What About The Wearing Of Jewelry?

Some believe I Timothy 2:9 and I Peter 3:3 condemn all wearing of jewelry. At first glance we might think such a stance is correct, but let’s take a closer look. First, notice the last item condemned in I Peter 3:3 is the “putting on of apparel.” Surely I Peter 3:3 can’t be forbidding women from wearing any clothing at all; that would contradict I Timothy 2:9 which requires them to dress in “modest apparel.”

A key to I Timothy 2:9 and I Peter 3:3 is to understand that both texts are in the classic "not this but that" form which is usually emphasizing the latter over the former, but not restricting the former as an absolute. John 6:27 (“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life …”) is a good example of this type of wording that will help us see this point. Jesus is obviously not forbidding all labor for food as he commands us to earn a living in passages like I Timothy 5:8 and II Thessalonians 3:10. Instead, in John 6:27 Jesus is saying spiritual work is more important than (takes priority over) physical/secular work.

Likewise I Timothy 2:9 and I Peter 3:3 aren’t condemning all wearing of jewelry, but the over emphasis of it. Notice I Peter 3 goes on to say in verse 5 that “for after this manner in the old time the holy women also … adorned themselves,” and Genesis 24:52-53 records for us that the holy woman Rebekah wore jewelry. So the example of Rebekah proves I Peter 3:3 is not condemning all use of jewelry.

Having said all that, I Timothy 2:9 and I Peter 3:3 are teaching Christians should dress modestly – and that means (in part) we should not wear expensive clothing in order to attract attention, keeping the jewelry down to a minimum. Our emphasis should not be on the outward appearance, but on the “hidden man of the heart” (I Peter 3:4). Unfortunately, many who claim to be Christians are violating these two passages without regard for spirituality.

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