Study of First
Peter Lesson 44
Chapter 3
3:3-4 Your face and overt charm
won't win Him to the Lord but the adornment of the real you will!
Peter
knew that it was not the external adornment that was the most important but
what was internal, what is going on in the soul, the influence of the Word in
her being lived out. That's his focus
here.
As
Christian wives who seek to impact their unbelieving pagan husbands they need
to use the right kind of adornment. Which is Peter's point!
Peter's
concern is to impress upon them that their outward attractiveness should not
serve as the basis for an evaluation of their true character.
If
your pattern ladies is to rely on the overt external to gain your way, or some
advantage, What
are you going to do when the overt, external fades with age? And it will!
Point
of Truth
It's
the inner beauty radiating from the life enveloped with the Word and living it
out that lasts!
Next
follows three clauses that elaborate the kind of adorning Peter had in view
that was common of the day.
braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry or putting on dresses;
3:3 Do not let your
adornment be external only braiding
the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, and putting on fine clothes. (NIV has it right here)
Summary Observations
1. Peter's point is that for Christian women to rely on
this kind of external adornment would suggest preoccupation with the
superficial over against the inner beauty of the soul that is plus doctrine
that he emphasizes in vs:4.
2. It goes without saying that Peter in this passage is
not encouraging slovenliness or an indifference toward
female attire.
3. Point I believe we need to understand is that anyone
with an understanding of the Word of God there will be an impact on their
grooming, especially the women.
4. This passage does not constitute an absolute
prohibition of braids or the use of any items of jewelry any more than it
forbids the actual putting on of clothes.
5. It is a warning against extravagance and self-centered
display. It is possible to be guilty of the evil Peter rebuked by wearing too
little as well as wearing too much.
6. Paul also deals with women's attire in 1 Tim 2:9-10.
Quick Rabbit trail -
1 Tim 2:9-10
vs:9 Likewise, (in
the same manner, that is as the men just mentioned in vs:8 who are to lift up
holy hands, a Hebraism for prayer)
- holy o[sioj undefiled, what's
in view is that they are to be morally and spiritually clean as they approach
the throne of grace in prayer;
- What Paul is saying here in vs:9 as he addresses the women "I want" (from vs:8) you women when you pray they were to be
morally and spiritually clean but also
to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly,
- proper clothing perfectly coordinated, orderly ko,smioj adj
your clothing should compliment you
and be coordinated
- modestly with propriety meta, aivdw,j
dress for the occasion
- discreetly, good
judgment swfrosu,nh thinking clearly; good common sense;
therefore with good judgment
Then Paul
adds some characteristics that need to be evaluated to fit the criteria just
last out.
with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,
7. Neither passage (1 Pet 3 or 1 Tim 2) is
opposed to good grooming and appearance but are saying that the overt charm is
not as important as the inner beauty from doctrine applied.
8. The finest of appearance and clothing are
ruined by the soul minus doctrine and under the influence of evil.
9. The soul enveloped by MAS of pride, arrogance,
envy, jealousy, hatred, bitterness is an ugly soul and no manner of dress or
jewelry will disguise it.
10. Isaiah warned the women of his day against
beauty arrogance and made the point that when the overt became more important
than the inner beauty from doctrine the judgment of the nation is near. Isa 3:16-26
11.
(B.L.) For the Christian wife to simply rely
on external gaudy, immodest adornment, like the world uses, would give her
unbelieving husband a wrong impression of her and would frustrate her spiritual
purpose to win him to Christ.
3:4 Emphasizes the inner spiritual
character
"But"
(alla), the strong adversative conjunction, indicates
the true adornment that Christian wives should rely on to win their unsaved
husbands as opposed to the overt external just emphasized in vs:3.
Their
true adornment Peter says is "the hidden person of the heart."
What's
in view here? What's Peter referring to
with this hidden person of the heart?
1. The regenerated new person that is in union with Christ
and raised to walk in newness of that new life.
2. That God the Holy Spirit is in rulership, empowering
the life.
3. That the individual has a frame of reference of truth
resident in the inner person, the soul available for application.
The
characteristics of the inner person that are important
here:
with
the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is
precious in the sight of God.
The
expression "the imperishable quality" (o` a;fqartoj)
designates a quality of not being subject to corruption;
- this refers to the inner beauty
that flows from the Word that doesn't perish or decay
a gentle
and quiet spirit adds some more imperishable characteristics
- being
humble, gentile in the true sense is not a sign of weakness as viewed by the
human viewpoint but of strength (strength/power - under control) which is only a
reality with the application of truth.
quiet spirit quiet is h`su,cioj and it refers to
tranquility that arises from within, from the spiritual moxy that one has.
Spirit refers to what is
most often today referred to as temperament or disposition i.e
the readout others gain in dealing with her.
Some
Observations:
1. The first adjective "gentle"
(prau<j) emphasizes her bearing as
gentle, considerate, and unassuming in its relations to others. She will not he
pushy, nor selfishly assertive.
2. The second adjective, "quiet"
(h`su,cioj), is more general in scope. It pictures a quiet disposition as
contrasted to a noisy, boisterous attitude.
3. It is a spirit which calmly bears the
disturbances created by others and which itself does not create
disturbances.
4. There is nothing distinctly
feminine about a 'humble and quiet spirit.
It is never a virtue intended for women alone, but for believers.
5. The point here is that by its
very nature, such a life exhibiting these characteristics will challenge and
convict the unbelieving husband.
which
is precious in the sight of God.
- this
should give
comforting assurance to the tested wives.