Today’s reading is 1 Peter 3.
As Peter continues his explanation of living honorably among the Gentiles (see 1 Peter 2:11-12), he turns to the marriage relationship. Christian wives are to be subject to their husbands even if their husband doesn’t obey God’s Word. Again, Christians aren’t trying to turn the social order upside down. This wife is not to rebel or try to dominate and control. She is to submit (obviously with the exception of when her husband expects her to disobey God). In so doing, her actions will go farther than her words in winning her husband, prompting him to glorify God on the day of visitation.
Peter goes a step farther in describing this sister’s respectful and pure conduct. Her respect and purity need to be seen in her adornment, her clothing and personal presentation. But the way he says it is a bit odd at first glance. He says her adornment should not be external, but internal. What is that about?
No doubt, Peter expects the women to whom he is writing to wear clothes. He does not expect them to walk around naked while they work on their inner person. In like manner, his comments about braiding hair and wearing jewelry are not to be taken as entirely prohibitive. Peter is not saying women are not allowed to wear any jewelry or fix their hair. He is using a figure of speech called “ellipsis” which produces a form of hyperbole or exaggeration to drive home his main point. Think of the elliptic figure of speech as similar to the punctuation called “ellipsis.” In punctuation, the “ellipsis” is the three periods in a row demonstrating some part of a quotation is left out. As a figure of speech, an ellipsis is when understood words are left out in order to create an attention-grabbing exaggeration. For instance, when Jesus says in Matthew 10:34, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (ESV), we are shocked. After all, Jesus did come to bring peace (see John 14:27). This statement leaves out understood words in order to develop an exaggeration and contrast which highlights emphasis. We should see this statement as saying, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace *only* to the earth. I have not come to bring peace *only*, but *also* a sword.”
In like manner, Peter is saying to sisters in Christ, “Do not let your adorning be *merely* external–the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear–but let your adorning be *primarily* the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” Peter is making a point about emphasis. Be more concerned about the hidden person in the heart than you are about the clothes you wear. A Christian woman (and man, for that matter) should spend more time developing internal decorum than external decoration.
The Christian, whether male or female, should be known and remembered more for godly behavior and a Christlike attitude and outlook than for clothing, jewelry, or hair styles. This does not mean we must purposefully look frumpy or ratty in our personal appearance. It does mean, however, the attention we give to our dress, jewelry, and hair should support presenting ourselves as more concerned about serving God and others than about attracting attention to ourselves, whether for our wealth, sexuality, attractiveness, conformity, or non-conformity to the world. When Paul made a similar point in 1 Timothy 2:9-11, he declared the proper attire for women who profess godliness is good works, not the clothes themselves. But, of course, if our clothes, for whatever reason, detract or distract from shining the light of God’s good works we are dressed improperly.
Let us all, men and women alike, be more concerned about displaying a godly spirit than an attractive body.
Tomorrow’s reading is 1 Peter 3.
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PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does 1 Peter 3 prompt or improve your praise of God?
Read the Bible 