In like manner also that the women in decent deportment and dress adorn themselves with modesty and discretion, not with plaited [hair] and gold, or pearls, or costly clothing,
Paul has been giving instructions about prayer. Now he turns to the women with a matching charge — one that starts with clothing and goes far past it. What does "adorning" mean to God? Is a list of things not to wear the whole of it?
Some read this verse as sidelining women. One writer sees the opposite.
This does not mean that Christian women are shut out from praying. Far from it — let them be stirred up to pray among themselves. But there is more than this for them. "Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control." There is an honour put on women.
The word for "apparel" covers more than clothes. The two qualities named with it describe something inward.
They are to adorn themselves "in proper behaviour," which covers not dress only but bearing. So Paul adds, "with modesty and self-control" — that modesty which shrinks from the least hint of anything improper, that self-restraint which rules everything within. The apostle deals plainly and without sparing with the things women's vanity has fastened on in every age.
The verse names specific items. That makes it easy to keep as a checklist and still miss the point.
They are to beware of using the hair God has given as the woman's glory to express the natural vanity of the human heart. Women are not to seek attention for themselves by dressing in "gold or pearls or costly attire." And women do well to remember this: they may obey this Scripture in the letter and still miss its spirit, by adopting some odd style of dress and so calling attention to themselves.
The verse does not condemn care over clothing. It assumes it, and asks that the clothing match the character underneath.
We are not told to neglect dress, or even adornment. On the contrary, we are to give it attention — but according to the word of God. So Paul says that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel; the word could also be given as "moderate" or "well-ordered" dress. The dress should suit a "gentle and quiet spirit," so that dress and character agree.
Another writer applies a simple test: what is the item for? He then puts its misuse beside gluttony and drunkenness.
Gold and pearls are seldom necessary items of clothing. They are mostly worn to attract attention or to show off the person. Costly clothing has the same aim in view… In short, dress should always be counted a necessity, not an aim in life. Gluttony and drunkenness are sinful abuses of eating and drinking. In the same way, vanity in dress is a sinful abuse of what is needed for decency and respectability.
Does the verse ban braided hair? One writer reads the sentence to its end, then separates two reasons for doing the same thing.
If we read the whole verse we see it says that women are not to adorn themselves with braided hair but with good works. They are to be known to others, not by their ornaments, but by their deeds of loving service; not by beauty of hair or dress but by beauty of moral character. In short, the verse condemns outright the elaborate cutting, curling, twisting and braiding done for show. Of course, there is a braiding for convenience as well as for show.
The list of "nots" is not where Paul stops. The next verse gives the replacement, and with it work that is open to every woman.
But saying what not to do does not satisfy the mind of the Spirit: "but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works." That is the adorning the Lord approves, and in it women have a large and constant sphere… We see one example of it in Dorcas (Acts 9:36).
Rules pressed from outside rarely hold. One writer points to what really loosens the grip of fine clothes.
Young people who claim to be Christians and chase the world's approval with popular dress, manners and habits only spoil their testimony for their Lord. They also bring discontent into their souls. You cannot serve both God and the god of this world. Christ is the great constraining power. When His love gets hold of our hearts in power, these things drop off.
- Paired — This charge stands beside the call to prayer. Commentators read it as honour given to women, not silence imposed on them.
- Person — "Apparel" covers bearing as well as clothes. Modesty shrinks from anything improper, and self-control rules everything within.
- Purpose — Gold, pearls and costly clothing are named because they are worn to draw the eye. Dress is a necessity, not an aim in life.
- Proportion — Neglect is not commanded either. Dress should be well-ordered, matching a gentle and quiet spirit. An odd style of dress draws attention just as much.
- Permanent — The verse ends with a replacement, not just a ban. Good works are the adorning the Lord approves. When Christ's love grips the heart, the rest drops away.
but, what becomes women making profession of the fear of God, by good works.
Paul has just told Christian women how not to dress; now he names the ornament that fits them. It turns on two things: what the profession of godliness claims, and what proves it real.
The word behind "godliness" here is not Paul's usual one. Writers who compare the Greek explain the difference.
The word eusebeia means "to exercise piety, reverence." It is a reverential sense of having to do with God. The creature should show it to the Creator, and it should mark the saints above all towards God their Father and towards the Lord Jesus… "Piety" is a better translation. It sets that word apart from theosebeia, which means "worship, or fear of God," and is the word rendered "godliness" in 1 Timothy 2:10.
So the woman in view is one who openly reveres God. That claim is what the rest of the verse tests.
Verse 9 sounds negative, but it is no ban on care or beauty. The question is what the ornament is made of.
Scripture does not tell women to neglect dress, or even adornment. On the contrary, they are to give attention to it, but according to the word of God. So Paul says that women should dress themselves in modest clothing — the word could also be given as "moderate," "well-ordered" dress. The dress should suit the "meek and quiet spirit," so that dress and character agree. Ornaments are allowed too; but they must be made of good works, not of gold or pearls.
A list of things laid aside leaves a woman with nothing to wear. Paul supplies the positive, and one commentator notes the exact word he chose for it.
Negatives, however, do not satisfy the mind of the Spirit; "but what becomes women professing godliness, by good works." That is the adorning the Lord approves, and women have in it a large and constant sphere. The phrase means "by means of good works." The word for "good" here is not the one for what is honourable, right and fair, used in Matthew 5:16, Galatians 6:9 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21. It is the word used in Galatians 6:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and we have an instance of it in Dorcas (Acts 9:36). Where knowledge takes the place of this activity in good, sorrow soon follows for others, and later shame for themselves.
The ESV reads "what is proper"; older translations read "which becomes" — what suits or fits. That small word shows how Paul treats the claim to be godly.
In 1 Timothy 2:10 "good works" are named as that "which becomes women professing godliness." This shows that the profession by itself was not taken as a pledge of a true heart. The good works give the evidence that the profession is true. They are the adorning that suits a true profession. So the thought is not that the profession itself is the evidence that the women are godly.
The danger runs both ways. A woman can drop the jewellery and still put herself on display — this time as unusually spiritual.
What marks the woman professing the fear of God is not a show of superior spirituality, but "good works". Their place in Christianity is fitting and beautiful. It lies in those "good works", and many of them only a woman can carry out.
Scripture does not leave "good works" vague. The New Testament is full of named women doing them.
We see in the Gospels how women ministered to Christ out of their own means (Luke 8:3). Mary did a good work for the Lord when she anointed His head with the precious ointment (Matthew 26:7-10). Dorcas did a good work in making garments for the poor (Acts 9:39). Mary, the mother of John Mark, opened her house for many to gather together in prayer (Acts 12:12). Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, did a good work when she opened her house to the servants of the Lord (Acts 16:14-15). Priscilla did a good work when, with her husband, she helped Apollos to know "the way of God more perfectly" (Acts 18:26). Phoebe, of Cenchrea, was "a helper of many" (Romans 16:2). Other Scriptures tell us that godly women can wash the feet of God's people, help those in trouble, bring up children and guide the home.
- Profess — "Godliness" here means the worship or fear of God. The verse pictures a woman who makes that claim openly.
- Prove — The claim does not prove itself. Good works show that the profession is true, so the two must travel together.
- Replace — Nothing is only taken away. Gold and pearls give way to a better ornament: good works.
- Practise — The works are ordinary and specific: clothing the poor, opening a home for prayer, helping a preacher know God's way better.
- Beware — Two things counterfeit this adorning: showy dress, and a plainness that puts on a show of superior spirituality. Both put self on display; good works put others first.