### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word ἄνηθον (ánēthon) refers to "dill" (Anethum graveolens), an aromatic herb widely cultivated in the ancient Near East for its culinary and medicinal properties. While the King James Version translates it as "anise," botanical consensus and modern scholarship confirm "dill" as the more precise identification. The Strong's definition notes its probable foreign origin, suggesting its common usage may have predated its integration into the Greek lexicon, but this etymological detail does not alter its core semantic meaning within the biblical context. Its primary significance is as a common, small, and often overlooked plant.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term ἄνηθον appears only once in the New Testament, specifically in the Gospel of Matthew:
* [[Matthew 23:23]]: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."
In this passage, Jesus issues a scathing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees for their misplaced religious priorities. The meticulous tithing of common garden herbs like ἄνηθον (dill), ἡδύοσμον (mint - `{{G2236}}`), and κύμινον (cumin - `{{G2954}}`) serves as a vivid illustration of their scrupulous adherence to the minutiae of the Law, even down to the smallest agricultural products. This external precision is sharply contrasted with their neglect of the "weightier matters" (τὰ βαρύτερα - ta barytera) of the Law: justice (κρίσιν - krisin, `{{G2920}}`), mercy (ἔλεος - eleos, `{{G1656}}`), and faithfulness (πίστιν - pistin, `{{G4102}}`). The dill itself is not the object of Jesus's condemnation, but rather the religious hypocrisy (ὑποκριταί - hypokritai, `{{G5273}}`) that prioritizes trivial external observances over profound internal and ethical commitments.
### Related Words & Concepts
The immediate context of ἄνηθον links it to other small, tithed herbs such as ἡδύοσμον (mint - `{{G2236}}`) and κύμινον (cumin - `{{G2954}}`). More broadly, its usage connects to the concept of tithing (δεκατεύω - dekateuō, `{{G1181}}`) and the interpretation of the Mosaic Law (νόμος - nomos, `{{G3551}}`). The passage also highlights a critical distinction between the "letter" and the "spirit" of the Law, emphasizing the "weightier matters" – justice (`{{G2920}}`), mercy (`{{G1656}}`), and faithfulness (`{{G4102}}`) – as opposed to mere ritualistic precision. The overarching theme of hypocrisy (`{{G5273}}`) and legalism is central to understanding the significance of ἄνηθον in this unique biblical context.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἄνηθον is not inherent in the plant itself, but in its illustrative role within Jesus's teaching. It serves as a powerful symbol of misplaced religious zeal and spiritual blindness. By meticulously tithing even the smallest herbs, the Pharisees demonstrated an outward show of piety that masked an inner spiritual emptiness and a profound disregard for God's core ethical demands. This passage underscores a fundamental principle of biblical ethics: God prioritizes the internal disposition of the heart, manifest in acts of justice, mercy, and faithfulness, over mere external ritualistic observance. The "dill" becomes a poignant reminder that religious practice, when divorced from genuine love for God and neighbor, can devolve into a sterile legalism that misses the very essence of divine expectation. It is a timeless warning against prioritizing the trivial over the transformative, and the superficial over the substantial, in one's walk of faith.
### Summary
The Greek word ἄνηθον (ánēthon) accurately identifies "dill," a common aromatic herb. Its singular appearance in the New Testament, specifically in [[Matthew 23:23]], is profoundly significant not for the herb itself, but for its role as a stark illustration in Jesus's critique of the scribes and Pharisees. Their meticulous tithing of dill, alongside mint (`{{G2236}}`) and cumin (`{{G2954}}`), is contrasted with their egregious neglect of "the weightier matters of the law": justice (`{{G2920}}`), mercy (`{{G1656}}`), and faithfulness (`{{G4102}}`). The ἄνηθον thus symbolizes the trivial aspects of religious practice that can consume those who prioritize external observance over the true spirit of the Law (`{{G3551}}`). The passage serves as a powerful admonition against hypocrisy (`{{G5273}}`) and legalism, urging believers to cultivate a faith rooted in genuine ethical commitment and heartfelt devotion rather than superficial adherence to minor regulations.
TRV