Bible Discussion Thread

What does shamefacedness mean in the Bible ?

Hi Kimberly. You may be referring to 1 Timothy 2:9, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array."

The Greek word for 'shamefacedness' in the sense it is written, is 'aidos', meaning, shame or modesty. Today, the word, modesty, would best suit our understanding of this word, but in those early days, there was more to its meaning. Women would be required to not look eye-to-eye at men when spoken to and have an appearance of bashfulness in their presence (remembering the dominance of men over women in those days). And this behavior is still seen today, especially in those cultures where women are required to behave differently in the presence of men. I've noticed this amongst rural (village) women of South Asia, when at my approach (as an outsider), their heads would be covered & they would look away or return to their dwellings - that's just the way young girls are taught to behave.

What the Apostle Paul was writing to Timothy here, was that sisters in Christ need to dress, be adorned & present themselves as those "professing godliness" and not be like the others outside the Church (the non-believers) who dressed provocatively or to outdo one another.