Let us begin the second half of 1st Timothy 2
with a reading from the Barclay Commentary.
"The second part of this passage deals with the
place of women in the church. It cannot be read out
of its historical context, for it springs entirely
from the situation in which it was written "It was
written against a Jewish background. No nation ever
gave a bigger place to women in the home and in
family matters than the Jews did; but officially the
position of a woman was very low.
"It was written against a Greek background. The
Greek background made things doubly difficult, as
the place of women in Greek religion was low.
Further, in Greek society there were women whose
whole life consisted in elaborate dressing and
braiding of the hair.
"In any event, there is much on the other side. In
the Genesis story, it was the woman who was created
second and who fell to the seduction of the serpent
tempter; but it was Mary of Nazareth who bore and
who trained the child Jesus; it was Mary of Magdala
who was first to see the risen Lord; it was four
woman who of all the disciples stood by the stake.
Priscilla with her husband Aquila was a valued
teacher in the early church, a teacher who led
Apollos to a knowledge of the truth (Acts 18:26).
Euodia [o'dia]
and Synthche [syn'ca thee],
in spite of their quarrel, were women who laboured
in the gospel (Philippians 4:2-3). Philip, the
evangelist, had four daughters who were prophetesses
(Acts 21:9). The older women were to teach [the
young women] (Titus 2:3-4). Paul held
Lois and Eunice in the highest honor (2 Timothy
1:5), and there are many women's names held in honor
in Romans 16.
"All the things in this chapter [1 Timothy 2] are
mere temporary regulations to meet a given
situation. If we want Paul's permanent view on this
matter, we get it in Galatians 3:28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for
ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
"And yet this passage ends with a real truth. Women,
is says, will be saved in childbearing. Paul means
that women will find salvation not in addressing
meetings but in motherhood, which is their crowing
glory." ~ Barclay's
Commentary
What we are talking about here in 1 Timothy 2 is how
things are to be done spiritually. I am not sure
that the early church fully grasped this till later
in their conversion [just
as we have] and from countless sermons
and Sabbaths that are assumed but not recorded. None
of this is about putting women officially or
unofficially in a low place. It is about a living
metaphor of male and female and what positions they
hold regarding the position of Christ and the
church. The male represents Christ and the woman the
church. The passage is about public worship or what
happens in the church building where the
congregation is gathered. The passage also speaks to
the overall conduct of the woman before God in her
Salvation Process.
Let us get into the commentaries.
In like manner also -
That is, with the same propriety; with the same
regard to what religion demands. The apostle had
stated particularly the duty of men in public
worship 1 Timothy 2:8, and he now proceeds to state
the duty of women. All the directions here evidently
refer to the proper manner
of conducting public worship, and not to private
duties; and the object here is to state
the way in which he would have the different sexes
appear. He had said that he would have prayers
offered for all people (1 Timothy 2:1 ff), and that
in offering such petitions he would have the men on
whom devolved the duty of conducting public
devotion, do it with holy hands, and without any
intermingling of passion, and with entire freedom
from the spirit of contention. In reference to the
duty of females in attendance on public worship, he
says that he would have them appear in apparel
suitable to the place and the occasion - adorned not
after the manner of the world, but with the zeal and
love in the cause of the Redeemer which became
Christians. He would not have a woman become a
public teacher 1 Timothy 2:12, but would wish her
ever to occupy the place in society for which she
was designed 1 Timothy 2:11, and to which she had
shown that she was adapted; 1 Timothy 2:13-14. The
direction in 1 Timothy 2:9-12, therefore, is to be
understood particularly of the proper deportment of
females in the duties of public worship. At the same
time, the principles laid down are doubtless such as
were intended to apply to them in the other
situations in life, for if modest apparel is
appropriate in the sanctuary, it is appropriate
everywhere. If what is here prohibited in dress is
wrong there, it would be difficult to show that it
is right elsewhere. ~Barnes
Notes [emphasis mine].
Quoted verses:
1 Timothy 2:8
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting
up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Timothy 2:1
I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men;
1 Timothy 2:12
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence.
1 Timothy 2:11
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1 Timothy 2:13-14
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being
deceived was in the transgression.
1 Timothy 2:9-12
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves
in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;
not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly
array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness)
with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all
subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
authority over the man, but to be in silence.
~Barnes Notes
In like manner also -
That is, he wills or commands what follows, as he
had commanded what went before.
~Adam Clarke
In like manner also -
Let the women pray likewise; though they are not to
lead in prayer, or be the mouth of the church, which
would be indecent, yet they are to join with the
church in public prayer; see Acts 1:14 and in like
manner as the men, with purity of heart and hand,
without murmuring and impatience towards God, and
without wrath and anger towards others, and in
faith, without doubting and distrust: and the
apostle proceeds to point out what sort of dress he
would have them appear in at the time of prayer, and
at any part of public worship; and thus the Ethiopic
version renders it, "so let the women be clothed in
prayer". ~John Gill
Quoted verse:
Acts 1:14
These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of
Jesus, and with his brethren.
That women adorn themselves
- The words “I will” are to be understood here as
repeated from 1 Timothy 2:8. The apostle by the use
of the word “adorn” (kosmein), shows that he is not
opposed to ornament or adorning, provided it be of
the right kind. The world, as God has made it, is
full of beauty, and he has shown in each flower that
he is not opposed to true ornament. There are
multitudes of things which, so far as we can see,
appear to be designed for mere ornament, or are made
merely because they are beautiful. Religion does not
forbid true adorning. It differs from the world only
on the question what “is” true ornament, or what it
becomes us, all things considered, to do in the
situation in which we are placed, the character
which we sustain, the duties which we have to
perform, and the profession which we make. It may be
that there are ornaments in heaven which would be
anything but appropriate for the condition of a
poor, lost, dying sinner on earth.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses
1 Timothy 2:8
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting
up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
In modest apparel - The
word here rendered “modest” (kosmios), properly
relates to ornament, or decoration, and means that
which is “well-ordered, decorous, becoming.” It does
not, properly, mean modest in the sense of being
opposed to that which is immodest, or which tends to
excite improper passions and desires, but that which
is becoming or appropriate. The apostle does not
positively specify what this would be, but he
mentions somethings which are to be excluded from
it, and which, in his view, are inconsistent with
the true adorning of Christian females - “broidered
hair, gold, pearls, costly array.” The sense here
is, that the apparel of females should be such as
becomes them, or is appropriate to them. The word
here used (kosmios), shows that there should be due
attention that it may be truly neat, fit, decorous.
There is no religion in a negligent mode of apparel,
or in inattention to personal appearance - anymore
than there is in wearing gold and pearls; and a
female may as truly violate the precepts of her
religion by neglecting her personal appearance as by
excessive attention to it. The true idea here is,
that her attention to her appearance should be such
that she will be offensive to no class of persons;
such as to show that her mind is supremely fixed on
higher and more important things, and such as to
interfere with no duty which she owes, and no good
which she can do, either by spending her time
needlessly in personal adorning, or by lavishing
that money for dress which might do good to others,
or by neglecting the proprieties of her station, and
making herself offensive to others.
~Barnes Notes
That women adorn themselves in
modest apparel - the word rendered "apparel"
signifies a long robe, which reaches down to the
feet; and the word translated "modest" signifies
that which is clean, neat, and decent, yea,
beautiful and ornamental; and the sense of the
apostle is, that he would not have them to come to
public worship in rags, and in dirty and filthy
garments, but that their bodies should be covered
with clean and decent raiment; so the Israelites
washed their clothes that they might be ready to
meet the Lord at Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:14.
Quoted verse:
Exodus 19:14
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people,
and sanctified the people; and they washed their
clothes. ~John Gill
With shamefacedness -
With modesty of appearance and manner - an eminent
female virtue, whether in the sanctuary or at home.
~Barnes Notes
And sobriety - The word
here used means, properly, “sanity;” then
sober-mindedness, moderation of the desires and
passions. It is opposed to all that is frivolous,
and to all undue excitement of the passions. The
idea is, that in their apparel and deportment they
should not entrench on the strictest decorum.
Doddridge. ~Barnes Notes
With shamefacedness and
sobriety - these are the two general rules by
which dress is to be regulated; it is right and
proper, when it is consistent with chastity, when it
is not immodest and impudent, and more like the
attire of an harlot than of a woman professing
godliness; and when it is moderate as well as
modest, and suitable to a person's age and station,
and is not beyond the circumstances of life in which
they are. There is no religion or irreligion in
dress, provided pride and luxury are guarded
against, and modesty and moderation preserved.
~John Gill
Not with broidered hair
- Margin, “plaited.” Females in the East pay much
more attention to the hair than is commonly done
with us. It is plaited with great care, and arranged
in various forms, according to the prevailing
fashion, and often ornamented with spangles or with
silver wire or tissue interwoven; see the notes on
Isaiah 3:24. The sense here is, that Christian
females are not to imitate those of the world in
their careful attention to the ornaments of the
head. It cannot be supposed that the mere braiding
of the hair is forbidden, but only that careful
attention to the manner of doing it, and to the
ornaments usually worn in it, which characterized
worldly females. ~Barnes
Notes
Quoted verse:
Isaiah 3:24
And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet
smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle
a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and
instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and
burning instead of beauty.
And now the commentary on Isaiah 3:24:
And
it shall come to pass - The
prophet proceeds to denounce the “judgment”
or “punishment” that would come upon them
for their pride and vanity. In the
calamities that would befall the nation, all
their ornaments of pride and vainglory would
be stripped off; and instead of them, they
would exhibit the marks, and wear the badges
of calamity and grief.
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Not with broidered hair
- or plaited. Or gold, or pearls, or costly array:
not that the apostle forbids all use or wear of such
things by proper persons, whose circumstances would
admit of it, and upon proper occasions, and at
proper times: certain it is, that earrings and
bracelets of gold, and jewels set in silver and
gold, and raiment, costly raiment, were sent by
Abraham, and given to Rebekah, and wore by her, who
was a woman professing godliness so the church in
Psalm 45:9 though in figurative expressions, yet in
allusion to what is literal, and honourable, and
commendable, is said to be in gold of Ophir, and her
clothing to be of wrought gold, and to be brought to
the king in raiment of needlework: but however
justifiable such a dress may be at other seasons,
the apostle judged it very improper at the time of
public prayer, or at the time of public worship;
seeing it might swell the heart of the wearer with
pride, so as to forget herself and the business she
was come about, and draw the eyes of others upon
her; and so cause a general inattention. It was a
complaint of Chrysostom's many hundreds of years
ago, that some who came to public worship, appeared
in such a dress, as if they came rather to dance
than to pray; such apparel should be avoided.
Quoted verse:
Psalm 45:9
Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women:
upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of
Ophir. ~John Gill
Or gold, or pearls - It
is not to be supposed that all use of gold or pearls
as articles of dress is here forbidden; but the idea
is, that the Christian female is not to seek these
as the adorning which she desires, or is not to
imitate the world in these personal decorations. It
may be a difficult question to settle how much
ornament is allowable, and when the true line is
passed. But though this cannot be settled by any
exact rules, since much must depend on age, and on
the relative rank in life, and the means which one
may possess, yet there is one general rule which is
applicable to all, and which might regulate all. It
is, that the true line is passed when more is
thought of this external adorning, than of the
ornament of the heart. Any external decoration which
occupies the mind more than the virtues of the
heart, and which engrosses the time and attention
more, we may be certain is wrong. The apparel should
be such as not to attract attention; such as becomes
our situation; such as will not be particularly
singular; such as shall leave the impression that
the heart is not fixed on it. It is a poor ambition
to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It
should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned
will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a
position where gold and pearls would be a mockery.
When the heart is right; when there is true and
supreme love for religion, it is usually not
difficult to regulate the subject of dress.
~Barnes Notes
Costly array -
Expensive dress. This is forbidden - for it is
foolish, and the money thus employed may be much
more profitably used in doing good. “Costly array”
includes that which can be ill afforded, and that
which is inconsistent with the feeling that the
principle ornament is that of the heart.
~Barnes Notes
Not with broided hair, or
gold, or pearls, or costly array - Thirdly,
he appoints women to learn in the public assemblies
with silence and modesty, being dressed pleasantly,
without any overindulgence or excess in their
clothing. ~Geneva Bible
Translation Notes
Let us close now in the Treasury of
Scriptural Knowledge:
That women adorn themselves in
modes apparel:
1 Peter 3:3-5
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning
of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel;
4 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.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy
women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves,
being in subjection unto their own husbands:
with shamefacedness
Proverbs 7:10
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire
of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
Isaiah 3:16
Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of
Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth
necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they
go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
Titus 2:3-5
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour
as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given
to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God
be not blasphemed.
Not with broided hair, or
gold, or pearls, or costly array.
Genesis 24:53
showing that the items
themselves are not wrong but rather the vanity and
attitude.
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and
jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to
Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her
mother precious things.
Exodus 35:22-23
22 And they came, both men and women, as many as
were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and
earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of
gold: and every man that offered offered an offering
of gold unto the LORD.
23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats'
hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins,
brought them.
Psalm 149:4
how God wants us arrayed
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will
beautify the meek with salvation.
Proverbs 31:22
...is it okay to have fine clothes, like silk? The
Virtuous Woman chapter
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her
clothing is silk and purple. |