μελίσσιος (melissios)
melissios
honeycomb
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective melissios describes something that belongs to or is made by bees. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 24:42, where the resurrected Jesus eats a piece of honeycomb before his disciples. This rare usage anchors the word in a specific historical moment, confirming the physical reality of Christ’s risen body.
The term derives from melissa, meaning "bee," and functions as a simple descriptor rather than a theological symbol. While translators often render this single occurrence as "honey," the Greek specifies the comb itself, highlighting the raw, unprocessed nature of the food. This detail emphasizes that Jesus consumed ordinary sustenance, not some ethereal or spiritualized substance.
Its scarcity in Scripture makes it a linguistic curiosity rather than a doctrinal cornerstone. The word serves to ground the resurrection narrative in tangible reality, showing that the glorified Lord partook of created things. It reminds readers that the Christian hope involves physical restoration, not just spiritual abstraction.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word melissios appears only once in the New Testament, describing the honeycomb Jesus ate after rising from the dead. This single detail grounds the resurrection in physical reality. It shows that Christ’s glorified body was not a ghost or a vision, but tangible and real. He shared ordinary food with His disciples, affirming the goodness of creation.
For your faith, this reminds us that God cares about our daily lives. The risen Lord did not abandon humanity for some abstract spirit. Instead, He engaged with the world we know. This offers comfort: your physical needs and joys are part of God’s story. Hope is not just spiritual; it includes the whole person.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- honeycomb1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- μελισσίου1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 24:42
They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
This verse uses melissios to specify that Jesus ate a piece of honeycomb, confirming the physical reality of His resurrected body.