John’s simple clothes—a garment of hair and a leather belt (Matthew 3:4)—matched his plain speech, not flattering Herod, like a finely dressed courtier, but rebuking him, and so being imprisoned (Mark 6:17–18). In spite of John’s doubts (Matthew 11:2–3), Jesus stresses that he was not a weak man.
John wore a garment of hair and a leather belt (Matthew 3:4). He lived simply and rebuked Herod, for which he was now paying with imprisonment. There was nothing about him that would remind one of a royal courtier, who goes about finely dressed and would never dare speak up against the prince or king. Courtiers at that time were often fickle and flatterers.1
John was by no means a meek, compliant type, for he had spoken out forcefully against the immorality at Herod’s court (Mark 6:18). Jesus therefore here highlights that there was at this point by no means any question of weakness on his part (as the crowds might easily have thought in light of John’s questions recorded in Matthew 11:2–3).2
8 Mais, qu'êtes-vous allés voir? un homme vêtu d'habits précieux? Voici, ceux qui portent des habits précieux sont dans les maisons des rois.