Is Jewelry an acceptable adornment?

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[Acumen]

The question is, does the Bible endorse the use of Jewelry as an acceptable adornment, or is it pure vanity?

[kwd111]

The question is, does the Bible endorse the use of Jewelry as an acceptable adornment, or is it pure vanity?

In some sense, as Solomon put it, it is all vanity.  But to the question of endorsing... my understanding is that it is OK.  Moderation is the rule.

If I am not mistaken, the culture of that time was that they would actually spend hours and hours working beads and stones or jewelry into the hair in addition to the wearing of gold and beautiful apparel.



1 Peter 3:3-4
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
KJV

So, as I understand it, the message was "why do you spend so MUCH time fixing the outside and the wearing of jewelry when you don't spend any time fixing the inside and adorning with the inward jewels and apparel.

Not so much as not wearing jewelry.

[Acumen]

There is an interesting passage in Exodus where God, out if displeasure, tells the Israelites to put off their jewelry because He planned to visit them. 

This suggests to me that jewelry and complete humility cannot coexist.

[kwd111]

There is an interesting passage in Exodus where God, out if displeasure, tells the Israelites to put off their jewelry because He planned to visit them. 

This suggests to me that jewelry and complete humility cannot coexist.

I looked it over... not sure I can come to the same conclusion.  This is my take...

They had just worshiped the molten calf with dancing and singing and, IMO, dressed up to the hilt with their jewelry.  Now it was time for repentance and the removing of jewelry was more about removing that which typified their false worship than the fact that they were just wearing jewelry.  Removing their festive "nice" gowns was appropriate too.

If it was just about removing jewelry, one can see how a person can do just that but still hold on to pride. 

I remember when God said to Moses "remove thy shoes for the place in which you stand is holy" - but I'm not sure he is advocating not wearing shoes or sandals. 

[Acumen]

There is an interesting passage in Exodus where God, out if displeasure, tells the Israelites to put off their jewelry because He planned to visit them. 

This suggests to me that jewelry and complete humility cannot coexist.

I looked it over... not sure I can come to the same conclusion.  This is my take...

They had just worshiped the molten calf with dancing and singing and, IMO, dressed up to the hilt with their jewelry.  Now it was time for repentance and the removing of jewelry was more about removing that which typified their false worship than the fact that they were just wearing jewelry.  Removing their festive "nice" gowns was appropriate too.

If it was just about removing jewelry, one can see how a person can do just that but still hold on to pride. 

I remember when God said to Moses "remove thy shoes for the place in which you stand is holy" - but I'm not sure he is advocating not wearing shoes or sandals. 

Good point, Kwd.  I'll have to take a closer look later today.

[Howiedds]

Kwd, Acumen:
I think Kwd is close to the Jewish interpretation of Exodus 33 It’s not the jewelry per se, but that after they were admonished by God for building the calf, they were expressing their grief. Jewelry is not appropriate in a grief stricken/mourning state.

[Acumen]

Kwd, Acumen:
I think Kwd is close to the Jewish interpretation of Exodus 33 It’s not the jewelry per se, but that after they were admonished by God for building the calf, they were expressing their grief. Jewelry is not appropriate in a grief stricken/mourning state.

The question though, is why not?  Jewelry is meant to adorn the body.  The reason we adorn the body is to draw some positive attention to ourselves.  Perhaps mourning prohibits adorning because we are supposed to direct our attention to God.  If this is the case, then it's a matter of pride versus humility, is it not?

[Howiedds]

Acumen:

The question though, is why not?  Jewelry is meant to adorn the body.  The reason we adorn the body is to draw some positive attention to ourselves.  Perhaps mourning prohibits adorning because we are supposed to direct our attention to God.  If this is the case, then it's a matter of pride versus humility, is it not?

I was addressing your op which I thought was making a general statement about jewelry and adornment based on the verses in Exodus. I thought that Kwd was correct in limiting the proscription to the context of the golden calf and the ensuing state of grief and mourning.

I can compare the proscription in Exodus to the Jewish mourning practices immediately after the death of a primary relative. For seven days onne is not supposed to shave, use makeup or cologne, comb hair, use mirrors, dress up, wear shoe, (shoes in ancient days were a luxury), sit in cushioned chairs, wear jewelry, get hair cuts, listen to music, etc.

The proscription on fancy clothes, parties and frivolous social events, music, haircuts, and shaving continues for 30 days.

The Exodus verses do not sound like an ongoing, timeless proscription about jewelry as much as it does a prohibition related to the limited state of mourning produced by the golden calf fiasco.

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