ῥάκος (rhakos)
rhakos
a cloth
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun rhakos refers to a scrap or rag of cloth, specifically a torn-off remnant rather than a functional garment. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both in the Synoptic Gospels where Jesus uses it to illustrate the incompatibility of old and new. The word conveys something discarded, worn out, or insufficient for proper use.
This term highlights the futility of trying to patch an old garment with a new piece of cloth. As recorded in Matthew 9:16 and Mark 2:21, Jesus explains that such a repair would only make the tear worse, as the new fabric shrinks and pulls away from the old. The imagery underscores that the new reality he brings cannot be merely patched onto the old religious structures; it requires entirely fresh material.
The etymology suggests a connection to something torn or frayed, emphasizing its valuelessness as a whole. By choosing this specific word for "rag," the Gospel writers stress the inadequacy of the old covenant’s methods when faced with the newness of the kingdom. The contrast is not just between different types of cloth, but between repair and replacement.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word rhakos describes a scrap of cloth, something torn off and discarded rather than a whole garment. When Jesus used this image, He was pointing out a simple truth: you cannot patch new fabric onto old clothes. The new material shrinks when washed, pulling at the old seams until the tear becomes much worse. This was not just about tailoring; it was a lesson about how God’s new work in the world does not fit into old religious boxes.
For your faith, this offers a gentle invitation to let go of trying to force fresh grace onto outdated habits or rigid structures. Instead of patching up what is worn out, you are invited to receive the new life Jesus offers fully. It is a call to embrace renewal rather than repair, trusting that God’s kingdom brings something entirely fresh and sufficient for your heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of cloth2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ῥάκους2×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 9:16
No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made.
This verse highlights the practical failure of patching, showing how the new cloth pulls away from the old garment to create a worse hole.
-
Mark 2:21
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.
Here the focus is on the shrinking nature of the unshrunk cloth, illustrating why the new reality cannot be merely attached to old forms.