|
Shameful Nakedness, What Is It?
Shameful Nakedness,
What Is It?
Article dG
Our English word naked can mean numerous things. It not only pertains to lacking clothing, but also very much can pertain to lacking beauty, protection, or needed goods. The Bible speaks about lands, cities, and countries, being naked (Gen 42:9&12, 2 Chr 28:19, Lam 1:8 & 4:21). The word nude seems to more particularly pertain to clothes and visible exposure, while the word nakedness not only pertains to such but also very much pertains to shortages and shamefulness. This article will extensively consider shame and nakedness as came upon Adam and Eve after that they disobeyed and ate of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, and extensively consider shame and nakedness as prior to such and prior to their bodies being cursed. As one considers the subject of shame and nakedness, one must remember that when God created the world and everything therein and before it was cursed, "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Gen 1:31). Yes very good. Yet after man sinned in the Garden, God then placed a curse upon His creation and it obviously was not good as when first created. This curse involved a degeneration of man's own physical body as well as thorns and thistles being born. Following are some verses concerning these things; dG-1
(Gen 2:17) "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. The Greek and German give the thought that if you eat, in dying you shall die, sort of as in aging and weakening you shall die. dG-2
(Gen 3:16) "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;" dG-3
(Gen 3:17-19) "And unto Adam he said, Because thou ...hast eaten of the tree, ...cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Note how this verse further indicates or reveals that their was no death before the curse. If mankind before disobeying and being cursed would have been created in degenerating and unclean bodies subject to sickness and dying, how could God have looked on and said it is very good? Although some believe man would have been subject to death, even if he never had sinned, yet the Scriptures often give the thought that the wages of sin is death, rather than aging dying and death being the original plan and handiwork of Him who created all things very good. dG-4
Apostle Paul speaking of God's whole creation being burdened and in pain under the curse that God placed upon it said, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Rom 8:22). dG-5
Humanities Shame And
Nakedness After the Curse
In the curse that God placed upon man, man's own body became shameful in various dimensions, as well as becoming subject to death. After man's body was cursed, his body became subject to much uncleanness and various unclean excretions or wastes. Further woman became subject to the uncleanness and pains of menstruation, as well as new pains and sorrows in childbirth. It is possible that Adam and Eve were struck with this physical degeneration immediately after they ate of the tree and could feel it within themselves. It is thus possible they realized this new physical uncleanness before they made themselves garments of fig leaves, and before God called them and they hid among the trees of the garden. Although we don't know for sure when their bodies degenerated, we do know that after their disobedience they immediately became uncomfortable in their bodies which had committed this error and wanted their bodies obscured and covered. dG-6
It appears that the uncleanness of the human body is a very basic reason nudity has been considered shameful throughout history. Yet it appears another reason man throughout history has been somewhat instinctively opposed to social nudity is because of the improper or excessive sexual attractions such nudity might cause, yet that issue does not so much pertain to shameful nudity. Another issue about nudity and shame is that people are instinctively ashamed to be different than others, and as nudity is accepted as being shameful, people largely will be ashamed about nudity for that reason alone. Yet that is not the only reason nudity is shameful. dG-7
Concerning nudity and uncleanness and shame, and clothing to minimize shame, it appears in old times people in relieving themselves of normal human wastes might have often simply went aside a small distance and used their draping clothes to hide themselves. To be seen nude while relieving one's self of human excretion and uncleanness obviously would be quite shameful. A certain poem says, "If your ever tempted to think your hot, smell what you put in the pot, or if your ever tempted to think your cool, smell what you put in the stool." Yes we are lowly and shameful creatures and sometimes need reminded about it. The Israelites in their travels to the promise land, obviously had to relieve themselves, and did not have big elaborate truck stops to stop at to privately relieve themselves, nor is it likely they were carrying PortaJohns along. It is likely they simply went aside a small distance and covered themselves with their draping clothes. Such likely was an accepted behavior in old times. The Scriptures particularly instructed the Israelites to cover that which came from them to keep their camps clean. dG-8
Further for a woman to be nude and have no protection of her blood flow in times of menstruation would be very shameful. Ezekiel 16:6&22 speaks of a deplorable nakedness reading, "Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood." "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood...". Yet these verses might also pertain to the uncleanness and blood at childbirth, and not only menstruation. Obviously clothing can protect, hide, and minimize humanities uncleanness and shame. dG-10
Even though man's nudity after the curse became quite shameful, yet various Scriptures reveal that even then, the human body which God created saying is very good can still be beautiful rather than just shameful. God created Eve as another and special human species for Adam, and made man to instinctively appreciate this different and more beautiful form of himself. The Bible repeatedly speaks about the particular beauty of woman and her physical features. Following are several Scriptures which clearly reveal the nudity of woman even after the curse is not always shameful, but rather can also be very attractive and glorious; dG-11
(Ezek 16:7) "I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare." dG-12
(Song 4:1) "Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead". dG-13
(Song 4:5) "Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies." dG-14
(Song 7:7) "This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes." dG-15
(Song 8:10) "I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour." Thin yet having large breasts? dG-16
(Song 7:1) "...O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman." dG-17
(Song 4:7) "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." dG-20
(Ecc of Sir 36:22) "The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance, and a man loveth nothing better" dG-21
When God created Eve for Adam and brought beautiful Eve to Adam, although being nude she obviously was not shamefully naked and bare, but was lovely and adorned as the above Scriptures describe. As revealed in the above Scriptures, woman even after the curse, has an aspect of great physical beauty, and thus women do not only cloth themselves because of shame, but also to prevent excessive beauty and attraction to it. Even after the curse woman can be very beautiful and attractive, and just as God made her! Although it very much can be a shame for a woman to be nude, it very much can also be a shame for wife to never reveal her clean, best, and beautiful nudity. In the confusion and shame about nudity in our world today, possibly many religious people are glad Adam and Eve sinned, so they need not be nude in a nude society. Yet how can that attitude be right? Note, it is also possible that even if Adam and Eve had never sinned and acquired a degenerated body, they sometimes might have worn particular clothes and jewelry for glory and decoration. dG-22
Human Nudity and Shame as Before The Curse
The nigh above Scriptures clearly reveal that even after humanities body was cursed, feminine nudity could still be glorious and beautiful rather than just shameful. As human nudity, even after the curse can be glorious rather than just shameful, so much more glorious and void of shame was Adam and Eve's nudity before their bodies were cursed. In considering Adam and Eve's nudity in the Garden of Eden and why they were not ashamed of it, I ran across a very very basic issue that surprised me and I still am amazed at what I am seeing as quite obviously truth. I from childhood to this time had always thought that the reason Adam and Eve were not ashamed of their nudity in the Paradise Garden was they simply were in blindness and ignorance about their shameful bodies, and which God obviously gave them. And likely that is what many believe. Yet remember, man was the crown or chief of God's creation and made in God's own image and likeness, and further was declared by God to be very good. Now should we think that man by sinning in the garden, got wise and thereby discovered that what God made in His likeness and said was very good, actually instead was base and shameful insomuch it needed obscured and covered, while nothing else in His creation was shameful as such. Or should we rather think that Adam and Eve were not ashamed, because they prior to sin and curse had nothing to be ashamed of, even though nude? May God help us understand these things. Note, to believe God created man in a shameful and base state that needed obscured and covered, or to believe man fell into that lowly state by disobedience is quite different. dG-23
Yes, man really was made in the very image and likeness of God, and further God said what He had made was very good. I really believe it is possible that Adam and Eve were not ashamed of their nudity in the paradise garden, simply because they had nothing to be ashamed of, until after they sinned and their bodies became cursed and unclean. Everything God created in the beginning was very good, and why would anything made as such need covered and obscured because of it lacking, being inferior, and shameful? Could God really have said all things are very good, if the highest and most noble creature of His creation and made in His likeness was so shamefully made, he had to be covered, and even though nothing else in the creation needed covered because of being shameful? The beautiful birds, animals, trees, and grass of the fields obviously didn't need covered because of being shameful, for God had made everything very good. Just imagine what God's wondrous creation would look like if His beautiful birds, animals, flowers, trees, and fields would all largely be covered because of them being shameful. It would largely destroy the handiwork and marvel of God's beautiful creation! dG-24
I must admit that many of today's Bible translations significantly give the thought of Adam and Eve simply being ignorant of the shameful nakedness God had created them in, until after they sinned and thereby got wise and enlightened to how shamefully God had made them and how they thus needed obscured and covered. Yet according to the original Hebrew and Greek and even according to the English these Scriptures do not need to be understood as such. In the following paragraphs are given four Scriptures that in today's translations indicate Adam and Eve were not ashamed of their bodies in the Paradise Garden because of blindness or ignorance, but if enlightened and wise would have been ashamed of their God given bodies. Note, comments are given after the verses to reveal they do not need to mean such. In reading the below verses one should realize that the Hebrew word (Strongs 6174) speaking of Adam's initial nakedness in the Paradise Garden can simply mean nudity and does not need to mean baseness and shamefulness, while the Hebrew word (Strongs 5903) then used in speaking of Adam's later nakedness after he disobeyed very much can mean baseness and shamefulness. dG-25
(Gen 2:25) "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed". This verse very much could mean they were not ashamed, simply because they had no reason to be ashamed, rather than because of being ignorant of their shamefulness. Remember, the Hebrew word (Strongs 6174) for naked in this verse is a word used numerous times to simply denote being uncovered, rather than baseness and shame. dG-26
(Gen 3:7) "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons". Note the word "were" in this verse is not in the Hebrew, and it appears this verse could simply be saying, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they realized that they became naked (having shameful bodies guilty of sin); and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Gen 3:7). Note, the Hebrew word (Strongs 5903) for nakedness in this verse quite often is used to denote poverty, shame, and baseness. This Hebrew word is also used for nakedness in the two verses below. dG-27
(Gen 3:10) "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Note the word was in this verse is neither in the Hebrew. This verse might read or mean and "I was afraid, because I became unclean and naked; and I hid myself". Yes, Adam felt very uncomfortable with his body after he sinned. dG-30
(Gen 3:11) "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" Note the word wast in this verse is neither in the Hebrew, and this verse might read, "Who told thee that thou became and art naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" Further God in this verse actually might have been saying, "who could convince and tell you, you are naked (you weren't created shameful and naked), yet did you eat of the tree and thus become naked?!" dG-31
It is amazing how after one gets accustomed to the thought of Adam and Eve becoming unsightly and shamefully naked by their disobedience, rather than being created in that shameful state, even the above KJV verses (and without any comments) can quite nicely be understood as such. The words were and wast in the above verses really do not need to refer back to Adam and Eve's created state but only to their state after they disobeyed! Please remember, that to believe God created man in a shameful and lacking state which needed obscured and covered, or to believe man fell into that lowly state by disobedience is quite different. dG-32
Ecclesiastics 3:11 speaks of God making everything beautiful in His time, and God especially did so when He created the world in the very beginning. If our English word naked must always mean barren, lacking, and shameful (as it often does), it quite obviously should not be used in Genesis 2:25 which reads, "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.". It should not be used in that verse because God made that which was very good in Eden and did not make things that were lacking, shameful and imperfect and naked as such. If the word naked must mean barren, lacking, shameful, the word nude should rather have been used in this verse and the verse simply read, "And they were both nude, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." And why were they not ashamed, quite obviously because they were made perfect and had nothing to be ashamed of! It does not appear that man in sinning in the garden of Eden, improved, and now suddenly got wise enough to realize that what God made in the beginning and had said was very good, actually instead was shameful and lacking and needed to be obscured and covered! May God help us understand these things. dG-33
Miscellaneous Thoughts on Nudity
Note, the amount of bare skin or the amount of nudity is not only what makes people ashamed, but rather being different than others in what they wear is often what really makes people ashamed. People normally are much more ashamed of being seen in particular undergarments that reveal less skin and nudity than in swimsuits that would reveal much more skin and nudity, simply because they feel comfortable and free to appear like other people expect them to appear, and yet are embarrassed to appear different than such and than other people. It naturally tends to make people uncomfortable or embarrassed when they fear their nudity or undress makes onlookers uncomfortable and embarrassed. If some one is embarrassed at seeing you in your undergarments, that tends to also make you embarrassed in being seen that way. Yet if you know someone feels totally comfortable in seeing you just as you are, you tend to feel comfortable also. Note, this is not written to advocate carelessly going about almost or totally nude, but to reveal some basic principles of shame. dG-34
Further if a child was always taught to cover their thumbs and in a very real and strict way, while everybody else in society was also zealously and carefully covering their thumbs, and the child would know it would get laughed at if they would happen to reveal their little thumbs, they naturally would try very hard to keep their little thumbs covered too. They likely would be very embarrassed and might cry if someone happened to see their little thumbs! If a mother then would pity their little child, if someone somehow seen it's little thumbs, and make a big issue out of this, the child might almost become emotionally disturbed because someone seen their thumbs! Although this does not mean that it is just as proper for a child to reveal their sexual and less clean members as their thumbs, yet this does bring out a vital and true point. dG-35
Man's Resurrected Body As Will Be Had in Glory.
(1 Cor 15:42-44) "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body...." dG-36
(Phil 3:20-21) "...the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." dG-37
The above Scriptures reveal that in heaven our bodies will no longer be unclean and shameful. Rather we will have glorious and Spiritual bodies. Should we think such a new Spiritual and glorious body would demand clothes because of it being shameful and unclean? It does not appear so. Yet just because we will have new, clean and glorious bodies in heaven does not appear to necessarily mean no clothing will be worn in heaven, but means if it is worn it will not be worn to hide shame and uncleanness, and rather worn for added decoration and honor. The literature called the Gospel of Thomas has an interesting quote in it which reads, "His disciples said: On what day wilt thou be revealed us, and on what day shall we see thee? Jesus said: When you unclothe yourselves and are not ashamed, and take your garments and lay them beneath your feet like little children, and tread upon them, then [shall ye see] the Son of the living One, and ye shall not fear." Although I don't put a lot of stock in that text it may have a place here. As said before it is possible that even if Adam and Eve would never have sinned, the human family at times might have wore clothes for glory and decoration, rather than to cover shame and uncleanness. Following are several Scriptures which speak of clothing being worn in heaven. dG-40
(Rev 1:13) "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." dG-41
(Rev 15:6) "And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles." dG-42
(Rev 19:8) "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints". dG-43
(Rev 6:11, 7:9&13, 19:14) These Scriptures also speak of the saints being dressed in white linen and robes. Yet note, these verses as the above verse about clean and white clothing appear to be symbolical of the righteousness of the saints rather than speaking about literal clothing. dG-44
Clothing, Modesty and Nakedness, as in Old Jewish Times
In old Jewish times, their was no modern fabric and sewing equipment as we have in our day, and clothing was difficult and time consuming to make. Thus the real poor often had very little clothes, and clearly did not make their garments any larger than necessary. It appears some of the very poor actually had no clothes. In Jewish history, the enemy army sometimes led their captives away totally naked. The following Scriptures and Jewish history reveals that nakedness simply was not considered as dreadful and unthinkable in old Jewish times, as it is thought by many in our day. Concerning famous prophet Isaiah, God actually told him to strip the meager sackcloth off of his loins and then to prophesy while being totally naked, as a symbol of how the Egyptians would become captives and be led away totally naked. Prophet Isaiah prophesied naked as this for three whole years. Can we imagine that?! Isaiah 20:2-4 speaking of this reads, "At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. {3} And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; {4} So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt." Many years before Prophet Isaiah's nude prophesy, Samuel and the prophets with him also prophesied in a near or total naked condition. 1 Samuel 19:24 speaking of this reads, "And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?" These prophets in Samuel's time likely prophesied naked as this to portray future hardships (as did Prophet Isaiah), or to portray a great earnestness such as is also shown by wearing sackcloth. Prophet Micah also appears to be speaking of this type of nakedness in saying, "Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls." (Micah 1:8). dG-45
In old Jewish times people in showing grief and distress often and freely rent their clothes in the presence of others without worrying about immodesty or exposure, as many people would in our day. Very many Scriptures speak of such rending of clothes. It should also be considered that the wearing of sackcloth likely also often involved significant nakedness even though not being totally naked as was Isaiah. The Scriptures speaking about the wearing sackcloth speak of making bare and putting sackcloth on the loins, likely meaning the waist or small part of the back (according to the Hebrew definition). Isaiah 32:11 speaking of women wearing sackcloth reads, "Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins." Women wearing sackcloth as this although not being naked as was Isaiah might yet have been bare breasted. Other Scriptures that particularly speak of wearing sackcloth on the loins are Gen 37:34, 1 Ki 20:31, 1 Ki 20:32, Isa 20:2, Jer 48:37, Amos 8:10. dG-46
King David for some reason danced quite unclothed before the Lord while moving the Ark of the Covenant (2 Sam 6:16-22). Yet King David's unclad dance was a dance of joy, praise, and celebration, rather than a display of nakedness to portray difficulty and captivity as was Isaiah's nakedness. King David speaking of this dance, spoke of playing, or celebrating before the Lord. The feminine dances of old Jewish times and the feminine exposures as spoken of in the Song of Solomon neither were to portray difficulty and captivity but rather to portray and celebrate beauty and blessing. dG-47
Jesus in His wisdom and knowledge very much would have been aware of the exposures of nakedness in old Jewish times. In Jesus' time a certain blind man who likely was poor and had little clothes, cast of his garment in coming to Jesus to be healed. Although it is possible that he only cast off an insignificant outer garment, and still was quite well clothed, it yet is quite possible that he was scantly clothed after he cast off his garment (Mark 10:49). Yet such exposure would not have been so strange in old Jewish times. dG-50
The Scriptures particularly speak of Apostle Peter being quite unclothed in fishing. John 21:7 speaking of this reads, "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea." Note how Peter here put on some clothing before he jumped into the sea. Normally we rather would take off some clothing before jumping out of a boat into deep water, but here Peter put clothes on before jumping out of the boat, which strongly indicates he at first was quite unclothed in the boat. Note it appears the water was reasonably deep where Peter jumped out, as the Bible speaks of it being 200 cubits from shore and speaks of a another ship coming out to this place, and where they were trying to drag the net full of fish towards shore. (John 21:7-11). In our day many would want to keep it a secret if they were fishing in a boat nude or almost nude, while here John freely wrote about it in our Bible as though it was no big issue. The writer by all the above is not encouraging public nudity, but is simply trying to reveal that during old Jewish times, nudity and exposure was not thought of as being so dreadful and incredible as it is by many in our day. dG-51
Although nakedness was more common in old Jewish times than in our day, yet the Jews normally wore clothing and wearing it was considered a blessing and privilege. In old Jewish times nakedness often was classified with poverty and shame. Clothing can very much be a decoration to the body, and some types of decorative clothing might have been worn at times even if Adam and Eve had not sinned in the garden. Clothing very much can help people feel comfortable as it covers both the imperfections and less clean parts of the body, and often improves people's appearance rather than hindering it. In conclusion the writer wishes that God will help us to understand these issues and to deal with clothing according to His plan. God bless and farewell. dG-52
Misc Article Conclusions
It appears the reason Adam and Eve were not ashamed in the Garden of Eden although nude, was because they had nothing to be ashamed of, rather than because of blindness and ignorance. dG-53
It appears that after Adam and Eve disobeyed and their bodies were cursed and became unclean, then nudity became shameful. dG-54
Although man's body, after Adam and Eve sinned, was cursed and became unclean and shameful in various dimensions, yet even then various Scriptures still indicate that nudity is not as dreadful and unthinkable as often thought of in our society today and reveal that even after the curse woman, just as God made her, has a very glorious and beautiful aspect rather than simply being all shameful. dG-55
The writer of the above recommends numerous other related articles found at "BiblicalSexuality.com".
|
|