Bible Dictionary
Mint
Mint was a fragrant herb cultivated in Palestine. The Pharisees carefully tithed it, but Jesus rebuked them for emphasizing such minor matters while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
Definition
Mint is a fragrant herb of the labiate family, cultivated and also found growing wild in Syria and Palestine. It was used as a condiment and medicine.
Biblical Usage
The Pharisees carefully tithed mint, but Jesus rebuked them for attending to this small matter while neglecting weightier matters. The tithe itself was understood as consistent with the Mosaic law.
Historical Background
The cultivated and wild varieties included garden mint, peppermint, and horsemint. Wild mint flourished in the mountains of Palestine.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Gr. heduosmon, i.e., “having a sweet smell”), one of the garden herbs of which the Pharisees 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 Pharisees lay in their being more careful about this little matter of the mint than about weightier matters.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
This name occurs only in (Matthew 23:23) and Luke 11:42 As one of those herbs the tithe of which the Jews were most scrupulously exact in paying. The horse mint, M. Sylvestris, and several other species of mint are common in Syria.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>mint (heduosmon): Mentioned (Mt 23:23; Lu 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.</p>