I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. (1 Timothy 2:8-10)
I wanted to take a bit of time to define a few words in this passage primarily for my own understanding, but as always, I like to share. The issue of nursing (in public) recently came up in a discussion and as you can imagine, things got a little heated (and I respectively bowed out). I later thought that some of these terms (in the First Timothy passage) needed to be reexamined as their meanings may or may not have been altered through the years. So, as best I could, I wanted to bring clarity (aka: definition) by peeking at the Father’s likely purpose.
Please (kindly) let me know what you think in the comment section below.
…He who receives correction is prudent. Proverbs 15:5
(*The following definitions are from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary and the Blue Letter Bible (Strong’s) Lexicon and will hereon be identified as NWD and BLB).
Holy
NWD: Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions. We call a man holy,when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, godly.
Many would add: ‘Set apart,’ as for the Lord.
BLB: Undefiled by sin, free from wickedness, religiously observing every moral obligation, pure holy, pious (Hosios in the Greek).
Modesty
NWD: That lowly temper which accompanies a moderate estimate of one’s own worth and importance. This temper when natural, springs in some measure from timidity, and in young and inexperienced persons, is allied to bashfulness and diffidence. In persons who have seen the world, and lost their natural timidity, modesty springs no less from principle than from feeling, and is manifested by retiring, unobtrusive manners, assuming less to itself than others are willing to yield, and conceding to others all due honor and respect, or even more than they expect or require.
Additionally: In females, modesty has the like character as in males; but the word is used also as synonymous with chastity, or purity of manners. In this sense, modesty results from purity of mind, or from the fear of disgrace and ignominy fortified by education and principle. Unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of their honor. A modesty-piece is a garment that covers the bosom.
BLB: well-arranged, seemly, modest (from the Greek: kosmios, where we get the word cosmos)
Propriety
NWD: Fitness; suitableness; appropriateness; consonance with established principles, rules or customs; justness; accuracy. Propriety of conduct, in a moral sense, consists in its conformity to the moral law; propriety of behavior, consists in conformity to the established rules of decorum; propriety in language, is correctness in the use of words and phrases, according to established usage, which constitutes the rule of speaking and writing.
BLB: (Shamefacedness in the KJV); A sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect (Aidos in the Greek)
Moderation
NWD: The state of being moderate…restraint of violent passions or indulgence of appetite…Calmness of mind. Moderate: Reduced in violence, rigor or intensity; allayed; lessened; tempered; qualified.
BLB: (Sobriety in the KJV); soundness of mind; self-control.
Proper
NWD: Appropriate (suitable for the circumstances); to hasten (as in pressing forward).
BLB: (Becometh in the KJV); to stand out, to be conspicuous, to be eminent; to be becoming, seemly, fit (prepo in the Greek; where we get both the words proper and preparation).
This is Not My Opinion…
I’m absolutely sure somebody’s feathers will be ruffled, but nevertheless, God is conveying that He wants women to be extremely discrete in regard to how they present their bodies (and yes, I’m sure that the message applies to men as well) and I don’t see how any of us can get around the directive.
Modesty is not oppression for women, it is submission to God and if as justification we suggest that society has changed through the centuries, our Sovereign Lord would remind us that culture does not change the truth, it is the truth that will change the culture.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
- What do these verses say about God?
- Why does God want His children to be modest?
- What changes do we need to make in ourselves?
Related articles
- Modesty Made Me Fat (2) [1] (etsop95.wordpress.com)
- Thoughts on Modesty (passionatechristianmarriage.wordpress.com)
- Muslim Women and Certain Sports (chasingparadisegalz.wordpress.com)
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Man you are brave.
Deep breath here . . . I got a “frowny face” in my breast feeding class when I was pregnant. Part of the requirements for my insurance was that my husband and I attend pre-natal parenting classes and part of the classes were offered by the Le Leche League. Going in I knew what I was in for as these are the extremists of the breast feeding horde.
I had no doubt in my mind when I politely and simply let it be known that I had no intention of breast feeding that the leader of the class no doubt had a six year old still breast feeding. I have a handful of these weird, err, umm, I mean wonderful motherly types as friends.
I believe with all my heart that God provided breasts as a means of not only nourishing infants but also of building an enviable bond between mother and child. I believe that is what the female breast is for and that human sexuality and lust has yet again greatly perverted something that God intended as a beautiful expression of proper parenting.
I stand middle of the road on female modesty and some of the scriptures in the Bible pertaining to it. Just yesterday my Bible reading had me in Deuteronomy where there are some pretty extreme things that we do not adhere to in modern times including the scriptures that women should never don any clothing meant for a man and vice versa as it is an abomination to God.
I was raised by a mother who had been raised by the strict Victorian era beliefs that basically one should never be naked and women were not to wear pants, shorts, make-up, ear rings, blah blah blah. It was trying.
Just like everything, that Bible teaches moderation. Can I wear pants and still be a woman of God? Absolutely. Can I wear a swim suit at the beach and still be a woman of God? Absolutely. Does common sense and a close walk with Jesus and a personal relationship that lends itself to urging from the Spirit of Truth need to play a part in my decisions? Absolutely.
A woman can be normal AND modest.
A woman can wear age and location and audience appropriate attire and still be a woman of God even if it does not cover her from head to toe.
A woman can have a bond with her child through breast feeding and still keep it modest and personal – as well she should. I am a woman and while I would fight to the death for the right to feed a baby if it needs to be fed even in public, I also would tell you eewwwww! I don’t want to see more than I have to thank you very much!
I have my own personal opinions about the age when a child should stop breast feeding – and it tends to line up with the following statements:
if your child can go the fridge and get a glass of milk then it’s time to stop
if you go through the drive-thru at McDonald’s and order your child a Happy Meal then it’s time to stop
if your child can walk then it is time to stop
if you child can talk then it is time to stop
etc. you get my drift.
But, I know of no Biblical stance on this and other than it being very icky to me, I don’t know what God really thinks of it. I feel I could make a pretty strong case about emotional and psychological issues that need to be addressed and how you are supposed to get your comfort from God and how you are supposed to have an intimate relationship with your husband that IS God ordained . . . but that is a can of worms I try to avoid opening at all costs when it comes to these women.
I just pray for them.
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I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading that! Didn’t entirely agree with it all, but nevertheless, well said. I’m still pondering if ‘human sexuality and lust have greatly perverted’ the…umm…area. Proverbs 5:18-19 comes to mind.
ANYWAY…
Thanks for stopping by and sharing. May the rest of your day be Jesus-filled.
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Proverbs 5:18-19
Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with the wife of your youth.
As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be enraptured with her love.
1 Corinthians 7:2-5
let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
I am all about some rendering – no problem in the rendering area. 😉
THAT is NOT perverted. What IS perverted is A-Z United States of Advertising using boobs as a way to get men’s attention – NOT that anyone needed to tell men to look at boobs any more than they are already programmed to do.
A healthy sexual relationship in a marriage is good, very good and highly recommended as far as I am concerned and apparently as far as God is concerned as it is discussed in the Bible in many locations.
Off the top of my head I can think of at least three sitcoms that I have turned off because the topic and story line led to basically men being turned on by watching or thinking about a woman breast feeding.
Taking the nourishment of a child to a sexual place is as inappropriate for onlookers as it is for the woman doing the nourishing to be less than discrete.
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I took Bjorn to one music class when Harper was little. For some reason, the whole class (literally) decided to breastfeed at once. It was a 45 minute class with children mostly 10 months to 16 months yet everyone was hungry during that 45 minute interval. Most women were extremely immodest and my husband turned to me and said “never again.” I couldn’t blame him. Harper was bottle fed so I was not in on the community breast feeding group and it was very uncomfortable for me and him.
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🙂
I can picture him saying that. Just so I’m clear I’m not against public feedings. My concern is for those who have little or no concern for modesty and those who don’t really care how they might stumble another person.
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Thanks for the definitions and examination of the passage. I’m all for dressing modestly for so many reasons, including honoring God with our bodies. I do want to point out that one could, from your post, take that you are saying nursing in public is immodest. If that is what you are saying, then I disagree with you, as there are ways to nurse in public that are very modest, as I’ve personally done so. My favorite post in response to the recent TIME article can be found at this link:http://jasongood.net/365/2012/05/from-breasts-to-boobs-and-back-again/ While not from a Christian perspective, as a female who breastfeeds, I appreciated his commentary. Feel free to check it out.
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Hey Sheila!
No, I agree with you…it can be done both publicly and modestly. I suppose because I have witnessed many an immodest display (and which the Time Magazine cover seems to celebrate), that I felt compelled to blog.
Some of the discussion-folks I referred to in the post would have absolutely no problem with hoisting a child up on a (public) chair or a shopping cart in order to nurse, while throwing all modesty out the window. Basically the attitude seemed to be, to hell with everyone else. Frankly I was shocked to hear these things.
I will check out your link right now…
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The article was a little raunchy, but I agree with his premise.
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Yes, over the top and a little dirty, but I love the point he is making. Thanks for taking the time to read it.
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