the Bible does speak of a love we can associate with friendship. C.S. Lewis said that friends stand “side by side, absorbed in some common interest” and that common interest for Christians is Jesus Christ. He is the center of all true Christian friendship.
Is love, in its many forms, important? Yes. It is a mark of true discipleship (Jn. 13:35). It is also an indication of true spiritual life (1 Jn. 3:14).
What is the motivation for such love? The author of Hebrews gives at least one motivation in Heb. 12:29 – “…our God is a consuming fire.” (cf. Deut. 4:24). What does this mean? It seems to mean that there are breakable, consumable, burnable things and unbreakable, inconsumable, unburnable things in this world. God will consume the burnable things (e.g., material things, etc.), but will refine the unburnable things so that they are pure. So, the author is exhorting his readers to focus on the unburnable things, namely things like brotherly love.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Matt. 6:19-21
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For further reading on friendship, I recommend Friendship by Gilbert Meilaender. This book, along with others mentioned in this blog, can be found at the Deus Tecum bookstore.
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