involves the idea of affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, grateful recognition of benefits received: Mt. vi. 24; xxii. 37; Ro. viii. 28; 1 Co. ii. 9; viii. 3; Jas. i. 12; 1 Pet. i. 8; 1 Jn. iv. 10, 20, and elsewhere. With an acc. of the thing ἀγαπάω denotes to take pleasure in the thing, prize it above other things, be unwilling to abandon it or do without it: δικαιοσύνην, Heb. i. 9 (i. e. steadfastly to cleave to); τὴν δόξαν, Jn. xii. 43; τὴν πρωτοκαθεδρίαν, Lk. xi. 43; τὸ σκότος and τὸ φῶς, Jn. iii. 19; τὸν κόσμον, 1 Jn. ii. 15; τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα, 2 Tim. iv. 10,—both which last phrases signify to set the heart on earthly advantages and joys; τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν, Rev. xii. 11; ζωήν, 1 Pet. iii. 10 (to derive pleasure from life, render it agreeable to himself); to welcome with desire, long for: τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ, 2 Tim. iv. 8 (Sap. i. 1; vi. 13; Sir. iv. 12, etc.; so of a person: ἠγαπήθη, Sap. iv. 10, cf. Grimm ad loc.). Concerning the unique proof of love which Jesus gave the apostles by washing their feet, it is said ἠγάπησεν αὐτούς, Jn. xiii. 1, cf. Lücke or Meyer ad loc. [but al. take ἠγάπ. here more comprehensively, see Weiss’s Mey., Godet, Westcott, Keil]. The combination ἀγάπην ἀγαπᾶν τινα occurs, when a relative intervenes, in Jn. xvii. 26; Eph. ii. 4, (2 S. xiii. 15 where τὸ μῖσος ὃ ἐμίσησεν αὐτήν is contrasted; cf. Gen. xlix. 25 εὐλόγησέ σε εὐλόγίαν; Ps. Sal. xvii. 35 [in cod. Pseudepig. Vet. Test. ed. Fabric. i. p. 966; Libri Apocr. etc., ed. Fritzsche, p. 588] δόξαν ἣν ἐδόξασεν αὐτήν); cf. W. § 32, 2; [B. 148 sq. (129)]; Grimm on 1 Macc. ii. 54.
On the difference betw. ἀγαπάω and φιλέω, see φιλέω. Cf. ἀγάπη, 1 fin.
ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ, a purely bibl. and eccl. word (for Wyttenbach, following Reiske’s conjecture, long ago restored ἀγαπήσων in place of ἀγάπης, ὧν in Plut. sympos. quaestt. 7, 6, 3 [vol. viii. p. 835 ed. Reiske]). Prof. auth. fr. [Aristot.], Plut. on used ἀγάπησις. “The Sept. use ἀγάπη for אַהֲבָה, Cant. ii. 4, 5, 7; iii. 5, 10; v. 8; vii. 6; viii. 4, 6, 7; [“It is noticeable that the word first makes its appearance as a current term in the Song of Sol.;—certainly no undesigned evidence respecting the idea which the Alex. translators had of the love in this Song” (Zezschwitz, Profangraec. u. bibl. Sprachgeist, p. 63)] Jer. ii. 2; Eccl. ix. 1, 6; [2 S. xiii. 15]. It occurs besides in Sap. iii. 9; vi. 19. In Philo and Joseph. I do not remember to have met with it. Nor is it found in the N. T. in Acts, Mk., or Jas.; it occurs only once in Mt. and Lk., twice in Heb. and Rev., but frequently in the writings of Paul, John, Peter, Jude” (Bretschn. Lex. s. v.); [Philo, deus immut. § 14].
In signification it follows the verb ἀγαπάω; consequently it denotes 1. affection, good-will, love, benevolence: Jn. xv. 13; Ro. xiii. 10; 1 Jn. iv. 18. Of the love of men to men; esp. of that love of Christians towards Christians which is enjoined and prompted by their religion, whether the love be viewed as in the soul or as expressed: Mt. xxiv. 12; 1 Co. xiii. 1-4, 8; xiv. 1; 2 Co. ii. 4; Gal. v. 6; Philem. 5, 7; 1 Tim. i. 5; Heb. vi. 10; x. 24; Jn. xiii. 35; 1 Jn. iv. 7; Rev. ii. 4, 19, etc. Of the love of men towards God: ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (obj. gen. [W. 185 (175)]), Lk. xi. 42; Jn. v. 42; 1 Jn. ii. 15 (τοῦ πατρός); iii. 17; iv. 12; v. 3. Of the love of God towards men: Ro. v. 8; viii. 39; 2 Co. xiii. 13 (14). Of the love of God towards Christ: Jn. xv. 10; xvii. 26. Of the love of Christ towards men: Jn. xv. 9 sq.; 2 Co. v. 14; Ro. viii. 35; Eph. iii. 19. In construction: ἀγ. εἴς τινα, 2 Co. ii. 8 [?]; Eph. i. 15 [L WH om. Tr mrg. br. τὴν ἀγάπην]; τῇ ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν i. e. love going forth from your soul and taking up its abode as it were in ours, i. q. your love to us, 2 Co. viii. 7 [W. 193 (181 sq.); B. 329 (283)]; μεθ’ ὑμῶν i. e. is present with (embraces) you, 1 Co. xvi. 24; μεθ’ ἡμῶν i. e. seen among us, 1 Jn. iv. 17. Phrases: ἔχειν ἀγάπην εἴς τινα, 2 Co. ii. 4; Col. i. 4 [L T Tr, but WH br.]; 1 Pet. iv. 8; ἀγάπην διδόναι to give a proof of love, 1 Jn. iii. 1; ἀγαπᾶν ἀγάπην τινά, Jn. xvii. 26; Eph. ii. 4 (v. in ἀγαπάω, sub fin.); ἀγ. τοῦ πνεύματος i. e. enkindled by the Holy Spirit, Ro. xv. 30; ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀγάπης the Son who is the object of love, i. q. ἀγαπητός, Col. i. 13 (W. 237 (222); [B. 162 (141)]); ὁ θεὸς τῆς ἀγ. the author of love, 2 Co. xiii. 11; κόπος τῆς ἀγ. troublesome service, toil, undertaken from love, 1 Th. i. 3; ἀγ. τῆς ἀληθείας love which embraces the truth, 2 Th. ii. 10; ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν God is wholly love, his nature is summed up in love, 1 Jn. iv. 8, 16; φίλημα ἀγάπης a kiss as a sign among Christians of mutual affection, 1 Pet. v. 14; διὰ τὴν ἀγ. that love may have opportunity of influencing thee (‘in order to give scope to the power of love’ De W., Wies.), Philem. 9, cf. 14; ἐν ἀγάπῃ lovingly, in an affectionate spirit, 1 Co. iv. 21; on love as a basis [al. in love as the sphere or element], Eph. iv. 15 (where ἐν ἀγ. is to be connected not with ἀληθεύοντες but with αὐξήσωμεν), vs. 16; ἐξ ἀγάπης influenced by love, Phil. i. 17 (16); κατὰ ἀγάπην in a manner befitting love, Ro. xiv. 15. Love is mentioned together with faith and hope in 1 Co. xiii. 13; 1 Th. i. 3; v. 8, Col. i. 4 sq.; Heb. x. 22-24. On the words ἀγάπη, ἀγαπᾶν, cf. Gelpke in the Stud. u. Krit. for 1849, p. 646 sq.; on the idea and nature of Christian love see Köstlin, Lehrbgr. des Ev. Joh. etc. p. 248 sqq., 382 sqq.; Rückert, Theologie, ii. 452 sqq.; Lipsius, Paulin. Rechtfertigungsl. p. 188 sqq.; [Reuss, Théol. Chrét. livr. vii. chap. 13]. 2. Plur. ἀγάπαι, -ῶν, agapae, love-feasts, feasts expressing and fostering mutual love which used to be held by Christians before the celebration of the Lord’s supper, and at which the poorer Christians mingled with the wealthier and partook in common with the rest of food provided at the expense of the wealthy: Jude 12 (and in 2 Pet. ii. 13 L Tr txt. WH mrg.), cf. 1 Co. xi. 17 sqq.; Acts ii. 42, 46; xx. 7; Tertull. Apol. c. 39, and ad Martyr. c. 3; Cypr. ad Quirin. 3, 3; Drescher, De vet. christ. Agapis. Giess. 1824; Mangold in Schenkel i. 53 sq.; [B. D. s. v. Love-Feasts; Dict. of Christ. Antiq. s. v. Agapae; more fully in McC. and S. s. v. Agape].
ἀγαπητός, -ή, -όν, (ἀγαπάω), beloved, esteemed, dear, favorite; (opp. to ἐχθρός. Ro. xi. 28): ὁ υἱός μου (τοῦ Θεοῦ) ὁ ἀγαπητός, of Jesus, the Messiah, Mt. iii. 17
