1 Peter 3:3

Verse 3. Whose adorning.

Even the dress of a Christian wife claims apostolic notice. Nothing seems to have escaped the attention of this servant of Christ.

Outward adorning of plaiting the hair.

Here an injunction to Christian wives is given. The plainting of the hair, wearing of gold and putting on of apparel. Can it be that the apostle forbids comely attire? Modesty observed in this adornment can not offend the moral sense surely, and we must not forget that Peter had in view the winning over the husband to the cause of Christ. Now, I incline to think, keeping the context in view, the apostle desired these wives to understand that these adornings, being outward only,. must not monopolize their thoughts and attention. Such things are perishing, and have a tendency to lead astray from God. The adorning of the Spirit is to be the lifework of the Christian wife, and not outward show, exhibited to attract the fancy of the giddy, the vain and the foolish. Arraying the body in these things for show, or indulging in extravagance on the part of believing women, I have no doubt, is here forbidden, but that Christian women may but modestly attire themselves according to their station in life, I can not think for a moment was in the apostle's mind. He simply desires the believing wife to understand that there was something more for her to do than exhausting her time in dress; that there was a better adorning for her of which she ought to avail herself.