What does lilies of the field mean in the bible?

The phrase the lilies of the field is part of Jesus Christ's sermon on the mount as recorded at Matthew 6:26-34 (compare Luke 12:27-31.)

At this point in his sermon he was encouraging his listeners to put the kingdom of God first in their lives, and not to worry too much about other daily/mundane necessities, such food and, in this particular instance, clothing.

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" ~King James Version.

Some have suggested that Jesus may have been referring to a particular type of wild flower when he said the lilies of the field. Alternatively, as the context indicates, perhaps he was just referring to vegetation in general. Either way, he was illustrating his good counsel with an example drawn from nature, using something that all people, from their own knowledge and experience, can understood and appreciate.

Jesus therefore used the poetic phrase the lilies of the field as part of his well-known sermon on the mount, the overall objective of which was to teach his followers to have a more spiritual attitude and outlook, and, in this particular context cited, to remind them that God knows and will always satisfy the needs of the Godly.

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