Greek word · G712

ἄριστον

ariston

early meal

In classical Greek it was first the early morning meal, a breakfast. In Hellenistic and New Testament times it was the late-morning or midday meal, as opposed to the deipnon, the main evening meal (BDAG; LSJ). In Luke 11:38 and 14:12 Luke separates ariston from deipnon.

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

What it means

ἄριστον, -ου, τό

[in LXX: 1 Kings 3:1 (לֶחֶם), Tobit 2:1, 4, al. ;]

1 1, prop., breakfast.

2. In late Gk. = cl. δεῖτνον, dinner: Matthew 22:4, Luke 11:38 14:12.†

(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 Matthew 22:4

Range of meaning

In classical Greek it was first the early morning meal, a breakfast. In Hellenistic and New Testament times it was the late-morning or midday meal, as opposed to the deipnon, the main evening meal (BDAG; LSJ). In Luke 11:38 and 14:12 Luke separates ariston from deipnon.

Against the English

BSB, KJV, WEB and YLT say 'dinner'. NLT says 'feast'. In 1611 'dinner' meant the main meal eaten at midday, so the KJV was accurate for its time. Today 'dinner' suggests an evening meal.

How it drifted

The everyday meaning of 'dinner' moved later in the day over the 18th-19th centuries. Older Bibles kept the word while its meaning shifted.

Used elsewhere in the period

Josephus uses ariston for the midday meal (e.g. Life 279). The Vulgate translates it prandium, the Roman late-morning or midday meal, which fits. Luke's parallel parable (14:16) uses deipnon, the evening 'great dinner'.

From the study of Luke 14:12

Range of meaning

Ariston is the first substantial meal, eaten late morning to midday (cf. Luke 11:37–38, where Jesus eats an ariston at a Pharisee's house). Deipnon is the main meal, in the afternoon or evening, and was the normal occasion for formal banquets with reclining guests.

Against the English

BSB/ESV 'dinner or banquet' and NIV/NASB 'luncheon or dinner' both convey 'any meal you host'. KJV/WEB 'dinner or supper' was accurate in 1611, when 'dinner' was the midday meal. Today's readers hear 'dinner' as the evening meal.

How it drifted

In English, 'dinner' gradually moved from midday to evening.

Used elsewhere in the period

Standard usage in classical and Koine Greek (BDAG). Deipnon is used for the great banquet in vv.16–24 and for the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:20).

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 22:4 ἄριστόν dinner

    Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

    Here: The first main meal of the day, eaten late morning or around noon. Here it is likely the opening banquet that starts the wedding celebrations, not an evening dinner.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 11:38 ἀρίστου.¶ dinner.

    But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

  2. Luke 14:12 ἄριστον a dinner

    Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid.

    Here: The first proper meal of the day, eaten from late morning to midday. This was very likely the kind of meal Jesus was attending (14:1, after synagogue on the Sabbath).

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