Ἅγαβος

Agabus

Definition

Agabus is the name of a specific early Christian prophet mentioned in the Book of Acts. He is not a title or a common noun, but a proper name belonging to one individual. His role is exclusively that of a prophet who delivers divinely inspired messages. In Acts 11:28, he predicts a severe famine, and in Acts 21:10, he symbolically acts out a prophecy about the Apostle Paul's impending arrest.

Biblical Usage

The name Agabus is used only twice in the New Testament, both times in the Book of Acts. It is used to identify a prophet from Jerusalem. In Acts 11:28, he stands up in a gathering and predicts a widespread famine. In Acts 21:10, he visits Paul in Caesarea, takes Paul's belt, and uses it as a prophetic sign to foretell Paul's binding and arrest by the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem. Both instances demonstrate the ongoing role of prophecy in the early church.

Etymology

The name Ἅγαβος (Agabos) is of Semitic origin, likely derived from the Hebrew חָגָב (ḥāḡāḇ), meaning 'locust.' The proposed Greek etymology from ἀ- (not) + an unknown root 'gabos' is likely a folk etymology or later guess. As a proper name, its meaning ('locust') is not directly relevant to his biblical role; it is simply his given name.

Semantic Range

Agabus is significant theologically as a model of New Testament prophecy, demonstrating that the prophetic gift continued in the early church after Pentecost. His prophecies were specific, accurate, and served to warn and prepare the Christian community (Acts 11:28) and an individual apostle (Acts 21:10). Understanding that Agabus is a specific person, not a title, helps readers see the continuity of God's communication through chosen individuals, affirming the active guidance of the Holy Spirit in the church's practical life and mission.

In the first-century Jewish and early Christian context, names often carried symbolic meaning, but a person's identity and divine calling were not strictly defined by their name's etymology. Agabus, as a prophet, operated within a culture familiar with prophetic figures. His dramatic action in Acts 21:10, using Paul's belt, is a classic prophetic sign-act, similar to those performed by Old Testament prophets (e.g., Jeremiah, Ezekiel), which would have been immediately understood by his audience as a communication from God.

προφήτης (prophētēs, G4396) — The general term for 'prophet,' which describes Agabus's role and office.

Word Details

Scripture References