243 – SHOULD A CHRISTIAN WOMAN WEAR JEWELRY?March 18, 1962
Henry F. Kulp
I Timothy 2: 9 - 15 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; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
Actually, Paul is telling young Timothy that he should be over-seer of these assemblies in Ephesus about the woman and her charm. He was told how to handle the female side of the church, and I am sure that this young man was thankful for the guidance he received from this older man, the Apostle Paul.
1/ You will notice, in like manner also, that woman adorn themselves also in modest apparel and so forth. I am sure you can see from the context that Paul is thinking especially of the women coming to worship, and he lays down rules so that they might know how to dress for such an occasion, or better still, how they should not dress for such an occasion. They are not to dress as if they were going to the theater, to a dance, or a banquet—in other words, there is to be a strict avoidance of vulgar display. Of course, this goes beyond just going to church.
2/ When Paul says the woman is to dress in modest apparel, I think if we were to put that in our present-day language, it would be best translated good taste. A woman is to dress in good taste when she comes to the assembly. It is not good taste to dress in such a way that you become outlandish because you are trying to look like a Christian, for there is no holiness in that.
3/ For the word shamefacedness, it is not an easy word to translate in our present day language. What does the average person think about when he reads the word, shamefacedness. Well, actually it means to allow nothing that would embarrass or outrage a proper sense of shame. So that goes right along with the idea of modest apparel in good taste. And then the word, sobriety, has nothing to do with strong drink, but, of course, a Christian woman will not have anything to do with strong drink. But the word, sobriety, is saneness, so you can see the whole thought is that a woman should dress in good taste, so they will not embarrass anyone’s shame, and then be very sane in the way that they dress. So that would show that to dress as the styles were forty years ago is not being sane, is it? I think a woman should look neat, clean, and up-to-date but not with great extravagance so that she will attract attention.
4/ Then he talks about the hair, and of course, this is the most beautiful thing that a woman has. The hair is a woman’s glory. He says, not common use of braids. The Greek word refers to an elaborate gathering of the hair into knots. History informs us that the Roman women of the day were prone to be ridiculous in their extravagance of adorning the hair. She would just keep putting the hair in one knot after the other, until it absolutely looked ridiculous. Her hair would be high above her head. Many times they used to braid strands of gold into the hair, and jewelry. This does not teach that a woman should not have a decent hairdo. But she shouldn’t have an extravagant one—she should not be outlandish in the manner of wearing her hair.
5/ Then secondly, the matter of jewelry is taken up. And here he points out the Christian woman is not to have extravagant ornaments. We are told by scholars that in that day they used to hang jewelry around one’s person as one would hang ornaments on a Christmas tree. That which is forbidden here is not the wearing of jewelry itself, but the extravagant, gaudy and conspicuous display of jewelry. Notice, the last two words costly array.That which is expensive just to show off.
6/ Notice Genesis 24: 22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
Here we have the getting of a bride for Isaac, and in the 82nd verse it talks about golden earrings of half a shekel’s weigh and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekel’s weight of gold. Certainly God would not pick a woman for Isaac who was to be so important in God’s program, if she were wrong in wearing jewelry. But it is a matter of a modest wearing of jewelry.
7/ Then notice, Exodus 35: 4, 5 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying,Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass,
They brought jewelry for the building of God, so this is under law, remember that, and jewelry was not forbidden under law. Only the lavish display of jewelry was forbidden. We have these folks who say, you shouldn’t wear rings, you shouldn’t wear bracelets. They do not find that the Bible. That is the tradition of men—that is some thought that a man has advanced.
8/ Proverbs 25: 12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
In other words, what he is saying here, is that a rebuke kindly administered by a wise man should be esteemed of greater value than a costly present. And he is not rebuking the use of jewelry here. In other words, it is an accepted thing according to this portion of Scripture.
9/ Isaiah 61: 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
And here it talks about a bride adorning herself with her jewels. Certainly if it is wrong to wear jewelry, it should be wrong to have a bride wear jewels. Here, even under the law, jewelry was worn by the bride. It is not that God is against the use of jewelry—He is against the lavish display of it.
10/ Then Paul talks about the woman’s place in the public assembly. Remember, all this has to do with the woman in the public assembly. It says let the woman learn in silence, with all subjection. And God puts two restrictions upon a woman—not to usurp authority over the man, and not to teach. The woman is not to teach men, or usurp authority over the man. Remember, He is referring to ministry and public worship. But please remember that does not restrict the woman in any other way in the assembly. Aside from teaching men, usurping authority over men, there is no service she cannot perform in the assembly, such as singing, teaching children, and playing piano, playing the organ, doing many other things.
11/ Of course, it is wrong for a woman to be a preacher. God never intended the woman should pastor a flock or to teach a man’s Bible class, or a mixed Bible class. But I want you to notice some women that God used mightily in the assembly.
12/ Romans 16: 1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
Again we come to this woman Phebe, who was a deaconess, if you please, in the church. In other words, a servant of the church. She is the one who carried the Roman epistle to the church at Rome, where God used a women a women.
Luke 8: 2 - 3 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
Certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, Johanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward—Suzannah and many others ministered unto the Lord of their substance. These women had a great deal to do with comforting and ministering unto the Lord Jesus Christ. God used them in this capacity.
Psalm 68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.
It says, the Lord gave the word—great was the company of them that published it. The word, company, is the word, women, It could be rendered—God gave the word, but many were the women that published it. That was not only true in that day, but it is true in our day. Go out in the missions fields of the world, you will find the women doing a real work for the Lord Jesus Christ. Go to many of the Sunday Schools and see women who are faithful as they teach the children in the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.
13/ And then we can go in Acts 16: 14, 15 and discover a very lovely soul in the person of Lydia. How God used Lydia in the life of Paul.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
14/ I Timothy 2: 11 Let the women learn in silence with all subjection.
The word, silence, should not have been translated silence, but quietness. It doesn’t mean silence. There is another word for silence used in revelation where it says there was silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour. But that is not the word used here—it is quietness, for God loves quietness. And then it goes on to say, with all subjection. Many folks like to go back to other portions of Scriptures where it means in subjection to the husband, but the word, husband does not appear here, and it is not the thought. The women in the assembly are to be quiet, and she is to learn. In other words, she is not to put herself in the place of equality. You will notice the havoc that has been raised and put forth by many of the evil sects of our day—they have been started by women who have been way out of place.
15/ The reason why women are not allowed to usurp authority from men is given to us in two reasons.
#1 Adam was first formed, then Eve. You see, she was made for second place. It is not that she is inferior to man, but God made her for second place, and when woman gets out of that second place, she gets into trouble. The Greek word, first, in verse 13 for Adam was first formed, is protose—it means file leader—then Eve. This is the order that God created them. It is just a matter that Adam was created before Eve in the matter of time, but that Adam was created as the file leader, and when woman refused to look to man as being first, then mankind is in trouble. We have this in political offices today—woman was created to be a congresswoman—she is not created to be a mayor of a city—she is not created to be a president of the United States. She was created for second place—a place where God wanted her to be.
16/ I know many women rebel against this—they don’t like it, and they fight against it, and they hate it, but that doesn’t change it—this is exactly what God says, and when we reject what God says, when we reject God’s council, there is only one thing that can result, and that is chaos, and that is a loss to ourselves. As I think about this, my mind goes back to a Scripture in the Old Testament.
Psalm 81: 13 - 16 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Here God is telling what He would have done foe Israel if they had followed Him closely. If they would have obeyed Him, I would have subdued their enemies, turned my hand against their adversaries—I would have fed them with the finest of wheat, with honey out of the rock—I would have satisfied them. But they, Israel, would not and did not—and they did not get the finest of wheat or honey out of the rock. God had it for them, but instead of being like sheep, keeping close to the shepherd to get tender grass—that the shepherd might lead them to where he wanted them to go -- they wandered afar— He said, I would have given you this, but they didn’t get it. How believers are like that. God has so many things for us, but we don’t want—and so we rebel against it.
17/ Psalm 78: 72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
This verse shows the faithfulness of God—and this means God did everything He could for them. He has done everything for you and me that He can. If we don’t have all that God would give us—it is not His fault, it is our fault. And so He says, He fed them according to the integrity of His heart. He could not give them the finest of wheat—He could not because they would not permit Him. Yes, God was faithful, He did all that He could, but He had to say, you could have had the finest of wheat and honey out of the rock, but I couldn’t give it to you. You wouldn’t permit me. So folks may rebel against what the Word of God teaches. But you are the loser when you disobey God.
18/ Then secondly, Adam was not deceived, but the woman. On the face of this, this seemed to be contrary to the fact—was not Adam deceived? No, the Bible says not— he sinned with his eyes wide open. Satan tempted Eve directly, but he did not tempt Adam directly. As we said, Adam sinned with his eyes wide open—he knew what he was doing, but Eve did not. Eve was deceived. She believed what the devil told her. The devil in the form of a serpent said to Eve—if you eat of the fruit, you will be wise, you will be like God – you will know all things, and she believed the devil. Adam didn’t believe. Adam knew it was a lie, but she believed it and she was deceived—she took the fruit and she gave the fruit to Adam, and when Adam took that fruit from her hand, he knew what he was doing. He knew he was sinning against God—his eyes were wide open. Adam, of course, was the guilty one—but he did it to save Eve.
Romans 5: 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
19/ Romans 5: 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Now sin has not come into the world through Eve, and Eve is never blamed for that—sin came into the world through Adam—he sinned deliberately, he was not deceived, and the whole human race fell—but Eve was deceived, and Adam gave himself that she might be saved, and so she was in the place of subjection. But remember, the woman can speak and teach, but it is not in the open meeting, in teaching or usurping authority. The woman has a wonderful opportunity in private conversation.
Let us illustrate what I mean by this by looking at Acts 18: 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
And it says here, he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Of course, they might have criticized him and just let it go at that, but he evidently was a good man, and it would have been a pity to leave him right where he was—he could be used by God. He was a splendid creature—he was eloquent, mighty in the Scriptures—that is as far as he went—fervent in enthusiasm—diligent in his work, he was courageous. We couldn’t let a man go with all these fine gifts. He was able to draw crowds to the synagogue when he was preaching, and yet there were two members of his congregation who could immediately tell something was wrong—his doctrine was at fault he knew only the baptism of John.
Then notice, they did not rebuke him in public. Aquila was too sensitive a soul to take the matter up in public, but instead; Apollos was invited to the privacy of the home, and here Priscilla was able to join in the talk, and take her share of the exposition of the Word of God. Notice, it does not say that he, Aquila, did it, but they did it. The woman had her chance, and she took it. Yes, even though disbarred from the pulpit and public worship, she found a way to bear her public testimony, and to get across God’s message.
AMEN
Ref: 03/18/1962 / 243 - SHOULD A CHRISTIAN WOMAN WEAR JEWELRY? 05/13/2021
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