Mint
MINT
A garden herb, sufficiently known. The Pharisees, desiring to distinguish themselves by a most scrupulous and literal observation of the law, gave tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, Mat 23:23 . Our Savior does not censure this exactness, but complains, that while they were so precise in these lesser matters, they neglected the essential commandments of the law-making their punctiliousness about easy and external duties an excuse for disregarding their obligations to love God supremely, to be regenerated in heart, and just and beneficent in life.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Mint
Mint. A sweet-smelling herb which grew to a height of one meter (three feet) and produced spikes of lilac flowers. Mint was used in medicine and to flavor foods.
Fuente: Plants Animals Of Bible
Mint
(, sweet-scented) occurs (Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42) among the smaller garden herbs which the Pharisees punctiliously tithed. SEE ANISE; SEE DILL. It was much esteemed as a warming condiment by the ancients (Pliny, 19:47; 20:53; 21:18; Dioscor. 3:41; Martial, 10:48,8 sq.; the Romans calling it mentha, and the Greeks ) as well as the Jews (Mishna, Okzim. 1:2; Ohol. 8:1; also the Talmudical tracts. Shem ve- Jobel, 7:2; Sheb. 7:1; the rabbins call it ; it was even strewed, for the sake of its odor, upon the floors of houses and synagogues, Buxtorf, Lex. Rab. page 1228), and as it still is in Eastern countries (Raffenau Delile, Flora Aegypt. in the Descr. de l’Egypte, 19). Some commentators have supposed that such herbs as mint, anise (dill), and cumin, were not tithable by law, and that the Pharisees solely from an overstrained zeal paid tithes for them; but as dill was subject to tithe (Masseroth, 4:5), it is most probable that the other herbs mentioned with it were also tithed, and this is fully corroborated by our Lord’s own words: These ought ye to have done.’ The Pharisees, therefore, are not censured for paying tithes of things untithable by law, but for paying more regard to a scrupulous exactness in these minor duties than to important moral obligations.
It is difficult to determine the exact species or variety of mint employed by the ancients. There are numerous species very nearly allied to one another. They usually grow in moist situations, and are herbaceous, perennial, of powerful odor, especially when bruised, and have small reddish-colored flowers, arranged in spikes or whorls. The taste of these plants is bitter, warm, and pungent, but leaving a sensation of coolness on the tongue; in their properties they are so similar to each other, that, either in medicine or as a condiment, one species may safely be substituted for another. The species most common in Syria is Mentha sylvestris, found by Russell at Aleppo, and mentioned by him as one of the herbs cultivated in the gardens there. It also occurs in Greece, Taurus, Caucasus, the Altai Range, and as far as Cashmere. Marvensis is also a widely-diffused species, being found in Greece, in parts of Caucasus, in the Altai Range, and in Cashmere. (See Celsii Hierob. 1:543 sq.) Lady Calcott (Script. Herb. page 280) makes the following ingenious remark: I know not whether mint were originally one of the bitter herbs with which the Israelites eat the Paschal lamb, but our use of it with roast lamb, particularly about Easter time, inclines me to suppose it was. The same writer also observes that the modern Jews eat horseradish and chervil with lamb. The wood-cut represents the horse mint (M. sylvestris), which is common in Syria, and, according to Russell (Nat. Hist. of Aleppo, page 39), found in the gardens at Aleppo: M. sativa is generally supposed to be only a variety of M. arvensis, another species of mint; perhaps all these were known to the ancients. The mints belong to the large natural order Labiatae.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Mint
(Gr. heduosmon, i.e., “having a sweet smell”), one of the garden herbs of which the PhariSee s paid tithes (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42). It belongs to the labiate family of plants. The species most common in Syria is the Mentha sylvestris, the wild mint, which grows much larger than the garden mint (M. sativa). It was much used in domestic economy as a condiment, and also as a medicine. The paying of tithes of mint was in accordance with the Mosiac law (Deut. 14:22), but the error of the PhariSee s lay in their being more careful about this little matter of the mint than about weightier matters.
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Mint
Greek mintha hedu osmon (“sweet-smelling herb”), of the order Labiatae. A carminative in medicine and a condiment in cookery. Tithed scrupulously by the Pharisees (Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42). Our use of mint with roast; lamb may be a relic of Israel’s eating the Passover with bitter herbs.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Mint
MINT (, mentha) is mentioned only in Mat 23:23 and the parallel passage Luk 11:42, where it is represented as being subject to tithe. It is a familiar garden herb, belonging to the natural order Labiatae. The species commonly grown in Palestine is horse-mint (M. sylvestris), and there can be little doubt that this is the mint of Scripture. It is extensively used for culinary purposes, and is also highly valued as a carminative. Mint was probably one of the bitter herbs with which the Paschal lamb was eaten.
Hugh Duncan.
Fuente: A Dictionary Of Christ And The Gospels
Mint
MINT (Gr. hdyosmon, Mat 23:23, Luk 11:42).One of the trifles which were tithed; primarily, perhaps, peppermint (Mentha piperita), but including also allied plants, such as the horse mint, (M. sylvestris), which grows wild all over Palestine.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Mint
mint (, heduosmon): Mentioned (Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42) as one of the small things which were tithed. The cultivated variety (Mentha piperita), peppermint, was doubtless primarily intended, but the wild Mentha silvestris or horsemint, which flourishes all over the mountains of Palestine, is probably included.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Mint
Mint is mentioned in Mat 23:23 : ‘Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise (properly dill) and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law;’ and, again, in Luk 11:42; ‘But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.’ All the plants mentioned in the above passages belong to the smaller ones cultivated in gardens in Europe, and which usually come under the denomination of sweet herbs. Lady Calcott inquires whether mint was one of the bitter herbs which the Israelites ate with the Paschal Lamb; and infers the probability of its being so from our own practice of eating lamb with mint sauce. Dr. Harris argues that mint, anise, and cummin were not tithed, and that the Pharisees only paid tithes of these plants from an overstrained interpretation of the law. But, in the article ‘Dill,’ it ‘may be seen that dill was tithed, and it is one of the herbs mentioned along with mint. The meaning, therefore, seems to be, that the Pharisees, while, in conformity with the law, they paid these minute tithes, neglected the most important moral dutiestruth, justice, and mercy; for it is added, ‘these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.’
The species of mint most common in Syria is Mentha sylvestris, found by Russell at Aleppo, and mentioned by him as one of the herbs cultivated in the gardens there. It also occurs in Greece, Taurus, Caucasus, the Altai Range, and as far as Cashmere, whence we have obtained specimens. Mint is highly esteemed in Eastern countries, and apparently was so also by the Jews. It was much esteemed by the ancients, as Pliny testifies. Dioscorides also mentions it as useful to the stomach, and peculiarly grateful as a condiment. Mint was employed by the ancients in the preparation of many dishes.
It is difficult to determine the exact species or variety of mint employed by the ancients. There are numerous species very nearly allied to one another. They usually grow in moist situations, and are herbaceous, perennial, of powerful odor, especially when bruised, and have small reddish-colored flowers, arranged in spikes or whorls. The taste of these plants is bitter, warm, and pungent, but leaving a sensation of coolness on the tongue: in their properties they are so similar to each other, that either in medicine, or as a condiment, one species may safely be substituted for another.
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Mint
. One of the small herbs on which the Pharisees were careful to pay tithes. Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42. There are several species of mint; the Mentha Sylvestris is common in Syria.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Mint
Mat 23:23 Luk 11:42
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Mint
Mint. Mat 23:28; Luk 11:42. A well-known herb, much used in domestic economy. The Jews are said to have scattered it, on account of its pleasant smell, on the floors of their houses and synagogues. The species most common in Syria is the Mentha sylvestris, horse-mint.
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Mint
Mint. This name occurs only in Mat 23:23 and Luk 11:42, as one of those herbs, the tithe of which the Jews were most scrupulously exact in paying. The horse mint, Mentha sylvestris, and several other species of mint are common in Syria.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Mint
an adjective denoting sweet-smelling (hedus, “sweet,” osme, “a smell”), is used as a neuter noun signifying “mint,” Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42.
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words
Mint
Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42; a garden herb well known. The law did not oblige the Jews to give the tithe of this sort of herbs; it only required it of those things which could be comprehended under the name of income or revenue. But the Pharisees, desirous of distinguishing themselves by a more scrupulous and literal observance of the law than others, gave the tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, Mat 23:23. Christ reproved them because that, while they were so precise in these lesser matters, they neglected the more essential commandments of the law, and substituted observances, frivolous and insignificant, in the place of justice, mercy, and truth.