[Greek] σάκκος (sakkos), [Latin] saccus; sackcloth, mohair garment, coarse cloth, garment of goat or camel’s hair, sack, penitent garment, mourning garment; Mt.11:21, Lk.10:13, Rev.6:12, Rev.11:3
John the Baptist, as a prophet, wears a camel’s hair sackcloth
Background Information:
Origin and meaning: This term comes from Babylon by way of Palestine into the Greek and Latin world. The original meaning is not “sack” in the current sense but hair-cloth. This is a coarse fabric, from goats’ hair or camels’ hair. This material is used for tent-making, sails, carpets, clothes, aprons, hair bands, and hair nets. This hair-cloth seems to be an ancient institution in the Semitic world. This hair-cloth begins as an ancient form of human clothing. Upon discovering their nakedness, Adam and Eve made loincloths for themselves (Gen.3:7).
Mourning garment: Over time, this term becomes a larger garment for mourning, penitential rites, and for prophets. The garment is usually fastened around the waist, leaving the upper part of the body uncovered. In their customs of mourning, penitents would beat their chests (Isa.32:11). The goats’ hair was mostly dark or black. Black was the ancient color of mourning among many peoples. The custom of wearing sackcloths was established for personal and national mourning. Reuben, thinking that his son Joseph was dead, mourned his son by wearing a sackcloth on his loins (Gen.37:4). David hears of the death of Abner, Saul’s cousin and commander-in-chief of the army. David mourns Abner’s death by putting on a sackcloth (2 Sam.3:34).
Penitential garment: In earlier times, this penitential garb was worn before gods and men. Babylon was probably the origin of its penitential use. This practice quickly spread to Israel. The penitent garment was worn to attain self-humiliation before God, to win favor, to win reconciliation, to ward off impending disaster, to wear in times of national emergency, danger, imminent eschatological destruction, and to plea for help. In her self-humiliation before God, a woman cuts her hair (Sir. 25:17). In his self-humiliation before God, King Hezekiah, tears his garments and wraps himself in sackcloth (2 Kgs.19:1). With compassion for his friends, he fasts and puts on sackcloth (Psa.35:13). Israel is instructed to mourn in sackcloth and ashes for those who die from the avenging angel (Jer.6:26). This remained an established custom in Judaism.
Prophetic garments: The garment of skin (hair) becomes representative of the prophetic figure. This depiction is based generally on Moses and Elijah. Elijah wears a hairy garment with a leather girdle about his loins (2Kgs.1:8). An archaic style of clothing is probably adopted to identify with the prophet. The prophet’s task involves preaching and warnings of punishment/judgement. John the Baptist later also wears the garment of camel’s hair in the New Testament.
New Testament: This term occurs as a penitential garment, prophetic garment, and a color reference. In the book of Revelations, the eschatological darkening of the sun is seen as black as a sackcloth. This also makes reference to darkening of the Sun upon the death of Jesus (Mk.13:24). In Matthew’s gospel, conversion and repentance are seen with a sackcloth and ashes on the head. In Luke’s gospel, repentance comes with sitting on a penitential mat. In Mark’s gospel, John is seen clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist.
Scripture:
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago repented in sackcloth and ashes.” Mt. 11:21
Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities denounced for their wickedness in the Old Testament. Wearing a sackcloth and ashes (on the head) was the proper way to seek repentance.
“Then I watched while he broke open the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; the sun turned as black as dark sackcloth and the whole moon became like blood.” Rev.6:12
Sackcloth was made from the skin of a black coat. Black becomes the color of mourning.
Conclusion
Sack
It was interesting to discover that this term never intended to be a sack for carrying things. It was just intended to be a garment. Loin clothes were the precursors of sackcloths. I guess it would make sense in that loin cloths would be made of the same type of goat or camel skin, hence Adam and Eve.
Many of us already know that black is the color of mourning and sorrow. People often wear black at somber occasions like a funeral. I guess it would make sense that such a sackcloth would be used in such situations. However, I didn’t know that sackcloths were made from black goat skins. Perhaps, this is not a coincidence. When one undergoes fasting, penitence, or some type of physical discipline, it may become difficult to bear. Wearing a sackcloth may also be uncomfortable. Perhaps, this is not also a coincidence.
I did not realize that the prophet Elijah also wore a sackcloth. So John the Baptist was just following his example, wearing camel’s hair. Like Elijah, John the Baptist becomes the voice in the wilderness, preparing the way for Jesus.