1 Peter 3:3-4

by Lois E. Gibson

Yesterday, a poster brought up 1 Peter 3:3-4. This has long been used by those who claim the Bible mandates the standards their church group teaches. Let's look a little further at the passage.

Since many of these churches stress the KJV, here is how it reads there:

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

This is taken to mean that Peter is teaching against braided hair or jewelry. It is never shared as then also meaning we are not to clothe ourselves, since he mentions putting on apparel, and rightly so. Keep in mind that if braiding hair and wearing jewelry is wrong, it will be plainly stated as such in the Bible. However, let's set aside that thought and look into this more.

One of the things we learn to do in some churches, is to pull Bible passages out of context, as is the case here. These are thrown out during sermons and private Bible studies but they never delve into their proper context, where it might be noticed that they do not really support what is being taught.

What is the subject in this passage? What was Peter trying to convey to his readers? Backing up further into the book of 1 Peter, we find him teaching in part on submission and our behavior. He shares that our behavior among non-believers should be an honorable lifestyle. That we should submit ourselves to human authority and do what is right. Servants were to submit to their masters. Peter then shares how Christ suffered for us and serves as an example to us in how we should handle adverse situations.

Then we are brought to 1 Peter 3:1-2. He starts off with returning to the theme of submission found earlier in the epistle.

"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."

So the subject matter is not about dress, jewelry, hair or make-up. It is speaking of marriages and of how a non-believing spouse might be brought to God by how the wife conducts herself. Then Peter proceeds to show that the wife is not just adorned by what is on the outside, such as hair, jewelry or dress, but what is the most important is that her adorning needs to be on the inside- in her heart and character. Peter continues showing how this also pertains to the husbands. He then gives a summary of what he has been previously sharing.

Please take the time to read the entire book of 1 Peter. It isn't lengthy and doesn't take long to read. Get a feel for the overall theme of the letter. Pay attention to the passages before and after 3:3-4. In doing so, you will see that Peter is not teaching against braided hair, jewelry, gold or dress. His point was that while those things outwardly adorn a person, they are not what matters most and she was not to have her beauty rest in the outward things. If the outward is what the wife was all about, then she has totally missed it. She was to take care of the inner person, her heart, in what doesn't fade away, having her beauty wrapped up in a gentle and tranquil spirit.

By doing so, he is not saying a woman is to neglect the outside or that she is not to do the things he mentioned (remember, he certainly isn't telling her to not put on clothing!). Rather he is emphasizing that the inside is the most important part of her beauty, and by such she might convert her non-believing husband.

Does viewing those two verses in context shed a whole new light onto what Peter was expressing? Let's read it in the NASB:

"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external-braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear."

Remember that Sarah was a beautiful woman on the outside. Abraham would sometimes say in their travels that she was his sister, fearing that men would attempt to kill him in order to take Sarah for themselves (see Genesis 12). Remember that when Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac, that the servant took jewelry with him for her, specifically a nose ring and bracelets for her wrists (see Genesis 24). So Sarah did adorn herself on the outside and was a beautiful woman. Yet she also took care of the inside, which is what made her who she was.

Think about it.....

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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You may write Lois at the email address displayed in the image. No correspondence that seeks to debate will be answered as I have no desire to debate. Understand that due to the volume of mail, not every email may be acknowledged.

Posted July 29, 2012

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