Greek word · G709

ἀριστάω

aristaō

to eat early meal

To eat the ariston, the first substantial meal of the day. In early Greek (Homer) the ariston was eaten at dawn. By the Roman period the word often meant a late-morning or midday meal, as opposed to the deipnon, the main evening meal.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀριστάω, -ῶ

(ἄριστον), [in LXX: Genesis 43:25 (לֶחֶם אָכַל), 1 Samuel 14:24 (לֶחֶם), 1 Kings 13:7 (סָעַד), Tobit 2:1 * ;]

1. prop., to breakfast: John 21:12, 15

2. In late Gk., to take a meal, dine: Luke 11:37.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of John 21:12

Range of meaning

To eat the ariston, the first substantial meal of the day. In early Greek (Homer) the ariston was eaten at dawn. By the Roman period the word often meant a late-morning or midday meal, as opposed to the deipnon, the main evening meal. The exact hour varied, but it always meant the earlier meal, not the main dinner.

Against the English

Modern versions say "have breakfast." The KJV says "dine," which in 1611 meant eating the main meal of the day, usually at midday. Today "dine" suggests an evening dinner or a formal meal, which is the wrong picture.

How it drifted

English "dinner" moved from midday to evening between the 17th and 19th centuries, and "dine" went with it, picking up a formal, upscale tone.

Used elsewhere in the period

Homer, Odyssey 16.2: the ariston is prepared "at dawn." In the New Testament: Luke 11:37–38 (a Pharisee invites Jesus to aristaō; he is surprised Jesus did not wash "before the ariston"); Luke 14:12 ("an ariston or a deipnon"); Matt 22:4 (the king's ariston for the wedding feast). The same verb comes again in John 21:15 ("when they had breakfasted").

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 11:37 ἀριστήσῃ He would dine

    As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.

John · 2

  1. John 21:12 ἀριστήσατε. do have breakfast.

    “Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord.

    Here: A command, "have breakfast!" The scene is at daybreak (21:4) after a night of fishing, so the first meal of the day fits exactly. Jesus acts as host.

  2. John 21:15 ἠρίστησαν, they had dined,

    When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”

    Here: 'They had breakfasted.' It picks up Jesus' invitation in 21:12, 'Come, have breakfast'. This is the early meal of fish and bread cooked on the charcoal fire at dawn, not an evening dinner.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.