“The lilies of the field… Solomon in all his glory”
Matthew 6:28–29
Figure of speechSettledJesus
Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. (Matthew 6:28–29 BSB)
What it sounds like today
A pretty flower image.
The cultural key
The 'lilies' are the wildflowers, likely crimson and purple anemones, that blaze across Galilean hillsides for a few spring weeks, then dry into fuel for the bread oven ('alive today, thrown into the oven tomorrow,' v. 30). Solomon was the proverbial ceiling of royal splendor. Toiling and spinning were the endless daily labor of men and women respectively.
Recovered meaning
God dresses week-long throwaway flowers better than Israel's richest king dressed himself. The argument runs from lesser to greater: if that's the wardrobe budget for oven fuel, stop panicking about yours.
Parallels: Luke 12:27