What does 1 Peter 3:3-4 teach about women's adornment?
William Kelly writes:
William Kelly"Their adornment is not the outward one of dressing hair, or wearing gold things, or putting on dress, which are alien from Christ and a shame to saints. The real ornament is the hidden man of the heart which He sees, in the incorruption of a meek and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is of much price. None of these showy objects is so, nor could all Ophir buy it."
"His wondrous light into which He called us gives the Christian woman the highest standard, and thereby enables her by grace to judge all inconsistencies in the incorruptibility of a meek and quiet spirit. This, however foreign to human nature, would not be lost even on a hard and exacting husband."
Hamilton Smith adds an important distinction between outward manner and inward spirit:
Hamilton Smith"Her adorning is not to be after the passing fashions of this world, which only seek to make the woman outwardly attractive in the sight of men, while of necessity having nothing to say to the moral character, which is of great value in the sight of God. The Christian wife is to think rather of that which God sees — 'the hidden man of the heart' — and adorn herself with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit."
"There may be at times the affectation of a meek and quiet manner, but this is of little value unless it is the outcome of a meek and quiet spirit. Only that which comes from 'the hidden man of the heart' will rightly affect the life."
Edward Dennett provides an important balance — Peter does not direct neglect of dress:
Edward Dennett"Neglect of dress, or even of adornment, is not directed; on the other hand, attention is to be paid to it, but according to the word of God. ... It is to be of the kind befitting the 'meek and quiet spirit,' so that there may be congruity between the dress and the character."
The passage contrasts outward adornment (hair, gold, clothing) with the inward — "the hidden man of the heart." The true ornament is a meek and quiet spirit, which is incorruptible and of great price in God's sight. Mere affectation of a meek manner is worthless unless it flows from a genuinely meek spirit within. And neglect of dress is not what is directed — rather, congruity between dress and character.