Love Feasts
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
is used in the plural in Jude 1:12 , and in some mss. in 2—Peter 2:13; RV marg., "many ancient authorities read 'deceivings,'" (apatais); so the AV. These love feasts arose from the common meals of the early churches (cp. 1—Corinthians 11:21 ). They may have had this origin in the private meals of Jewish households, with the addition of the observance of the Lord's Supper. There were, however, similar common meals among the pagan religious brotherhoods. The evil dealt with at Corinth (l.c.) became enhanced by the presence of immoral persons, who degraded the feasts into wanton banquets, as mentioned in 2Pet. and Jude. In later times the agape became detached from the Lord's Supper.
Smith's Bible Dictionary [2]
Love Feasts. (Agape). 2 Peter 2:13; Judges 1:12. An entertainment in which the poorer members of the church partook, furnished from the contributions of Christians resorting to the Eucharistic Celebration , but whether before or after may be doubted.
The true account of the matter is probably that given by Chrysostom, who says that after the early community of goods had ceased the richer members brought to the church contributions of food and drink, of which, after the conclusion of the services and the celebration of the Lord's Supper, all partook together, by this means helping to promote the principle of love among Christians.
The intimate connection especially in early times, between the Eucharist itself and the love feasts has led some to speak of them as identical. The love feasts were forbidden to be held in churches by the Council of Laudicea, A.D. 320; but in some form or other, they continued to a much later period.
Morrish Bible Dictionary [3]
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [4]
See Agape
