| I'm not going to offer any exegetical insight into this but there is ample historical evidence from the Talmud that Jewish men considered the uncovering of their feet or calves to be shameful. It was undiginified for, especially, the old men to do anything that might expose even their feet. There are some passages in the Talmud that prefer that the Priests let the bottom of their garments become drenched with blood rather than expose their feet by lifting them up.
I believe much of this, however, is cultural in terms of their insistence on keeping their calves and feet covered. It wasn't an issue of modesty of the men but of dignity. This may be a more apt description of why Peter put on his outergarment.
Incidentally, this is one of the reasons that men had to "gird up their loins" because, except for Shaolin Monks in Kung Fu movies, it's nigh impossible to move around quickly when you're wearing a garment that drapes to the ground. They would gather up the bottom material and tuck it in to their belts so they would be agile and quick.
But running and fighting was for the young kids and warriors and not the old, dignified men.
On a side note, this is one of the elements of the story of the Prodigal Son that makes it so shocking and beautiful. There are many elements of that parable that demonstrate the willingness of the Father to endure shame and reproach from his son and then for him. One of those elements is that the man actually ran to meet his son. I'm told that some Aramaic translation omit the portion about the father running because Middle Eastern cultures, to this day, find this idea loathsome. |