1 Peter 3:4
rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
Truth to Learn
God places great value on a humble and quiet spirit.
Behind the Words
The expression, “the hidden person of the heart” is one that I find particularly interesting. The word translated “person” (“man” in some translations) is anthropos, which literally means “man faced.” It is derived from ana trepon opa meaning “turning the face upward.” It refers specifically to human-kind and is used with various descriptors to portray different aspects of our being. Some of these include the inner man in Romans 7:22 (the soul), the outer man in 2 Corinthians 4:16 (the body), the new man in Ephesians 2:15 (regenerate or “saved” man), the old man in Romans 6:6 (unregenerate or “sinful” man), and the hidden man here in 1 Peter 3:4. Some Greek scholars believe that “the hidden man” refers, like “the inner man,” to our soul. I think of it, rather, as the real man. It is our character, that is, who and what we are when we think no one is watching. It is what others who know us well see in us when the acting, the psychological make-up, the pretense, the façade, and the phoniness are all stripped away. It is who we really are on the inside. According to the latter part of this verse, it is the seat of our spirit.
The word “gentle” comes from the Greek word praeos, which means “mild” or “humble,” and “quiet” is from the Greek hesuchios, which literally means “keeping one’s seat.” Hence, by implication it means “still” or “quiet.”
“Precious” is from the Greek word polutelēs, which is made up of polus, meaning “much” or “great” and telos, meaning “expense” or “cost.” Hence, this word refers to “great value.”
Meaning Explained
Peter tells us that the thing which is most adorning in wives is the inward quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. It sounds like someone who is at peace with God, doesn’t it? Someone who has such a solid faith in God, even in the midst of the tumultuous storms of life, that she can rest peacefully in the hands of “the One who judges rightly.” Peter says that God considers this type of spirit as being of great value.
And… there isn’t a husband in his right mind who wouldn’t want a wife like this. Unfortunately, finding a man who is in his right mind, who is focused on God instead of himself is a rare commodity indeed. Particularly an unsaved one like the one Peter is talking about in these verses. Therefore, Peter does not make the behavior of wives conditional. He says, in essence, “Wives, instead of focusing your attention on outward adornment, focus on spiritual development, on being who and what God wants you to be because this witness may be the very message that God uses to speak to your husband.” I personally cannot count the times that God has spoken to me about my own sinfulness through just such a witnessing spirit in my own wife.
Application
Wives, there is nothing wrong with attractive clothing and other outward cosmetic means of looking nice. That is, as long as your real effort to be attractive is applied to being a godly woman with a humble and quiet spirit.
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2009 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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