Mixed Fabrics

[farglefeezlebut]

What is Deut. 22:11 all about? I know it's ritual law, but ritual laws are usually meant tohave symbolic meaning, but I can't find anything on this.
Also, did this go out with Peter's dream, or does it still apply? And does it only apply to linen and wol, or to other blended fabrics?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

What an obscure verse to pick...there doesn't seem to be a great amount of commentary on the verse (I've oly had some quick online searches), but those commentaries seem to focus on sexually related issues. A protestant commentary says that mixing these types of cloth would have been a form of cross-dressing (presumably, though he doesn't explain, men would wear one type of fabric and women another in those times). St. Augustine thought of it as being sexually related, too, although he interpreted it differently: "This is now lawful. But a virgin consecrated to God, must not dress like a married woman: the different states of life must not be confounded" (Haydock Commentary). So it seems to Augustine, virgins and married women would wear different clothing (St. Augustine's interpretation is no surprise...he had much to do with these sorts of issues, even to the point of being controversial in our time, for example, he said it was a sin to wear make-up, which can be debated legitimately among theologians).

This would probably be one of those situations in which the underlying principal (be it "don't cross-dress" or "don't mislead others by the way you dress/act") would remain in effect, but the particulars would likely change with cultural context. Those cultural clothing norms don't exist for us, but it would still be legitimate to say that it's wrong for a man to wear an article of clothing made exclusively for women or vice-versa (in fact, our modern culture considers that a matter of fettish or sexual perversion, even though our culture is also in favor of fettishes and perversions).

I hope this helps, though I realize that the answer is probably not sufficient.

God bless,

Micah