📖 Biblical Definition
The Agnus Dei is the historic liturgical hymn drawn from John the Baptist's words: Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. In the historic eucharistic liturgy it is sung at the breaking of the bread, three times: twice asking mercy, once asking peace. The household sings what John saw and said as the Lamb walked toward His own Passover.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
(Latin.) Liturgical hymn from John 1:29; sung at the breaking of the bread in the historic eucharistic liturgy.
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Latin: Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Three lines: twice have mercy on us, once grant us peace. Sung at the breaking of bread, the moment when the Lamb's broken body is most vivid.
📖 Key Scripture
John 1:29 — "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
John 1:36 — "Behold the Lamb of God!"
Isaiah 53:7 — "He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb."
Revelation 5:6 — "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne... stood a Lamb as it had been slain."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity often skips lamb-vocabulary; Scripture and historic liturgy converge on it as the central image of the cross.
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John the Baptist's twice-spoken behold the Lamb of God is the New Testament's sharpest theological compression. Christ is the Lamb prefigured by every Passover, every burnt offering, every sin offering, every Day of Atonement.
Singing or reciting the Agnus Dei at the breaking of bread keeps this central image at the household's table. The Lamb's body is broken; mercy is asked; peace is given.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Latin agnus (lamb), Dei (of God).
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Latin agnus Dei — Lamb of God; from John 1:29 in Vulgate Latin.
Note: cognate with English agnostic only by accident; different roots.
Usage
"Behold the Lamb of God — the sharpest theological compression in the New Testament."
"Sung at the breaking of bread; the Lamb's broken body is most vivid there."
"Twice mercy, once peace."