I put together some information on Jewelry in the ANE, in Greco-Roman culture (which was the cultural context, in part, of the New Testament), now we will turn to Jewelry in Scripture:
One passage that seems to prohibit jewelry against a number of passages that support it or refer to it in a positive manner is weak evidence.
1 Peter 3:1-6 tends to be more clear than
1 Timothy 2, leading people to be more confident about conclusions in the former. Here, Peter is contrasting true beauty with false. He says, "Your beauty should reside, not in outward adornment—the braiding of the hair, or jewelery, or dress—but in the inmost center of your being, with its imperishable ornament, a gentle, quiet spirit, which is of high value in the sight of God" (3:3, 4, NEB). In other words, real beauty that lasts comes from inner virtues, not outer appearance.
Verse 3 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment" (NIV).[34] So Peter is speaking of the source of one's beauty. This could be interpreted, then, as instructions on beauty, not instructions on what is worn. In other words, according to this interpretation, the issue is not whether a woman wears jewelry, but whether she uses it as her source of beauty. Peter says that the source of beauty should be "a gentle and quiet spirit" (3:4). It is also important to note that in verses 1 and 2, Peter gives the reason for his instructions: "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives" (NIV). We see again Peter's emphasis on internals, rather than externals.
But again, one passage that seems to prohibit jewelry against a number of passages that support it or refer to it in a positive manner is weak evidence.
Positive uses of jewelry in scripture include
Gen 2:10-12, the High Priest wore jewelry (
Exodus 28)... look at Lucifer before he fell "you were the model of perfection, perfect in beauty, every precious stone adorned you, your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared" (vv. 12-13),
Ezekiel 16,
Rev 17:4 (both Babylon and the true bride are wearing jewels),
Threaded Mode
