Mustard
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:37 pm
The Mustard seed parable is interesting in the Book of Mark, but σίναπι exclusively appears in the New Testament and the definition of "Mustard" is not a certainty, since the traditional Greek word for Mustard seed is νᾶπυ. So the word must mean something to the Hebrew-Aramaic audience of the 1st century.
ענבים > σίναπι
This word relates to Sinop (Turkey) named for its dark-red pigments, for ענבים is οἴνοπος "wine-colored" thus the root is יין that also roots יונה/οἴνας (Ugarit = ינת) "a wild pigeon of the colour ענב/οἰνώψ", a compound, אף + יין "wine-dark or ruddy complextion".
The word Mustard itself came from mustum (Lt) 'fresh grape-juice, unfermented wine', perhaps שד, the poetic word for grape. cf μαστός.
Hosea 3:1 - love flagons of wine (אהבי אשישי ענבים)
אשישי = ἀσταφίς "dried raisins"
אשישי ענבים = ἀσταφίδος οἶνος "raisin-wine"
The parable and language of Mark 4:31 is based on Ezekiel 31:5.
Mark 4:32
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
Ezekiel 31:5-6
Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth, All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
לארז > ἀρκεύθω "Phoenician cedar, Juniperus phoenicea"
ברושים > κυπάρισσοι "cypress"
סרעפתי > πτόρθοι "young branch, shoot, sucker, sapling" (Ezekiel 31:5)
בסעפתי > πτόρθοισι "young branch, shoot, sucker, sapling" (Ezekiel 31:6)
פארתי > φᾶρος "a shroud"
ביפי > εὐφυΐαι "well grown, natural goodness of shape"
ענבים > σίναπι
This word relates to Sinop (Turkey) named for its dark-red pigments, for ענבים is οἴνοπος "wine-colored" thus the root is יין that also roots יונה/οἴνας (Ugarit = ינת) "a wild pigeon of the colour ענב/οἰνώψ", a compound, אף + יין "wine-dark or ruddy complextion".
The word Mustard itself came from mustum (Lt) 'fresh grape-juice, unfermented wine', perhaps שד, the poetic word for grape. cf μαστός.
Hosea 3:1 - love flagons of wine (אהבי אשישי ענבים)
אשישי = ἀσταφίς "dried raisins"
אשישי ענבים = ἀσταφίδος οἶνος "raisin-wine"
The parable and language of Mark 4:31 is based on Ezekiel 31:5.
Mark 4:32
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
Ezekiel 31:5-6
Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth, All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
לארז > ἀρκεύθω "Phoenician cedar, Juniperus phoenicea"
ברושים > κυπάρισσοι "cypress"
סרעפתי > πτόρθοι "young branch, shoot, sucker, sapling" (Ezekiel 31:5)
בסעפתי > πτόρθοισι "young branch, shoot, sucker, sapling" (Ezekiel 31:6)
פארתי > φᾶρος "a shroud"
ביפי > εὐφυΐαι "well grown, natural goodness of shape"