Make-up

by Jason Young

The Scripture mostly used to support the teaching that one is not to wear make-up is:

2 Kings 9:30: And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

Proponents of this teaching will say that we really don't want to be a part of anything that has to do with Jezebel.

According to Thayer's & Smith's, 'tired' here is the Hebrew word 'yatab' which means, in short, 'to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad'. In other words, she combed her hair.

I can't say it enough. If because Jezebel put on make-up, then make-up is a sin, then combing you hair is, too. This is just one more example of the lack of Bible scholarship in the UPC. I was always taught that Jezebel was trying to seduce her enemy here. But a basic reading of the text reveals that Jezebel knew she was going to die and was simply mocking her soon to be captor by fixing herself up for her death. She wasn't putting on make-up to seduce anyone and neither does 85% of the women in the world!

Here is another good one:

Jer 4:30 "And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do ? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.'"

Three things are cast in a negative light here (supposedly): 1) Jewelry 2) Make-up 3) The color red. Now the UPC condemns two of these things and they use this scripture to back themselves up, but they, like with braiding, choose to ignore part of the scripture. So, tell me, is it now a sin to wear red too?

I read where someone stated that "looking at a pattern of things in the Word of God, we can safely say that a Godly woman should not wear make-up. If Paul wrote to not wear gold, pearls, or costly array, do you think that make-up would be pleasing to God?"

Oh, so women should not braid their hair, either. I noticed they left that part out. The UPC'ers always say that 'plaiting' meant weaving gold into your hair. That might have applied at times, but most often women simply braided their hair without anything in it and I've yet to find anywhere that says it means anything other than braiding in general.

An adherent of the no make-up rule might state that the main point in this is actually not the make-up, but the spirit or attitude that would make a woman want to wear make-up that's a sin.

If an 80 year old, happily married grandmother put on little lipstick, which of her motivations are comparable to Jezebel or prostitution? Are you actually suggesting that she is trying to incite lust? Give me a break! But you just about have it - it is the 'spirit or attitude' that makes something a sin, not the make-up itself! If a woman puts on make-up to attract men, she is in sin, but if she puts it on simply to look nice, like when she combs her hair, where is the sin?

Often a proponent of these standards teachings will bring up an extreme during a conversation, saying something to the effect that homosexuality will soon be socially accepted and that just because something becomes socially accepted, it is not a reason to do such things as wear make-up or for women to wear pants.

One big difference here. The Bible specifically condemns homosexuality, it does not condemn cut hair, pants or make-up on women.

Page Added April 13, 2002. You may read more of Jason's articles here.

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