1 Timothy 2:9

2:8-15 Under the gospel, prayer is not to be confined to any one particular house of prayer, but men must pray every where. We must pray in our closets, pray in our families, pray at our meals, pray when we are on journeys, and pray in the solemn assemblies, whether more public or private. We must pray in charity; without wrath, or malice, or anger at any person. We must pray in faith, without doubting, and without disputing. Women who profess the Christian religion, must be modest in apparel, not affecting gaudiness, gaiety, or costliness. Good works are the best ornament; these are, in the sight of God, of great price. Modesty and neatness are more to be consulted in garments than elegance and fashion. And it would be well if the professors of serious godliness were wholly free from vanity in dress. They should spend more time and money in relieving the sick and distressed, than in decorating themselves and their children. To do this in a manner unsuitable to their rank in life, and their profession of godliness, is sinful. These are not trifles, but Divine commands. The best ornaments for professors of godliness, are good works. According to St. Paul, women are not allowed to be public teachers in the church; for teaching is an office of authority. But good women may and ought to teach their children at home the principles of true religion. Also, women must not think themselves excused from learning what is necessary to salvation, though they must not usurp authority.

As woman was last in the creation, which is one reason for her subjection, so she was first in the transgression. But there is a word of comfort; that those who continue in sobriety, shall be saved in child-bearing, or with child-bearing, by the Messiah, who was born of a woman. And the especial sorrow to which the female sex is subject, should cause men to exercise their authority with much gentleness, tenderness, and affection.

{7} In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (7) Thirdly, he appoints women to learn in the public assemblies with silence and modesty, being dressed pleasantly, without any overindulgence or excess in their clothing.

1 Timothy 2:9-10 . In like manner also, I command that women — Particularly when they are about to appear in public assemblies for divine worship; adorn themselves in modest — Κοσμιω , decent, or becoming, apparel — Neither too costly nor sordid, but what is neat and clean, as the word signifies, and suitable to their place and calling. The word καταστολη , rendered apparel, according to Theophylact and Œcumenius, was a long upper garment which covered the body every way. What the apostle especially forbids is that immodest manner of dressing which is calculated to excite impure desires in the spectators, or a vain admiration of the beauty of those that use it: also that gaudiness or showiness of dress which proceeds from vanity, and nourishes vanity, wastes time and money, and so prevents many good works. With shamefacedness — Μετα αιδους , with modesty, teaching to avoid every thing unbecoming; and sobriety — Or soundness of mind, as σωφροσυνη signifies, which will prevent all unnecessary expense. This latter expression, in St. Paul’s sense, signifies the virtue that governs our whole life according to true wisdom. Not with broidered — Plaited, or rather curled hair, as πλεγμασιν properly signifies; or gold — Worn by way of ornament; or pearls — Jewels of any kind; (a part is put for the whole;) or costly array — Ιματισμω πολυτελει , expensive clothing.

These four things are expressly forbidden by name to all women, (there is no exception,) professing godliness — And no art of man can reconcile with the Christian profession, the wilful violation of an express command. But — Instead of these vain ornaments, (what is itself infinitely more valuable, and much better becometh women professing godliness, and the gospel of Christ, the great rule of it,) with good works — That is, works of mercy and charity to their fellow- creatures, which will render them amiable in the eyes of God himself, and of all wise and virtuous persons with whom they converse.

The apostle’s next precept to be urged by Timothy, is concerning the habits of women, especially when they come to worship God in the public assemblies; for to such assemblies the precepts in this chapter, both before and after this, chiefly relate. Concerning these he commands, that they should adorn themselves in modest apparel, observe a decency, with respect to the modesty of their sex, the purity of religion, the quality of their condition, and their age. Religion has no other interest in our habits, but to regulate them according to a modest comeliness; for they are indifferent in their nature, and neither add nor detract from the acceptance of our religious services. Shamefacedness and sobriety, or modesty; a moderation of mind showed both in the habit of the body, and the manners and behaviour, both with these inward habits, and in an outward habit that may speak souls possessed of these inward habits. Not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; not with hair platted or curled, not adorned with ornaments of gold, or pearls, or costly array.

The apostle condemneth not these ornaments where they are suited to the quality of women, and ask not too much time to put on, and in order; but where they are too excessive with respect to the purse of those that wear them, or take up more time to be spent in putting them on than is fit to be so spent, especially on a sabbath day, or where they are put on out of pride, or to make a vain show, or are of that nature and fashion as they speak an unchaste or an immodest heart, or may cause scandal to others. The apostle Peter, 1 Peter 3:3 , hath much the same precept, where he is not speaking of women’s habits, with such special reference to public assemblies, but to their ordinary conversation; but it ought to be more specially avoided when people come to worship God. They should not so habit themselves when they go to pray, as if they were going to a dancing school, as Chrysostom in his time complained of some that did.

In like manner (ὡσαύτως) The writer's thought is still running upon the public assemblies for worship. Adorn themselves (κοσμεῖν ἑαυτάς) Κοσμεῖν adorn, oP. Of female adornment, 1 Peter 3:5; Revelation 21:2. In Matthew 25:7, of trimming the lamps. From κοσμός order, so that the primary meaning is to arrange. Often in lxx and Class. Prominent in the writer's mind is the attire of women in church assemblies. Paul treats this subject 1 Corinthians 11:5 ff. In modest apparel (ἐν κατασψολῇ κοσμιῳ) Καταστολή N.T.o. Once in lxx, Isaiah 61:3. Opinions differ as to the meaning. Some apparel, others guise or deportment equals κατάστημα demeanour, Titus 2:3. There seems, on the whole, to be no sufficient reason for departing from the rendering of A.V. and Rev. Κοσμίῳ modest, seemly, Pasto. Note the word - play, κοσμεῖν κοσμίῳ. With shamefacedness and sobriety (μετὰ αἰδοῦς καὶ σωφροσύνης) Ἁιδώς N.T. (αἰδοῦς in Hebrews 12:28 is an incorrect reading). In earlier Greek, as in Homer, it sometimes blends with the sense of αἰσχύνη shame, though used also of the feeling of respectful timidity in the presence of superiors, or of penitent respect toward one who has been wronged (see Homer, Il. i. 23). Hence it is connected in Homer with military discipline (Il. v. 531). It is the feeling of a suppliant or an unfortunate in the presence of those from whom he seeks aid; of a younger man toward an older and wiser one.

It is a feeling based upon the sense of deficiency, inferiority, or unworthiness. On the other hand, it is the feeling of a superior in position or fortune which goes out to an unfortunate. See Homer, Il. xxiv. 208; Od. xiv. 388; Soph. Oed. Col. 247. In the Attic period, a distinction was recognised between αἰσχύνη and αἰδώς: αἰδώς representing a respectful and reverent attitude toward another, while αἰσχύνη was the sense of shame on account of wrong doing. Thus, "one αἰδεῖται is respectful to his father, but αἰσχύνεται is ashamed because he has been drunk." Trench (N.T. Synon. xix.) remarks that "αἰδώς is the nobler word and implies the nobler motive. In it is involved an innate moral repugnance to the doing of the dishonorable act, which moral repugnance scarcely or not at all exists in the αἰσχύνη. Let the man who is restrained by αἰσχύνη alone be insured against the outward disgrace which he fears his act will entail, and he will refrain from it no longer." The A.V. shamefacedness is a corruption of the old English shamefastness. So Chaucer: "Schamefast chastite." Knight's T. 2057. Shakespeare: "'Tis a blushing shamefast spirit that mutinies in a man's bosom." Richard III. i. 4. It is one of a large class of words, as steadfast, soothfast, rootfast, masterfast, handfast, bedfast, etc. Shamefaced changes and destroys the original force of the word, which was bound or made fast by an honorable shame. Σωφροσύνη sobrietys oP. Once in Acts, Acts 26:25.

1 Timothy 2:9 . Καταστολῇ ) A well-chosen word.[16] Women are delighted with elegant clothing; and to this the apostle alludes in this passage. They were rich at Ephesus, ch. 1 Timothy 6:17 .— κοσμίῳ , elegant, becoming, ornamental [ modest , Engl. Vers.]) spiritually, as it is presently described at 1 Timothy 2:10 .— αἰδοῦς , shamefacedness ) 1 Timothy 2:11-12 .— σωφροσύνης , sobriety ) A word of frequent occurrence in the epistles to Timothy and Titus. This virtue governs the whole of private life.—[17] ΜῊ ) Οὐ denies, ΜῊ forbids, in a discourse of this kind. There is a great difference between Οὐ and ΜῊ . Οὐ indeed might even here be used, because there is not here a finite verb; and so in the case of participles. But otherwise the particles cannot be exchanged. [16] Plutarch uses it of moderation or simplicity in dress .—ED. [17] Κοσμεῖν ἑαντοὺς , to adorn themselves ) construed with διʼ ἔργων ἀγαθῶν , ver. 10.—V. g.

9, 10. The context requires that we understand these directions as to women, in relation to their deportment in public worship, though the rules will hold good on other occasions also. in modest apparel—"in seemly guise" [Ellicott]. The adjective means properly. orderly, decorous, becoming; the noun in secular writings means conduct, bearing. But here "apparel." Women are apt to love fine dress; and at Ephesus the riches of some (1Ti 6:17) would lead them to dress luxuriously. The Greek in Tit 2:3 is a more general term meaning "deportment." shamefacedness—Trench spells this word according to its true derivation, "shamefastness" (that which is made fast by an honorable shame); as "steadfastness" (compare 1Ti 2:11, 12). sobriety—"self-restraint" [Alford]. Habitual inner self-government [Trench]. I prefer Ellicott's translation, "sober-mindedness": the well-balanced state of mind arising from habitual self-restraint. with—Greek, "in." braided hair—literally, "plaits," that is, plaited hair: probably with the "gold and pearls" intertwined (1Pe 3:3). Such gaud is characteristic of the spiritual harlot (Re 17:4).