Does Genesis 3:21 talk about modesty?

I recently have come back to the topic of Biblical modesty in some online discussions and I encountered a strange argument about how the Bible teaches some concrete rules about clothing lengths and styles. Believe it or not, there are folks out there arguing this from Genesis 3:21. They tend to suggest that the Hebrew term in the passage that is translated “garments” denotes a covering that goes from “neck to knee”, hence all “biblically” modest women need to look something like this:

Anything less is wickedness.

Is that the case?

Addressing the Dressing VII: The Right to Bare Arms

So we’ve made it through seven posts, covering different information about modesty than many were expecting.  Today’s post is a fair bit longer than my normal length, but I’d love to finish up this series.  Here’s the barn-burner finale everyone requested.

In the first post, we introduced the topic and gave a broad look at the categories of women in churches that have concerns about modesty (or a total lack thereof).  In the second post, we looked at the biblical terminology.  In the third post we looked at the mark of a prostitute in ancient Roman culture and in the fourth post we looked at what gold, braided hair indicated in ancient Roman culture.  In the fifth and sixth posts, we took a look at the main remaining biblical text that was untouched: 1 Peter 3:1-6.  In the seventh post (which was called “VI” since the fifth was a two-part post), we summarized the content of the previous posts and looked at how “modesty” relates to expensive handbags.  I closed off the seventh post by pointing out the obvious: I hadn’t yet addressed what would be considered standard “modesty” fare…namely talking about women who dress in clothes that flaunt their culturally-afforded fashion rights.

Addressing the Dressing VI: Bringing It All Together…Almost

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve noticed that I’ve been heading in a specific trajectory and there are a whole lot of practical questions that remain outstanding.  Now we’re going to be covering a lot of ground quickly, so let’s quickly review what we’ve covered so far:

In the first post, we introduced the topic and gave a broad look at the categories of women in churches that have concerns about modesty (or a total lack thereof). I mentioned the four categories of woman as those interested in a) biblical modesty, b) historic modesty, c) cultural modesty and d) those interested in being “Christian hotties.”  Another way of thinking of those categories are woman whose main concern is a) the theology, b) the clothes, c) not causing a brother to stumble, and d) not getting blamed for some guy’s lack of self control.  So far, this series has mostly aimed providing answers for ladies in categories a and b.

In the second post, we looked at the biblical terminology by exploring the two main passages in the New Testament where the word “modest” appears: 1 Cor. 12:23 and 1 Tim. 2:9.  I only did that because the verses with the term “modesty” in them are generally the passages that people talk about when the topic comes up.  In 1 Cor. 12:23 we discovered that the idea behind “modesty” isn’t primarily one of appearance, but rather overall demeanour.   In 1 Tim. 2:9 we discovered that the idea behind “modesty” is one of “order.”  The women that God esteems are women who are marked by restraint and dignity; they’re honourable women.  The idea of a woman adorned in “respectable apparel” (“respectable apparel” being “modesty and self-control“) is contrasted with one who is not adorned “with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.”  Again, 1 Tim. 2:9 aims at character rather than rules about clothes, though people often take the “braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire” to be some concrete rules about “not dressing like a prostitute.”  At the end of that post, I suggested that the idea that “gold and braided hair was the mark of a prostitute in ancient Roman culture” was a myth.

Addressing the Dressing V (Part 2): 1 Peter 3:5-6

In the previous post, I dug through 1 Peter 3:1-6 and unpacked the v. 1-4 of that text.  I commented on how the passage addresses women who have husbands that are disobedient to God and God’s commands to those women.  Those commands would be rather amazingly difficult to obey, but God gives all women everywhere (those with good and godly husbands, those with occasionally sinful husbands, and those with wretchedly sinful husbands) more than just difficult commands.  Oh no.  He gives them firm truths onto which they can anchor their weak and doubting hearts.  In this post, I’m going to continue mining out 1 Peter 3:5-6 and unpack two titanium truths for securing a struggling heart.

In verse 5-6, Peter writes “For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.  And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.”

Here’s the first titanium truth:

Addressing the Dressing V (Part 1): The “Other” Modesty Text

So let’s recap.

In the first post, we introduced the topic and gave a broad look at the categories of women in churches that have concerns about modesty (or a total lack thereof).  In the second post, we looked at the biblical terminology from 1 Cor 12:23 and 1 Tim. 2:9.  I only did that because the verses with the term “modesty” in them are generally the passages that people talk about when the topic comes up.  At the end of that post, I brought up the myth that gold, braided hair was the mark of a prostitute in ancient Roman culture.  In the third post, we looked at the actual mark of a prostitute in ancient Roman culture; wearing the male Toga (often made out of thin, revealing Coan silk).  In the fourth post, we looked at what gold, braided hair indicated in ancient Roman culture; wealth and status.

Now, I’m going to take a quick look at the other significant biblical text that addresses modesty.  This whole series would be incomplete without addressing it, so let’s explore 1 Peter 3:1-6: