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1Pe_3:3. ὧν ἔστω ] The genitive ὧν does not depend on a κόσμος to be supplied from the predicate ὁ ἔξωθεν … κόσμος (de Wette, Wiesinger, Schott, Hofmann); such a construction, arbitrary in itself, is here entirely inadmissible on account of the remoteness of the predicate, from which the idea wanting is to be taken. The genitive is rather ruled by ἔστω . εἶναί τινος expresses, as usual, the relation of belonging to; the sense is therefore: “whose business let it be,” i.e. who have to occupy themselves with.[169]
οὐχ ὁ ἔξωθεν κ . τ . λ .] As often in our epistle, the negative preceding the positive.
ὁ ἔξωθεν is closely joined together with κόσμος . The genitives which stand between, and are dependent on κόσμος , serve to determine the idea more precisely; their position immediately after ὁ ἔξωθεν is explained from the intention of the writer to lay special emphasis on them, since it belongs to women to take pleasure in adorning themselves in this wise. The whole expression is to be interpreted thus: “outward adornment wrought by the plaiting of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel.”
ἐμπλοκή , ἅπ . λεγ . (in the passage specially to be compared with this, 1Ti_2:9, πλέγματα is used), not: “the plaits,” but “the plaiting;” it is an active idea, like περίθεσις and ἔνδυσις ; “these verbalia describe the vain occupation of worldly women” (Wies.); χρύσια are golden ornaments generally.
The last two members of the clause, united by ἤ , are connected with the first by καί , because they have reference to things which are put on the body.
[169] When Hofmann would advance against this construction that the affirmative subject (ver. 4) is not suitable to it, “since it may be said of the hidden man of the heart, that it should be the woman’s adornment, but not that it should be her business, for she herself is that hidden man,” it must be observed in reply that it is not ὁ κρυπτὸς … ἄνθρωπος in itself, but ὁ κρυπτὸς … ἄνθρωτος ἐν τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ κ . τ . λ ., which is to he taken as that which should be characteristic of women; as Hofmann also in his expositions says, the adornment of women is not indicated by the simple, but by the compound expression.