in+social+rank)

ἀγάπη, ης, ἡ (this term has left little trace in polytheistic Gk. lit. A sepulchral ins, prob. honoring a polytheistic army officer, who is held in ‘high esteem’ by his country [SEG VIII, 11, 6 (III A.D.)] sheds light on an ex. such as Philod., παρρ. col. 13a, 3 Oliv., but s. Söding [below] 294. The restorations in POxy 1380, 28 and 109f [II A.D.] are in dispute: s. New Docs 4, 259 [lit.]; Söding [end] 294f, n. 68 [lit.]. For other exx. from the Gr-Rom. world s. Ltzm., exc. after 1 Cor 13; L-S-J-M; ACeresa-Gastaldo, Αγάπη nei documenti anteriori al NT: Aegyptus 31, ’51, 269–306, has a new pap and a new ins ex. fr. III A.D. secular sources; in RivFil 31, ’53, 347–56 the same author shows it restored in an ins of 27 B.C., but against C-G. s. lit. Söding 293, n. 57. In Jewish sources: LXX, esp. SSol, also pseudepigr., Philo, Deus Imm. 69; Just., D. 93, 4. Cp. ACarr, ET 10, 1899, 321–30. Its paucity in gener. Gk. lit. may be due to a presumed colloq. flavor of the noun (but s. IPontEux I, 359, 6 as parallel to 2 Cor 8:8 below). No such stigma attached to the use of the verb ἀγαπαω (q.v.).

① the quality of warm regard for and interest in another, esteem, affection, regard, love (without limitation to very intimate relationships, and very seldom in general Greek of sexual attraction).

ⓐ of human love

α. without indication of the pers. who is the object of interest (cp. Eccl 9:1, 6; Sir 48:11 v.l.): ἀ. as subj. ἡ ἀ. οἰκοδομεῖ 1 Cor 8:1.—13:4, 8 (on 1 Cor 13 see the comm. [Maxim Tyr. 20:2 praise of ἔρως what it is not and what it is; s. AHarnack, SBBerlAk 1911, 132–63, esp. 152f; ELehmann and AFridrichsen, 1 Cor 13 e. christl.-stoische Diatribe: StKr Sonderheft 1922, 55–95]; EHoffmann, Pauli Hymnus auf d. Liebe: Dtsche Vierteljahrsschrift für Literaturwiss. u. Geistesgesch. 4, 1926, 58–73; NLund, JBL 50, ’31, 266–76; GRudberg, Hellas och Nya Testamentet ’34, 149f; HRiesenfeld, ConNeot 5, ’41, 1–32, Nuntius 6, ’52, 47f); Phil 1:9. ἡ ἀ. κακὸν οὐκ ἐργάζεται Ro 13:10; πλήρωμα νόμου ἡ ἀ. ibid.; ψυγήσεται ἡ ἀ. τ. πολλῶν Mt 24:12; ἡ ἀ. ἀνυπόκριτος let love be genuine Ro 12:9, cp. 2 Cor 6:6. As predicate 1 Ti 1:5; 1J 4:16b (cp. bα). As obj. ἀγάπην ἔχειν (Did., Gen. 221, 30) 1 Cor 13:1–3; Phil 2:2 φιλίαν ἢ ἀγάπην ἔχοντες Just., D. 93, 4; διώκειν 1 Cor 14:1; 1 Ti 6:11; 2 Ti 2:22; ἐνδύσασθαι τὴν ἀ. Col 3:14. ἀφιέναι Rv 2:4.—2 Pt 1:7; Col 1:8. ἐμαρτύρησάν σου τῇ ἀ. 3J 6. Attributively in gen. case ὁ κόπος τῆς ἀ. 1 Th 1:3; τὸ τ. ὑμετέρας ἀ. γνήσιον the genuineness of your love 2 Cor 8:8. ἔνδειξις τῆς ἀ. vs. 24; cp. πᾶσαν ἐνδεικνυμένους ἀ. Tit 2:10 v.l.—Hb 10:24; Phil 2:1; 1 Pt 5:14; 1 Cl 49:2.—In prep. phrases ἐξ ἀγάπης out of love Phil 1:16; παράκλησις ἐπὶ τῇ ἀ. σου comfort from your love Phlm 7; περιπατεῖν κατὰ ἀ., ἐν ἀ. Ro 14:15; Eph 5:2; ἐν ἀ. ἔρχεσθαι (opp. ἐν ῥάβδῳ) 1 Cor 4:21; ἀληθεύειν ἐν ἀ. Eph 4:15. Other verbal combinations w. ἐν ἀ., 1 Cor 16:14; Eph 3:17; 4:2; Col 2:2; 1 Th 5:13; cp. Eph 4:16 (on Eph 1:4 s. bα). ἐν τῇ ἀ. 1J 4:16b, 18. διὰ τῆς ἀ. δουλεύετε ἀλλήλοις Gal 5:13. πίστις διʼ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη 5:6. διὰ τὴν ἀ. παρακαλῶ for love’s sake I appeal Phlm 9. μετὰ ἀγάπης πολιτεύεσθαι live in love 1 Cl 51:2.—W. ἀλήθεια 2J 3; πίστις 1 Th 3:6; 5:8; 1 Ti 1:14; 2 Ti 1:13; Phlm 5; B 11:8; IEph 1:1; 9:1; 14:1 al. W. πίστις and other concepts on the same plane Eph 6:23; 1 Ti 2:15; 4:12; 6:11; 2 Ti 2:22; 3:10; Tit 2:2; Rv 2:19; Hm 8:9; cp. v 3, 8, 2–5. The triad πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη 1 Cor 13:13; s. also Col 1:4f; 1 Th 1:3; 5:8; B 1:4 (cp. Porphyr., Ad Marcellam 24 τέσσαρα στοιχεῖα μάλιστα κεκρατύνθω περὶ θεοῦ• πίστις, ἀλήθεια, ἔρως, ἐλπίς and s. Rtzst., Hist. Mon. 1916, 242ff, NGG 1916, 367ff; 1917, 130ff, Hist. Zeitschr. 116, 1916, 189ff; AHarnack, PJ 164, 1916, 5ff=Aus d. Friedens-u. Kriegsarbeit 1916, 1ff; PCorssen, Sokrates 7, 1919, 18ff; ABrieger, D. urchr. Trias Gl., Lbe, Hoff., diss. Heidelb. 1925; WTheiler, D. Vorbereitung d. Neuplatonismus 1930, 148f). W. δύναμις and σωφρονισμός 2 Ti 1:7. Cp. B 1:6.—Attributes of love: ἀνυπόκριτος Ro 12:9; 2 Cor 6:6. γνησία 1 Cl 62:2. φιλόθεος and φιλάνθρωπος Agr 7. σύμφωνος IEph 4:1 ἄοκνος IPol 7:2. ἐκτενής 1 Pt 4:8. It is a fruit of the Spirit καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος Gal 5:22, and takes first rank among the fruits. ἀ. τοῦ πνεύματος Ro 15:30; cp. Col 1:8. Since the term denotes concern for another, the sense alms, charity ISm 6:2 is readily apparent (cp. ἀ. λαμβάνειν ‘receive alms’ PGen 14, 7).—ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν ἀδελφῶν the members greet you with love IPhld 11:2; ISm 12:1, cp. ITr 13:1; IRo 9:3. In these passages the object of the love is often made plain by the context; in others it is

β. expressly mentioned

א. impers. ἀ. τῆς ἀληθείας 2 Th 2:10; ἀ. τῆς πατρίδος love for the homeland 1 Cl 55:5.

ב. human beings ἀ. εἴς τινα love for someone εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους Eph 1:15; Col 1:4. εἰς ἀλλήλους καὶ εἰς πάντας 1 Th 3:12; 2 Th 1:3; cp. 2 Cor 2:4, 8; 1 Pt 4:8; 2J 6. ἐν ἀλλήλοις J 13:35. ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν 2 Cor 8:7; ἡ ἀ. μου μετὰ ὑμῶν 1 Cor 16:24.

ג. God or Christ (πρὸς τὸν θεόν Orig., C. Cels. 3, 15, 12) ἀ. τοῦ θεοῦ love toward God (but in many cases the gen. may be subjective) Lk 11:42; J 5:42; 2 Th 3:5; 1J 2:5, 15; 3:17; 4:12; 5:3; 2 Cor 7:1 P 46 (for φόβος); ἀ. εἰς θεὸν καὶ Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὸν πλησίον Pol 3:3; ἀ. εἰς τὸ ὄνομα θεοῦ Hb 6:10.

ⓑ of the love of God and Christ

α. to humans. Of God (cp. Wsd 3:9): 1J 4:10; ἐν ἡμῖν 1J 4:9, 16. εἰς ἡμᾶς Ro 5:8, cp. vs. 5. τετελείωται ἡ ἀ. μεθʼ ἡμῶν 1J 4:17 (s. HPreisker app. to HWindisch Comm. 167); ἀπὸ τῆς ἀ. τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ Ro 8:39. ἀγάπην διδόναι bestow love 1J 3:1; ἐν ἀ. προορίσας ἡμᾶς εἰς υἱοθεσίαν Eph 1:4f: the rhythm of the passage suggests the believers as agents for ἀ. in vs. 4 (cp. vs. 15), but 2:4 favors God; s. the comm.—2 Cor 13:13; Jd 2 and 21. God is the source of love 1J 4:7, the θεὸς τῆς ἀ. 2 Cor 13:11, and therefore God is love 1J 4:8, 16. Christians, embraced by God’s love, are τέκνα ἀγάπης B 9:7; 21:9.—Of Jesus’ love J 15:9, 10a, 13 (s. MDibelius, Joh 15:13: Deissmann Festschr. 1927, 168–86); 1J 3:16.—Ro 8:35; 2 Cor 5:14; cp. Eph 3:19. Perh. the ἀληθὴς ἀγάπη of Pol 1:1 is a designation of Jesus or his exemplary concern for others.

β. of the relation betw. God and Christ J 15:10b; 17:26 (on the constr. cp. Pel.-Leg. 12, 21 ὁ πλοῦτος ὅν με ἐπλούτισεν ὁ σατανᾶς). τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀ. αὐτοῦ of the son of (God’s) love, i.e. of (God’s) beloved son Col 1:13 (s. PsSol 13:9 υἱὸς ἀγαπήσεως).—WLütgert, D. L. im NT 1905; BWarfield, PTR 16, 1918, 1–45; 153–203; JMoffatt, Love in the NT 1929; HPreisker, StKr 95, 1924, 272–94, D. urchr. Botschaft v. der L. Gottes 1930; RSchütz, D. Vorgeschichte der joh. Formel ὁ θεὸς ἀγ. ἐστίν diss. Kiel 1917; CBowen, Love in the Fourth Gosp.: JR 13, ’33, 39–49; GEichholz, Glaube u. L. im 1 J: EvTh ’37, 411–37. On ἔρως and ἀ. s. Harnack, SBBerlAk 1918, 81–94; ANygren, Eros u. Agape I 1930, II ’37 (Eng. tr. Agape and Eros, AHebert and PWatson ’32, ’39; on this JRobinson, Theology 48, ’45, 98–104); LGrünhut, Eros u. Ag. ’31. Cp. CTarelli, Ἀγάπη: JTS n.s. 1, ’50, 64–67; ELee, Love and Righteousness: ET 62, ’50/51, 28–31; AŠuštar, Verbum Domini 28, ’50, 110–19; 122–40; 193–213; 257–70; 321–40; TOhm, D. Liebe zu Gott in d. nichtchristl. Religionen, ’50; WHarrelson, The Idea of Agape: JR 31, ’51, 169–82; VWarnach, Agape: Die Liebe als Grundmotiv der ntl. Theol. 1951; JSteinmueller, Ἐρᾶν, Φιλεῖν, Ἀγαπᾶν in Extrabiblical and Bibl. Sources: Studia Anselmiana 27f, ’51, 404–23.—Full bibliog. in HRiesenfeld, Étude bibliographique sur la notion biblique d’ ἀγάπη, surtout dans 1 Cor 13: ConNeot 5, ’41, 1–32; s. also EDNT.

② a common meal eaten by early Christians in connection with their worship, for the purpose of fostering and expressing mutual affection and concern, fellowship meal, a love-feast (the details are not discussed in the NT, although Paul implicitly refers to it 1 Cor 11:17ff; cp. D 9–10; s. also Pliny Ep. 10, 96, 7; AcPlTh 25 [Aa I 252]; Clem. Al., Paed. 2, 1, 4, Strom. 3, 2, 10; Pass. Perp. et Felic. 17, 1; Tertull., Apolog. 39, De Jejun. 17; Minucius Felix 31) Jd 12 (v.l. ἀπάταις; in 2 Pt 2:13 ἀγάπαις is v.l. for ἀπάταις; the same v.l. Eccl 9:6, where ἀπάτη in ms. S is meaningless: s. RSchütz, ZNW 18, 1918, 224; s. ἀγαπάω 3 on J 13:1, 34). ἀγάπη ἄφθαρτος IRo 7:3. ἀγάπην ποιεῖν hold a love-feast ISm 8:2, in both pass. w. prob. ref. to the eucharist (s. ἀγαπάω 2 and 3).—Meals accompanied by religious rites and in a religious context were conducted by various social groups among the Greeks from early times (s. Bauer’s Introduction, pp. xxvii–viii, above). A scholion on Pla. 122b says of such meals among the Lacedaemonians that they were called φιλίτια, because they φιλίας συναγωγά ἐστιν. Is ἀγ. perhaps a translation of φιλία into Christian terminology?—JKeating, The Ag. and the Eucharist in the Early Church 1901; HLeclercq, Dict. d’Arch. I 1903, 775–848; FFunk, Kirchengesch. Abhdlgen. 3, 1907, 1–41; EBaumgartner, Eucharistie u. Ag. im Urchr. 1909; RCole, Love Feasts, a History of the Christian Ag. 1916; GWetter, Altchr. Liturgien II 1921; HLietzmann, Messe u. Herrenmahl 1926 (on this ALoisy, Congr. d’Hist. du Christ. I 1928, 77–95); KVölker, Mysterium u. Ag. 1927; DTambolleo, Le Agapi ’31; BReicke, Diakonie, Festfreude u. Zelos in Verbindung mit der altchristlichen Agapenfeier, ’51.—TSöding, Das Wortfeld der Liebe im paganen und biblischen Griechisch: ETL 68, ’92, 284–330.—DELG s.v. ἀγαπάω. M-M. TW. Spicq. TRE s.v. Liebe.

ἀρετή, ῆς, ἡ (Hom.+, a term denoting consummate ‘excellence’ or ‘merit’ within a social context, hence freq. w. δικαιοσύνη; cp. the tripartite appraisal Pla., Protag. 329c: δικαιοσύνη, σωφροσύνη, ὁσιότης). Exhibition of ἀρετή invites recognition, resulting in renown or glory. In Homer primarily of military valor or exploits, but also of distinction for other personal qualities and associated performance that enhance the common interest. The term is a favorite subject in Stoic thought relating to morality. Theognis 147f summarizes Gk. thinking: ἐν δὲ δικαιοσύνῃ συλλήβδην πᾶσʼ ἀρετή ʼστι,| πᾶς δέ τʼ ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός, Κύρνε, δίκαιος ἔων=in a word, Cyrnus, all excellence lies in uprightness, and a good person is one who is upright.

① uncommon character worthy of praise, excellence of character, exceptional civic virtue (Theognis 147; Aristot., EN a detailed discussion of ἀ.; s. indexes in OGI, SIG, IPriene, et al.; Herm. Wr. 9, 4; 10, 9; Wsd; 2, 3, 4 Macc; EpArist; Philo; Jos., Ant. 1, 113 al.; διὰ τὴν ἀ. Orig. C. Cels. 5, 2, 26 [as distinguished merit]; τέσσαράς φησιν εἶναι ἀρετάς Hippol., Ref. 1, 19, 16 [in a list of virtues]; Did., Gen. 102, 15; 17 [accompanied by ‘trouble’]) Phil 4:8 (w. ἔπαινος, in ref. to recognition of distinguished merit that was customary in Gr-Rom. society; cp. AcJ 5 [Aa II/1, 153, 29]). W. πίστις (as OGI 438, 6ff ἄνδρα διενένκαντα πίστει καὶ ἀρετῇ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ εὐσεβείαι=a gentleman distinguished for fidelity, admirable character, uprightness [concern for people], and devotion [to deities]; cp. Dssm. LO 270 [LAE 322]; Danker, Benefactor 460–61) ἐπιχορηγήσατε ἐν τῇ πίστει ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρετήν bring the finest character to your commitment 2 Pt 1:5a; ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν γνῶσιν and to the finest character knowledge 5b. ἐνδύσασθαι πᾶσαν ἀ. δικαιοσύνης put on every virtue of uprightness (=‘aspire to the highest standards of uprightness’; opp. πονηρία, which is low-grade behavior; on the rhetorical form s. HFischel, HUCA 44, ’73, 119–51) Hm 1:2; Hs 6, 1, 4. ἐργάζεσθαι πᾶσαν ἀ. καὶ δικαιοσύνην Hs 8, 10, 39 (=be a model member of the human community); cp. m 12, 3, 1; διώκειν τὴν ἀ. 2 Cl 10:1. ἀ. ἔνδοξος Hm 6, 2, 3.

② manifestation of divine power, miracle (a usage in keeping w. the primary mng.; Oenom. in Eus., PE 5, 22, 4; SIG 1151, 2; 1172, 10 πλείονας ἀρετὰς τ. θεοῦ, see on this Dittenberger’s note 8 w. further exx. and lit.; 1173, 5; MAI 21, 1896, 77; POxy 1382 [II A.D.]; Sb 8026, 1; 8266, 17 [261/260 B.C.] of the miracles of the deity Amenothis; PGM 5, 419; Philo, Somn. 1, 256; Jos., Ant. 17, 130; s. Dssm., B 90–93 [BS 95f]; Nägeli 69; OWeinreich, Neue Urkunden zur Sarapisrel. 1919, index; SReiter, Ἐπιτύμβιον, Swoboda Festschr. 1927, 228–37), also that which causes such things: the power of God (IG IV², 128, 79 [280 B.C.]; PGM 4, 3205; Herm. Wr. 10, 17; Jos., Ant. 17, 130 ἀ. τοῦ θείου; cp. 1, 100) 2 Pt 1:3 (Dssm., B 277ff [BS 360ff]).—In accordance w. a usage that treats ἀ. and δόξα as correlatives (ἀ.=excellence that results in approbation and therefore δόξα=renown), which finds expression outside the OT (Is 42:8, 12) in the juxtaposition of the two terms (Herodian; Pausanias, Arcadia 52, 6 ins on a statue in honor of Philopoemen at Tegea; Dionys. Hal.; Diod. Sic. 2, 45, 2 of a woman, self-styled ‘Daughter of Ares’, reputed for her valor; s. Wetstein on 2 Pt 1:3), the LXX transl. הוֹד majesty, high rank (Hab 3:3; Zech 6:13; cp. Il. 9, 498 ἀ. w. τιμή and βίη; 23, 578 w. βίη) and also תְּהִלָּה praise sg. (Is; cp. Od. 14, 402 ἀ. w. ἐϋκλείη ‘good repute’) with ἀ. pl. The latter sense ‘praise’ (pl.=laudes) has been maintained for 1 Pt 2:9, which is probably influenced by Is 42:12; 43:21. It is poss. that Semitically oriented auditors of 1 Pt interpreted the expression along such lines, but Gr-Rom. publics would in the main be conditioned to hear a stress on performance, which of course would elicit praise (cp. Plut., Mor. 535d).—AKiefer, Aretalogische Studien, diss. Freib. 1929; VLongo, Aretalogie nel mondo Greco: I, Epigrafi e Papiri ’69; MSmith, JBL 90, ’71, 174–99; JKube, ΤΕΧΝΗ und ΑΡΕΤΗ ’69; Danker, Benefactor ’82, passim.—DELG. M-M. TW. Sv.