the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Lily
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
or occurs in Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27; in the former the Lord speaks of "the lilies of the field;" the "lily" referred to was a flower of rich color, probably including the gladiolus and iris species. The former "grow among the grain, often overtopping it and illuminating the broad fields with their various shades of pinkish purple to deep violet purple and blue. ... Anyone who has stood among the wheat fields of Galilee ... will see at once the appropriateness of our Savior's allusion. They all have a reedy stem, which, when dry, would make such fuel as is used in the ovens. The beautiful irises ... have gorgeous flowers, and would suit our Savior's comparison even better than the above. But they are plants of pasture grounds and swamps, and seldom found in grain fields. If, however, we understand by 'lilies of the field' simply wild lilies, these would also be included in the expression. Our Savior's comparison would then be like a 'composite photograph,' a reference to all the splendid colors and beautiful shapes of the numerous wild plants comprehended under the name 'lily'" (G. E. Post, in Hastings' Bib. Dic.).
These files are public domain.
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Lily'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ved/l/lily.html. 1940.
