Tricky Bible verse on wearing over the top clothes
I have recently seen some debate about what “modest” means in 1 Timothy 2:9. Some say it addresses extravagantly expensive clothing, while others claim it addresses sexually provocative clothing. Here’s the text: “Women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire…” –1 Timothy 2:9 I just did a round-up of significant commentaries on the question. By and large, they don’t treat the term as an either/or but as a both/and. In general, they argue that in the ancient world, ostentatious dress often appeared “enticing.” So to dress in a “modest” way would avoid both extravagance and seduction. Was this cultural, or is it a principle for both men and women today not to draw attention to themselves? Can we dress nicely? What is the issue? You can read what I found in the quotations below. “aidos, ‘modesty, respectful fear, discretion, propriety’… It became used for individuals’ attitudes to themselves a