Intereesting thought her from portion of a study from keithhunt.com
What does the Bible say about these things? The two passages
which, supposedly, tell Christians not to wear jewelry are as
follows:
First Timothy 2:9,10 says women should be properly adorned -
'not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array,
but.....with good works.'
And.....
First Peter 3:3,4 says a woman's adornment should 'not be
that outward adornment of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of
gold, or a putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of
the heart.....even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which
is in the sight of God of great price.'
What many have failed to understand is that these verses are
using a very common HEBREW IDIOM. An 'idiom' is a manner of
speaking distinctive of a certain people or language. In this
case, the idiom was a manner of speaking which would minimize a
first clause in order to emphasize a second clause. Today, in
order to express the thought contained in this type of idiom, we
would place the word 'ONLY' in the first clause, and 'ALSO' (or
perhaps 'rather') in the second clause, as follows: Let not
a woman's adorning be (only) that of outward things - such as
fixing her hair, wearing gold, or pearls, or apparel - but (also,
rather) let it be the inward adorning of a meek and quiet spirit.
With this idiom, the emphasis is on the SECOND clause, but it
does not do away with the FIRST clause. IT IS IN ADDITION TO IT.
We now ask the reader's patience as we cite many verses in
which this idiom is used in the Bible. As the PULPIT COMMENTARY
says, it is 'a common Hebraism' and quotes for example, John
6:27, ' Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat
which endureth unto everlasting life.' If we do not recognize
the Hebrew idiom here, this verse would sound like a command not
to work for our food! But other verses say men should work for
their food, they should provide for their families, etc. The
actual thought, then, is that we should not work for the material
necessities of life (ONLY), but (ALSO, RATHER) for that which
will endure unto everlasting life.
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