AGAGITE
99
AGAPE
apart from the obligations of the vow, some such ex- ample of retributive justice was intended as had been exercised in the case of Adonibezek; or, in other words, that Agag had made himself infamous by the same treatment of some prisoners of distinction (prob- ably Israelites) as he now received from Samuel (see Diedrichs, Hinrichtung Agag's, Gott. 1776). The un- usual mode in which his death was inflicted strongly supports this conclusion (1 Sam. xv, 8-33). B.C. cir. 1070.— Kitto, s. v. See Samuel.
Ag'agite [others A'gaijite~\ (Hob. Agag'i ' , ^SJX, Sept. Bovycaoc, 'Mcikscuiv, Vulg. Agagites), the name of the nation to which Haman (q. v.) belonged (Esther iii, 1, 10; viii, 3, 5; ix, 24). Josephus explains it as meaning Amalekite {Ant. xi, 6, 5). See Agag.
Agalla or Agallim. See EglaIm.
Agam. See Reed.
Agape, plural Agap.e («ya7r>;, aydirat), the Greek term for love, used by ecclesiastical writers (most fre- quently in the plural) to signify the social meal of the primitive Christians, which generally accompanied the Eucharist. The New Testament does not appear to give it the sanction of a divine command : it seems to be attributable to the spirit of a religion which is a bond of brotherly union and concord among its pro- fessors. See Eucharist.
1. Much learned research has been spent in tracing the origin of this custom; but, though considerable obscurity may rest on the details, the general histor- ical connection is tolerably obvious. It is true that the tpavot and iratpiai, and other similar institutions of Greece and Rome, presented some points of resem- blance which facilitated both the adoption and the abuse of the Agapa: by the Gentile converts of Chris- tianity ; but we cannot consider them as the direct models of the latter. If we reflect on the profound impression which the transactions of "the night on which the Lord was betrayed" (1 Cor. xi, 23) must have made on the minds of the apostles, nothing can be conceived more natural, or in closer accordance with the genius of the new dispensation, than a wisli to perpetuate the commemoration of his death in con- nection with their social meal (Neander, Leben Jesu, p. 643 ; Planting of the Christian Church, i, 27). The primary celebration of the Eucharist had impressed a sacredness on the repast of which it formed a part (comp. Matt, xxvi, 2G ; Mark-xiv, 22, with Luke xxii, 20 ; 1 Cor. xi, 25) ; and when to this consideration we add the ardent faith and love of the new converts on the one hand, and the loss of property with the disrup- tion of old connections and attachments on the other, which must have heightened the feeling of brother- hood, we need not look farther to account for the insti- tution of the Agapte, at once a symbol of Christian love and a striking exemplification of its benevolent energy. However soon its purity was soiled, at first it was not undeserving of the eulogy pronounced by Chrysostom : "A custom most beautiful and most ben- eficial ; for it was a supporter of love, a solace of pov- erty, a moderator of wealth, and a discipline of humil- ity."
Thus the common meal and the Eucharist formed together one whole, and were conjointly denominated Lord's Supper (cuttvov too Kvpiov, cti-vov Kvptaieuv) am\ feast of love (dyenrn). They were also signified (according to Mosheim, Neander, and other eminent critics) by the phrase, breaking of bread (kK&vtiQ ap- rov, Acts ii, 4G ; tXaaic rov apron, Acts ii, 42 ; Kkaacu aprov, Acts xx, 7). We find the term (lyi'nrat thus applied once, at least, in the New Testament (.hide 12), "These are spots in your feasts of charity" (iv rale nyrtVnic vpiov). The reading in 2 Pet. ii, 13, is of doubtful authority : " Spots and blemishes, living lux- uriously in their Agapre" (IvrpvQ&VTtQ iv rate ayu- Traig avruiv) ; but the common reading is iv rale cnrciTaig avrwv, "in their own deceivings." The
phrase ayenrnv 7ro(f7i'was early employed in the sense of celebrating the Eucharist; thus in the epistle of Ig- natius to the church at Smyrna, § viii. In § vii <ly«- 7rav appears to refer more especially to the Agapa;.
By ecclesiastical writers several synonyms are used for the Agapa-, such as avpiroma (Balsamon, ml ''mi. xxvii, Condi. Laodicen.) ; icoivai Tpd-Kt'Cai, ti'M\ta, Koivai icTTiaanc, kmvu ai'pTroaia (Chrysostom); cuTrva Koivd (CEcumenius); (jvggit'ui Kai av^iTornci (Zonaras).
Though the Agapse usually succeeded the Eucharist, yet they are not alluded to in Justin Martyr's descrip- tion of the latter {Apol. i, § 65, 67); while Tertullian, on the contrary, in his account of the Agapa-. makes no distinct mention of the Eucharist. "The nature of our Cana," he says, " may be gathered from its name, which is the Greek term for love (dilectio). However much it may cost us, it is real gain to incur such expense in the cause of piety ; for we aid the poor by this refreshment ; we do not sit down to it till we have first tasted of prayer to God ; we eat to satis- fy our hunger ; we drink no more than befits the tem- perate ; we feast as those who recollect that they are to spend the night in devotion; we converse as those who know that the Lord is an ear-witness. After wa- ter for washing hands, and lights have been brought in, every one is required to sing something to the praise of God, either from the Scriptures or from his own thoughts ; by this means, if any one has indulged in excess, he is detected. The feast is closed with prayer." Contributions or oblations of provisions and money were made on these occasions, and the surplus was placed in the hands of the presiding elder (h TTpoeo-rioe — compare 1 Tim. v, 17, oi Trpotartortc Trpea- jluTspoi), by whom it was applied to the relief of or- phans and widows, the sick and destitute, prisoners and strangers (Justin, Apol. i, 67).