Lexical Summary kosmios: Orderly, respectable, well-behaved Original Word: κόσμιος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of good behavior, modest. From kosmos (in its primary sense); orderly, i.e. Decorous -- of good behaviour, modest. see GREEK kosmos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 2887 kósmios (from 2889 /kósmos, "world"; see also the other adjectival form, 2886 /kosmikós) – literally, ordered (properly organized); hence, well-prepared (well-ordered). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kosmos Definition orderly NASB Translation proper (1), respectable (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2887: κόσμιοςκόσμιος, κόσμον, of three term. in classical Greek, cf. WHs Appendix, p. 157; Winers Grammar, § 11, 1; (Buttmann, 25 (22f)) (κόσμος), well-arranged, seemly, modest: 1 Timothy 2:9 (WH marginal reading κοσμίως); of a man living with decorum, a well-ordered life, 1 Timothy 3:2. (Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, Isocrates, Lysias, others) (Cf. Trench, § xcii.) STRONGS NT 2887a: κοσμίως [κοσμίως, adverb (decently), from κόσμιος, which see: 1 Timothy 2:9 WH marginal reading (Aristophanes, Isocrates, others.) The term κόσμιος (kosmios) conveys the idea of a life or outward bearing that is well-ordered, honorable, and fitting to those who profess godliness. It speaks less of fashion and more of moral symmetry—actions, attitudes, and appearance arranged under the lordship of Christ so that nothing jars against the gospel’s harmony. Occurrences in the New Testament 1 Timothy 2:9 applies the word to women in worship: “Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes”. 1 Timothy 3:2 lists it among the elder’s qualifications: “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach”. In both cases kosmios stands beside virtues such as self-control, sobriety, and propriety, forming a composite picture of Christian decorum. Old Testament Foundations Scripture consistently ties holiness to order: priestly garments “for glory and for beauty” (Exodus 28:2), Nehemiah’s careful arrangement of worship (Nehemiah 12:45-47), and the noble poise of the virtuous woman whose “strength and dignity are her clothing” (Proverbs 31:25). Kosmios echoes this heritage, calling believers to manifest the ordered beauty that reflects God’s own nature. Theological Significance 1. God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Kosmios mirrors the divine character by resisting chaos in thought, behavior, and community life. Implications for Christian Character • Personal Modesty: Clothing choices should neither provoke lust nor parade wealth but quietly testify to the surpassing worth of Christ. Implications for Corporate Worship Paul’s pairing of kosmios with prayer (1 Timothy 2:8-10) roots public worship in reverent simplicity. Architecture, liturgy, music, and dress each contribute to an environment in which God, not human spectacle, receives the attention. Qualifications for Church Leadership For overseers, respectability safeguards authority. A leader whose life is visibly arranged under Scripture lends credibility to doctrine, models maturity for the flock, and provides a pattern younger believers can imitate (Hebrews 13:7). Historical Reception Early church writings, from the Didache to Chrysostom’s homilies, urged believers to dress and act kosmios in pagan society. Reformers applied the term to clergy conduct and sanctuary design, warning that ostentation distracts from the Word. Pietist and evangelical movements later emphasized inward order—prayer, journaling, family worship—as expressions of the same principle. Practical Application for Ministry Today • Shepherds should help congregations discern cultural trends, embracing what is excellent and rejecting what undermines dignity. Related New Testament Themes Self-control (egkrateia), sobriety (nephalios), and good order (taxis) complement kosmios, forming a triad of virtues that stabilize individual believers and congregations alike. Reflection on the Character of God From the ordered cosmos of Genesis 1 to the jeweled symmetry of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21, Scripture reveals a Creator who loves beauty bound to righteousness. When believers live kosmios, they echo that order, displaying in miniature the grandeur of a God “who does all things well” (Mark 7:37). Englishman's Concordance 1 Timothy 2:9 Adj-DFSGRK: ἐν καταστολῇ κοσμίῳ μετὰ αἰδοῦς NAS: themselves with proper clothing, KJV: themselves in modest apparel, with INT: in apparel seemly with modesty 1 Timothy 3:2 Adj-AMS Strong's Greek 2887 |
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