[Fwd: Re: Cosmetics/ Did you read my coverage on this subject?]
MF Blume (mfblume@ns.sympatico.ca)
Fri, 14 Feb 1997 12:44:17 -0800
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In Christ,
Mike Blume
mfblume@ns.sympatico.ca
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/mfblume/mblume.htm
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Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 23:07:39 -0800
From: MF Blume <mfblume@ns.sympatico.ca>
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To: suprdave@lightspeed.net
Subject: Re: Cosmetics/ Did you read my coverage on this subject?
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suprdave@lightspeed.net wrote:
> You quoted Jeremiah 4:30. Did you read my article dealing with this verse?
> If not, it would be worth your while reading on this subject that has,
> unfortunately, made women to feel like they were in sin because they chose
> to wear make-up. So read on and let me know if there is a problem with
> this...Dave-
>
> >For the serious Bible student, here is some real gold nuggets to ponder
> regarding the subject of cosmetics or make-up:
> >
> >The usual argument against make-up, especially lipstick, is based on the
> verse which says that Jezebel painted her face. "And when Jehu was come to
> Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her hair,
> and look out at a window." (II Kings 9:30)
> >
> >It should be pointed out , first of all, that the portion of her face which
> she painted was the area around her eyes. The word here translated "face"
> (Strong's Concordance #5869) is the common word for eyes. About 589 times it
> is translated "eye" or "eyes" in the Bible. The marginal rendering of this
> verse says: "...put her eyes in painting"; Goodspeed: "She painted her
> eyelashes"; Moffatt: "...painting her eyes"; Lamsa: "She painted her eyelids
> with kohl"; Rotherham: "She set her eyes in stibium"; Amplified: "She
> painted her eyes"; and so forth. There is no doubt about it. The portion of
> the face that Jezebel painted was the area around her eyes.
> >
> >Strangely enough, there are Christian women who use mascara on their eyes,
> but would not think of using lipstick on their lips - because Jezebel
> painted her face.
Both are wrong, as you are probably aware our stand holds to.
> >Before the woman mentioned in Ezekiel painted here eyes, she took a bath.
> Was this a sin? The woman mentioned in Jeremiah painted her eyes and clothed
> herself with crimson. But even the wearing of crimson, in itself, cannot
> have a bad meaning.
True.
> The "virtuous woman" of Proverbs 31:21 clothed her
> household in scarlet (crimson:Strong's #8144). Surely she was not clothing
> her household in an improper manner. David, in speaking of Saul's good
> points (II Sam.1:24), says that he clothed the daughters of Israel in
> scarlet (crimson). The text in Jeremiah also mentions that this woman put on
> her ornaments. We have already seen that the use of ornaments was a common
> and unquestioned practice of women in the Bible.
> >
> >Let us reason together. Luke tells about a woman with long hair whose sins
> were many (Luke 7:37-47). Would this prove that all women who have long hair
> are sinners?
No.
> Would the fact that Proverbs 7:17 mentions a harlot using
> perfume prove that all women who use perfume are harlots? Or because an
> esteemed woman such as Esther was bathed and perfumed for one year (Esther
> 2:12,13) - would this mean that women today should go to this extreme?
> >
> >On the same basis, then, the fact that three scattered references to women
> painting their eyes (along with such things as taking a bath, fixing their
> hair, or putting on clothing) cannot prove that the use of cosmetics is
> wrong. it is the motive, the attitude, the intention of the heart that can
> make such "fixing up" right or wrong.
> >
> >Women darkened their eyebrows, lashes, and the edges of the eyelids in
> order to make the white of the eyes look larger. Clarke's Commentary (Vol.4,
> p.35; Vol.2, p.513) states: "this fashion seems to have prevailed very
> generally among the Eastern people in the ancient times; and they retain the
> very same to this day...This staining of the eyes with stibium...was a
> universal custom."
> >
> >In Song of Solomon 1:14; 4:13, this identifies "henna" (Strong's
> Concordance #3724) provided a much used reddish-orange dye. Concerning this,
> the Encyclopedia Judaica (Vol.9, p.327) says, "Throughout the ages the
> peoples of the East prized this beautiful, fast dye which was used for dying
> the hair and nails." Henna was also used on the palms of the hands and soles
> of the feet.
> >
> >Considering how well-known and how widely used these various forms of
> make-up were in the land of the Bible, if God was against such, why is it
> nowhere stated in the Bible? Out of the 31,101 verses in the Bible, not one
> gives a direct command against make-up.
> >
These are all good points. But the thing that points me to a
negative connotation of face paint in the Bible is when God referred
to "RENTING" the face with painting. The word "rend" implies a
ruination. Regardless of all the thoughts that the same verse
speaks of wearing crimson, which is not wrong, it still mentioned
"RENTING" the face.
RENTEST: qara': cut out, rend, X surely, tear.
That seems like a negative connotation to me. And due to that connotation,
I feel that makeup is looked upon as negative.
The only other person associated with makeup is Jezebel. Now, if
painting the face was not negative why is the only person who
is mentioned wearing it the evil woman of the Bible? Even if it was
common in those days, no other biblical woman is noted as wearing it.
In fact, to set up the evil mood when reading of her the Bible
distinctly notes that point. Why? Since it was common? No. It
was mentioned in conjunction with seduction. The association of
wording things in the Bible ahs much to say about the elements
mentioned.
In Italy, at the catacombs, there was a sign which was displayed
asking American women to not dress so with their make-up and so forth
back in the fifties so as to respect the burial site of believers.
Europenas were shocked at the American women back then who openly
displayed themselves with what Europeans considered emblems of harlotry
in their make-up.
Of course, Europe followed the US, too, in later years.
It is a fact that eye paint amongst the ancients,
beginning with the Egyptians, was intended to make the eyes appear like
those of a lynx or of other cats. Imagine. This is the source for
these trends and to think God's people would condone it really makes
me wonder.
Thanks for your comments and input.
--
In Christ,
Mike Blume
mfblume@ns.sympatico.ca
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/mfblume/mblume.htm
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