Mint
Mint in Jesus's Teaching
Mint appears in two parallel passages in the Gospels where Jesus confronts the Pharisees about their misplaced priorities. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus says: "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." Luke 11:42 presents a similar statement, replacing cumin with rue. In both cases, mint serves as the leading example of a minor herb that the Pharisees tithed with extreme precision.
The Practice of Tithing Herbs
The Mosaic Law required Israelites to tithe their agricultural produce (Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22-23). The question of whether this requirement extended to small garden herbs was debated among Jewish teachers. The Pharisees took the strictest possible interpretation, tithing even tiny amounts of herbs grown in home gardens. The Mishnah (Maaserot 4:5) later codified this practice, confirming that herbs like mint were considered subject to the tithe.
Jesus did not condemn the practice of tithing herbs. He explicitly stated, "These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others" (Matthew 23:23). His critique was directed not at the tithing itself but at the failure to give equal or greater attention to the moral demands of the Law.
The Plant Itself
The Greek word translated as mint is heduosmon, literally meaning "sweet-smelling." Both cultivated peppermint (Mentha piperita) and wild horsemint (Mentha sylvestris) grow abundantly in the land of Israel. The plant was used for seasoning food, as a medicinal herb, and for its pleasant fragrance. It grew easily in household gardens, making it one of the most accessible herbs available to ordinary families. Its modest value made it an especially pointed example: the Pharisees were meticulously counting out a tenth of their garden mint while overlooking matters of far greater consequence.
The Weightier Matters
Jesus's contrast between tithing mint and practicing justice, mercy, and faithfulness echoes the prophetic tradition. Micah 6:8 declares, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Hosea 6:6 states, "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice." Jesus stood in this prophetic tradition, insisting that external religious observance must flow from and be accompanied by genuine moral character.
A Timeless Warning
The image of tithing mint has become one of the most memorable illustrations in the Gospels. It warns against a form of religiosity that focuses on measurable, controllable external behaviors while ignoring the transformative internal demands of faith. The Pharisees could quantify their mint tithe precisely, but justice, mercy, and faithfulness resist such easy measurement. Jesus called for a faith that takes both seriously — the small acts of obedience and the great demands of love.
Biblical Context
Mint is mentioned in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 in Jesus's criticism of Pharisaic priorities. These passages belong to a series of woes directed at the religious leaders. The tithe of herbs relates to Leviticus 27:30 and Deuteronomy 14:22-23, while Jesus's emphasis on justice and mercy echoes Micah 6:8 and Hosea 6:6.
Theological Significance
Mint in Jesus's teaching illustrates the danger of reducing faith to external compliance while neglecting its moral heart. Jesus affirmed the importance of obedience in small matters but insisted that it must not come at the expense of justice, mercy, and faithfulness. This teaching challenges every generation to examine whether religious practice reflects genuine love for God and neighbor.
Historical Background
Mint was widely cultivated throughout the Mediterranean world in antiquity. Both peppermint and horsemint grow abundantly in Palestine, particularly in the hill country. The Mishnah's later codification of tithing practices for herbs confirms that the practice Jesus described was well established in first-century Judaism. Archaeological evidence of herb gardens in ancient Israelite homes supports the everyday nature of mint cultivation.