Lexical Summary Agabos: Agabus Original Word: Ἄγαβος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Agabus. Of Hebrew origin (compare Chagab); Agabus, an Israelite -- Agabus. see HEBREW Chagab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definition Agabus, a Christian prophet NASB Translation Agabus (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 13: ἍγαβοςἍγαβος (on the breathing see WH. Introductory § 408), Ἀγαβου, ὁ, the name of a Christian prophet, Agabus: Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10. (Perhaps from עָגַב to love (cf. B. D. Topical Lexicon Identity and Setting Agabus appears twice in Acts as a Spirit-empowered prophet who moved freely among the earliest assemblies of believers. He is introduced in Antioch shortly after the Gospel reaches Gentiles (Acts 11:26-28) and re-emerges more than ten years later in Caesarea while Paul is en route to Jerusalem (Acts 21:8-11). His ministry is thus framed by the missionary expansion that dominates the middle chapters of Acts. Historical Context 1. Antioch (circa A.D. 46). Rome’s Emperor Claudius faced a series of grain shortages and localized crop failures. Secular writers such as Suetonius and Tacitus corroborate a widespread famine during his reign. Prophetic Ministry in Acts • Acts 11:28: “One of them, named Agabus, stood up and foretold through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. This happened during the reign of Claudius.” – The prophecy is specific (a global famine) and verifiable (recorded by Luke as having occurred). – The church at Antioch responds with benevolence, sending relief to Judea (Acts 11:29-30), illustrating how genuine prophecy stirs practical obedience and unity. • Acts 21:10-11: Agabus dramatizes his message by binding himself with Paul’s belt and declaring, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and deliver him over to the hands of the Gentiles.’” – The sign-act recalls symbolic gestures of earlier prophets (e.g., Jeremiah 13:1-11; Ezekiel 12:1-7), rooting New Testament prophecy in Old Testament precedent. – The predictive element is fulfilled in Acts 21:30-33 and 24:27, confirming the reliability of prophetic utterance in the apostolic era. Theological Significance 1. Continuity of Revelation: Agabus demonstrates that the prophetic gift transcends covenants, linking the ministries of Old Testament seers to the Spirit-empowered church (cf. Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17-18). Lessons for the Church • Prophetic speech is anchored in the Holy Spirit and must cohere with apostolic doctrine. Tradition and Later Witness Early Christian writers locate Agabus among the seventy disciples of Luke 10, though Scripture itself is silent on this point. Some traditions claim he was martyred in Antioch, underscoring the high cost often borne by prophetic voices. Summary Agabus stands as a bridge between the prophetic tradition of Israel and the Spirit-led mission of the early church. His brief appearances in Acts reveal a ministry that is accurate, pastoral, and Christ-honoring, offering a model for discerning and exercising prophetic gifts within the body of Christ today. Forms and Transliterations Αγαβος Ἄγαβος Ἇγαβος Agabos ÁgabosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 11:28 N-NMSGRK: αὐτῶν ὀνόματι Ἄγαβος ἐσήμανεν διὰ NAS: of them named Agabus stood KJV: them named Agabus, and signified by INT: them by name Agabus he signified by Acts 21:10 N-NMS |
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