From
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Holy Bible
Matthew
Henry (1662-1714), still world-famous amongst Christians for his Commentary,
was a Presbyterian minister born in Flintshire,
Wales. His father was a renowned pastor of
the Puritan era.
Deuteronomy
22:5:
“The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall
a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination
unto the LORD thy God.”
The
distinction of sexes by the apparel is to be kept up, for the preservation of
our own and our neighbour’s chastity, v.
5. Nature itself teaches that a
difference be made between them in their
hair, 1 Cor. xi. 14. and by the same rule, in their clothes, which
therefore ought not to be confounded, either in ordinary wear, or
occasionally. To befriend a lawful escape or concealment, it may be done; but
whether for sport, or in the actings of plays, is justly questionable.
1.
Some think it refers to the idolatrous custom of the Gentiles: in the worship
of Venus, women appeared in armour, and men in women’s clothes; this, as
other such superstitious usages, is here said to be an
abomination to the Lord.
2.
It forbids the confounding of the dispositions and affairs of the sexes; men
must not be effeminate, nor do the women’s work in the house; nor must women
be viragos, pretend to teach or usurp
authority, 1 Tim. ii. 11, 12.
3.
Probably, this confounding of garments had been used to gain opportunity of
committing uncleanness, and is therefore forbidden: for those that would be
kept from sin, must keep themselves from all occasions of it and approaches to
it.
Reference
“A
Commentary on the Holy Bible,” Ward, Lock & Co., Vol 2, p 475.
