[Greek] μέλαν (melan): black, black color, blackness, inky, dark; Mt.5:36, Rev.6:5,12, 2 Cor. 3:3, 2 Jn.12, 3 Jn. 13
The Nile River’s rich black colored delta (and river bed) provided fertile grounds for agriculture.
Background Information:
Ancient Greek: This term is commonly used in a descriptive and figurative sense. It is interesting to note that in the Illiad, Homer refers to the ocean as black, rather than dark blue (or green). Perhaps this could have been a literary device used to describe the darkness of the sea. Homer’s Illiad 2,834 states, “But the twain would in no wise hearken, for the fates of black death were leading them.” Since the beginning of antiquity, black has always been regarded as sinister, dreadful, sad, and unlucky. In the tragedies of the 5th century BC, the Greek term melancholao meant “I fill with black bile.” Essentially, this means “I am becoming mad (passionate).” The Greek physicians Galen and Hippocrates thought that melancholia (depression) was caused by an excess of black bile.
Old Testament: Interestingly, this term is related to two Hebrew terms: Shichor (Nile River) and shachor (black). The Israelite and Judean cultures essentially held the same view towards black. The Nile River, with a black river bed, was called called Melas in the Greek language. The Greeks referred to the Egyptians as Melanpodes (black-feet). These Egyptians would have black feet as they paddled about in the black Nile mud during the sowing season. The color black really had no part in cultic worship. Ordinary references to black include black eyes, dark hair, dark skin, sun-burnt skin, dark horses, dark sheep, dark goats, and ink. There are references to the art of dyeing the hair black. Whose revenue was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile (Isa.23:3). From the stream adjoinging Egypt (Josh.13:3). David assembled all Israel, from Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath (1Chr. 13:5). And now, why go to Egypt, to the drink the waters of the Nile? (Jer.2:18). Remove from it every dark animal among the sheep (Gen.30:32). Though the hair on it (sore) may not be black (Lev.13:31). His locks black as the raven (Song Sol. 5:11). Because the sun has burned me (Song Sol. 1:6). I wrote them down with ink in the book (Jer.43:18).
New Testament: This term, as with the Old Testament, is rarely found in the New Testament. There continues the Old Testament culture’s influence on the use of the color black. Black is used to indicate a black horse, youth, ink, and the darkening of the sun. Jesus claims one cannot swear by one’s head (if one dyes one’s hair). Only God can make one’s hair black or white. Black hardly ever occurs as an apocalyptic color. Generally, black is a color of mourning. The sack cloth typically is a garment for mourning. Reference is made to the dark color (blackness) of the sack cloth.
Scripture:
“Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.” Mt. 5:36
Black hair indicates youthfulness. White hair indicates old age. Only God can make this oath.
“Then I watched while he broke open the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; the sun turned as black as a dark sackcloth and whole moon became like blood.” Rev. 6:12
The sun darkened into the color of a sackcloth. Sackcloth, a garment for mourning, were often the color of black.
“You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all, shown to be a letter of Christ administered by us, written not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets that are hearts of flesh.” 2 Cor. 3:3
Paul is making a distinction of different letters (of recommendation). Letters written in ink were like the credentials of other preachers.
Conclusion:
Melancholy, melancholic, melatonin, melanoma
It was interesting to discover that in ancient Greek literature, specific colors were not emphasized. Instead, black represented dark gray, dark blue, and dark red. It is very evident that Homer and the Greek tragedians (playwrights) frequently evoked such great imagery and fanciful imagination involving the color black. Even the ancient Greek physicians, who lacked true understanding of the human physical condition, unwittingly contributed to this foreboding and somber sense of the color black. These physicians thought that melancholia (depression) was caused by an accumulation of black bile. One can only image the somber mood (setting) when they tell their patients they have a black mole or skin cancer! (The irony is that they would have been concerned for the wrong reasons. These doctors probably wouldn’t have been aware of skin cancer in the first place.)
But with all seriousness, melanoma (skin cancer) is no laughing matter. This needs to be checked! I know this already from personal experience.
I did not realize that the Greek referred to the Nile as Melas. This makes sense in that the Nile’s river bed (and delta) contain rich dark (black) sediment. This soil provided fertile grounds for agriculture.
In the New Testament, black is used in more nuanced ways, indicating youthfulness, obstruction (darkening), ink, and mourning. Reference is made to the sackcloth, a garment used in mourning. You know a sackcloth is black when it is compared to a darkened sun. Not surprisingly, black is the color for mourning. Lampblack is a carbon soot that results when a flame is obstructed, leaving a powdery black residue on a surface. Lampblack is used as a pigment for crayons, ceramics, shoe polish, inks, and paints.