Sop (Hastings' Dictionary)
A sop (Anglo-Sax. [s"/'/""], from .iiipan, to sup) is a morsel of food soaUed in liquid. Cf. Chaucer, Marc/umtes Tale, 599 — ' Anc then he taketh a sop in fj-n clarrce.' The word was used by Tindale to translate ypufilov {from vf-uM-ifu, to feed) in Jn l ,■?-'"''»■"■ -", the only occurrences of the Gr. word. (Wydif had already used it in 13'^- ", givin<; ' bread ' and ' morsel ' in the other places. The Vulg.
has burcella in 13"- '", but simply panis in ssfcij^ anj tije Kheinis follows with ' bread ' in » "", and ' morsel ' in '"■ «'). The mod. meaning, ' something given to keep quiet,' is also found in early writers, as Howard, Committee, iv. 1, 'Why, you unconscionable Kascal, are }'ou angry that I am unlucky, or do you want some fees ? I'll perish in a Dungeon before I'll consume with throwing Sops to such Curs.' J. Hastings.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Sop
Sop sop (psomion): A thin, wafer-like piece of bread dipped into the common dish as a sort of improvised spoon, is thus designated in Joh 13:26 ff. ⇒See the definition of sop in the KJV Dictionary See MORSEL. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Sop
In eastern lands where our table utensils are unknown, the meat, with the broth, is brought upon the table in a large dish, and is eaten usually by means of pieces of bread clipped into the common dish. The bread so dipped is called. “It was such a piece of bread a sop dipped in broth that Jesus gave to Judas, (John 13:26) and again, in Matt 26:23 It is said “he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish,” i.e. to make a sop by dipping a piece of bread into the central dish.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia