Biblical Modesty:
The English word modesty appears only once in the King James Version of the Bible (
1 Timothy 2:9). The word modesty is from the Greek term
kosmios. It means: orderly, well-arranged, decent, modest, harmonious arrangement, adornment. This Greek word also appears in the Septuagint (
Ecclesiastes 12:9) and is translated "set in order" and is applied to Solomon's proverbs.
Kosmios is derived from
kosmos which means: order, regular disposition, ornament, decoration, embellishment, adorning and is used, among other ways, of the world on which we live (
Matthew 13:35;
Mark 16:15).
Kosmos is used of modest attire and translated as "adorning" in
1 Peter 3:3.
"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel."
Modesty can apply to one's manner of dress. The context of
1 Timothy 2:9-10 especially concerns gaudy dress. Also, the word for "apparel," in the same verses, is from the Greek
katastole which means: letting down, and is used in the Septuagint in
Isaiah 61:3 as "garment" for the Hebrew meaning "covering" or "wrapping."
Modesty is also biblically applied to one's demeanor or behavior.
Kosmois appears in the qualifications of elders as "good behavior" (
1 Timothy 3:2). The apostle Peter also taught modesty and addressed both what one may wear and an internal modesty (
1 Peter 3:1-5); The Greek word for "adorning" in this context is
kosmos.
The summary definition of modesty involves both one's manner of dress and inward qualities. The well ordering is not of dress and behavior only, but also of one's inner life which exhibits itself outwardly. Biblical modesty starts on the inside and works its way to the outside of a person.
Linear Mode
