Rue
“Rue”
Summary
Rue was a common garden herb in Palestine that Jesus mentioned alongside mint as being tithed by the Pharisees while they neglected weightier matters of the law.
☩Description and Uses
Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a small shrub growing about two feet high with a bushy stem and doubly pinnated leaves of deep dark green. The plant has a peculiar and powerful odor that, though disagreeable to Westerners, was favored by Orientals, who kept pots of it in their drawing rooms for the fragrance. The whole plant has a strong, unpleasant smell and is bitter and pungent to the taste. Despite this coarseness, it was popular with the ancients both as a condiment and a medicine, being used to stimulate appetite and aid digestion.
☩Use in Scripture
Rue is mentioned only in Luke 11:42, where Jesus rebukes the Pharisees: "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God." The parallel passage in Matthew 23:23 mentions dill (anise) instead of rue. The Talmud listed rue among kitchen herbs but considered it exempt from tithes as a plant not typically cultivated in gardens. Jesus's point was not to condemn careful tithing but to expose the hypocrisy of meticulous attention to minor religious details while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
Related Verses1 mention
Luke· 1 verse
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Rue," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Rue," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Rue," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 4.George Morrish, "Rue," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).