Portion

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

Portion ( μέρος).—The different shades of meaning which in the Gospels are assigned to the word μέρος have their counterpart in OT usage; it will therefore, be well to glance briefly at those words which express ‘portion,’ in its varying meanings, in the Hebrew.

נּוֹרָל is the ordinary and frequently used word for ‘lots,’ i.e. little stones, or the like, cast into a vessel, or the folds of a garment, for answering questions, deciding issues, etc.; it is used once in a different sense, that of ‘retribution,’ in  Isaiah 17:14. הֵלֶק means, as a rule, ‘portion’ in the sense of a constituent part of a whole; הָלְקָה is used in the same way, but with special reference to land. מֶנָה and מְנָח are generally used of portions of sacrifice. These meanings are, however, not invariably adhered to, cf. e.g.  Psalms 16:5 יְהֹוָהמְנְתחֶלֽקיוְכֹסִיאַתָּהתּוֹמִיהתּוֹמִיךְנּוֹרָלְי ‘The Lord is the portion of my lot and my cup: thou maintainest my lot’

In the Gospels μέρος* [Note: The RV translates, according to the context, by ‘portion,’ ‘piece,’ ‘part,’ ‘side.’] is used: (1) just like חֵלֶק, for a constituent part of a whole, e.g. ‘Give me the portion of thy substance that falleth to me’ ( Luke 15:12); it is used in the same sense in  Luke 24:42,  John 19:23. In this use of the word, μέρος can refer to things material, as in the last two references, as well as to something abstract, e.g.  Luke 11:36 ‘If therefore thy whole body be full of light, having no part (μέρος) dark …’ (2) It is used much in the same sense, but with a somewhat extended application, of districts of land; when this is the case, the plural form is invariably employed, viz. the ‘parts’ or districts (τὰ μέρη) belonging to Galilee ( Matthew 2:22), of Tyre and Sidon ( Matthew 15:21), of Caesarea ( Matthew 16:13), of Dalmanutha ( Mark 8:10). In this sense the word would correspond to the Hebrew חָלְקָה. Once more, the word occurs in a technical sense of the right-hand side of a ship (τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τοῦ πλοίου,  John 21:6). (3) μέρος is used in the sense of fate, destiny , or lot  ; as such it occurs only twice in the Gospels:  Matthew 24:51 ‘He shall appoint his portion with the hypocrites,’ and  Luke 12:46 ‘He shall appoint his portion with the unfaithful.’* [Note: It is interesting in this connexion to recall the fact that μέρος is connected radically with Μοῖρα, the goddess of Fate.] The nearest approach to this in OT usage would be in  Isaiah 17:14, where נּוֹרָל has a special and restricted meaning. There is a slight variation in the force of the word as used in  John 13:8 ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part (μἑρος) with me’; for, while in the two former passages the reference is to a final doom, in this the meaning is rather, ‘If I wash thee not, thou canst have nothing to do with me.’

In one single instance ‘portion’ or ‘part’ occurs in the unique sense of one of the ways in which God is served; but here the word is μερίς, not μὲρος ( Luke 10:42 ‘Mary hath chosen the good part’; the context seems to demand the sense of ‘the best part’).

W. O. E. Oesterley.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: Μέρος (Strong'S #3313 — Noun Neuter — meros — mer'-os )

"a part," is translated "portion" in  Matthew 24:51;  Luke 12:46;  15:12 . See Part.

A — 2: Κλῆρος (Strong'S #2819 — Noun Masculine — kleros — klay'-ros )

"a lot," is translated "portion" in  Acts 1:17 , RV. See Charge , Inheritance , Lot.

A — 3: Μερίς (Strong'S #3310 — Noun Feminine — meris — mer-ece' )

"a part," is translated "portion" in  2—Corinthians 6:15 , RV. See Part.

 Luke 12:42Food

B — 1: Συμμερίζω (Strong'S #4829 — Verb — summerizo — soom-mer-id'-zom-ahee )

"to have a part with" (akin to A, No. 3), is translated "have their portion with" in  1—Corinthians 9:13 . RV. See Partaker.

C — 1: Πολυμερῶς (Strong'S #4181 — Adverb — polumeros — pol-oo-mer'-oce )

signifies "in many parts" or "portions" (polus, "many," and A, No. 1),  Hebrews 1:1 , RV (AV, "at sundry times").

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( v. t.) To separate or divide into portions or shares; to parcel; to distribute.

(2): ( n.) A part considered by itself, though not actually cut off or separated from the whole.

(3): ( n.) That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a whole; a separated part of anything.

(4): ( v. t.) To endow with a portion or inheritance.

(5): ( n.) The part of an estate given to a child or heir, or descending to him by law, and distributed to him in the settlement of the estate; an inheritance.

(6): ( n.) A wife's fortune; a dowry.

(7): ( n.) A part assigned; allotment; share; fate.

King James Dictionary

PORTION, n. L. portio, from partio, to divide, from pars, part. See Part.

1. In general, a part of any thing separated from it. Hence, 2. A part, though not actually divided, but considered by itself.

These are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him.  Job 26

3. A part assigned an allotment a dividend.

How small

A portion to your share would fall.

The priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh.  Genesis 47

4. The part of an estate given to a child or heir, or descending to him by law, and distributed to him in the settlement of the estate. 5. A wife's fortune.

PORTION, To divide to parcel to allot a share or shares.

And portion to his tribes the wide domain.

1. To endow.

Him portion'd maids, apprentic'd orphans blest.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 20:29 Job 27:13 Ecclesiastes 9:9 Deuteronomy 32:9 Jeremiah 21:10 Numbers 18:20 Joshua 22:25 22:27 Nehemiah 2:20 Psalm 16:5 Psalm 73:26 Psalm 119:57

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( חְלֶק , Ch É Lek). In addition to the sense of dividing or allotting, this word is used in reference to a custom still prevalent among princes and rich people in the East, not only to invite their friends to feasts, but to send a portion of the banquet to those that cannot well come to it, especially their relations and those in a state of mourning. This sending of portions to those for whom nothing was prepared is alluded to in  Nehemiah 8:10, where it is said, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Thee historian is here describing a national festival where every one was supposed to be equally concerned; those then for whom nothing was prepared, it would seem, means those that were in a state of mourning; mourning for private calamities being here supposed to take the place of rejoicing for public concerns. But it is not only to those that are in a state of mourning that provisions are sometimes sent; others are honored by princes in the same manner who could not conveniently attend the royal table, or to whom it was supposed not to be convenient. M. D'Arvieux mentions that in Syria, when the grand emir of the Druses, with whom he resided, found it incommoded him to eat with him, he politely desired him to take his own time for eating, sending him what he liked from his kitchen, and at the time he chose. Thus David it may be presumed did to Uriah, for it is recorded "there followed him a mess of meat from the king" ( 2 Samuel 11:8;  2 Samuel 11:10). We likewise read in the book of Esther ( Esther 9:19): "Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions to one another." (See Inheritance).