Men With Long Hair - Is It Biblical? Bodi Hodge, M.S.
Text passages are color coded as NIV in red, KJV in blue, and NASB in green.Hair - why is it that over the past 4000 years men commonly had hair that was at least shoulder length but now in the past 100 years it has become 'style' to have hair the length of a sheared sheep and men who still have hair are looked down upon? I don't get it. Ever since the world's troops went through 2 world wars and began shaving their heads to reduce lice and disease does not mean we have that problem if we keep ourselves well-groomed and out of trenches. As a Christian, the Bible is the standard to look to for correcting themselves. It is a powerful book that is the written Word of God. It is the most criticized book in all of history and has stood up scientifically, philosophically, and archaeologically. There has never been a valid contradiction in its pages. 2
Timothy 3
2
Timothy 3
2
Timothy 3
The Bible has quite a number
of verses regarding hair. The Bible was written over the period of
about 1500 years by over 40 different authors. Parts of it were written
well over 3300 years ago. It is some of the oldest documented writings
in written history.
Leviticus
10
Leviticus
10
Leviticus
10
Here, Moses is speaking to the priests (not priests in the Catholic sense but Levites) who were under particular care of the Temple. He informs them that they are to have their hair kept in order. Dictionary.com defines unkempt as: a. Not combed: unkempt
hair.
The Hebrew word for ‘uncover’ is 06544 ‘paw-rah’ Its definition is as follows. 1) to lead, act as leader
So we know that the Jewish priests were to have their hair orderly. They were not to let their hair be ‘let loose’ or ‘neglected’. Thus they are to take care of it. With respect to people other than the Levite priests, Isaiah gives us insight. Isaiah
3
Isaiah
3
Isaiah
3
The difference between here and Leviticus 10 is that Leviticus 10 was speaking to the Levite priests and Isaiah speaks to the rest. Isaiah is referring figuratively to those who will receive judgment instead of a blessing. A blessing is equated with well-dressed hair and a curse is equated with baldness. Leviticus
14
8
“The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair
and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. After this he
may come into the camp, but he must stay outside his tent for seven days.
Leviticus
14
Leviticus
14
When a person is sick or diseased, they are to shave their head and all other hair on their body to become clean again. This is understandable in the medical sense because many diseases caused by bacteria, fungus, and small animals could be shielded by hair and thrives due to it (such as lice). This is a major reason people in trenches in the World Wars cut their hair to reduce lice. The Bible enlightened them to this process and it helped tremendously. In fact, the U.S. military now requires their subjects to keep their hair at a minimum due to the World Wars’ situation and to keep the troops prepared for such future events. From this passage, it is easy to see that short or even shaven hair on a man is not a sin, but is often a symbol of a recovery from uncleanness. This is part of a passage that the Lord told Moses to speak to the entire assembly of Israel. Leviticus
19
Leviticus
19
Leviticus
19
The Hebrew word for ‘round off’ is 05362 'naqaph naw-kaf’. It definition is below 1) to strike, strike off
This verse yields some light as to length of hair that is acceptable. When God spoke to Moses He said that the hair on the sides of your head shouldn’t be stricken. This can allow the hair to get quite long on the sides. It also brings up the question, “which sides?” The verse could easily indicate all sides but this may be going too far. The Israelites, obviously knew what God meant. Please see the following article and Egyptian art indicating the styles of Hebrew hair. http://www.museum.upenn.edu/Canaan/PersonalIdentity.shtml They grew the hair out of the sides (right and left and back side) of their head. Some had a curly type of hair; some had hair that was straight. What is interesting is that hair length (shaved or not cut at all) is not a factor of sin. Matthew
5
Matthew
5
Matthew
5
Jesus said that he came to fulfill the Law, which meant he lived it perfectly where no person could. Thus, he didn’t cut the hair on the sides of his head. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law by letting his hair on the sides of head grow. Had he not, then He didn’t fulfill the Law. Jesus, being God, cannot sin against his Own Word in Leviticus. Therefore, to fulfill the Law, he had to have long hair in order to be God, the Son. Numbers
6
Numbers
6
Numbers
6
Numbers
6
Here, anyone who makes a vow to God becomes a Nazirite. When one becomes a Nazirite then they are not to cut their hair. It is to grow long. This is a symbol of the vow taken to God. As a Christian, one who sees someone with long hair should first consider the possibility that the person is devoted to God via a special vow. When one becomes a Nazirite, they give up all things made with grapes including wine. Also they are not be in the presence of a dead body (unless he/she were the one responsible for making it a dead body as Samson was prone to doing). And finally, they are to let their hair grow during the duration of the vow. Samson is perhaps the most famous Nazirite. He had long hair. Judges
16
19 Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. Judges
16
19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. Judges
16
19 She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. Every Christian should recall the great Samson. He was a judge and was set-aside to God. He had hair of great length and the strength of many men and the Lord was with him. He was a Nazirite with long hair and it pleased God. His strength left him because God left him when his hair was cut, breaking the Nazirite vow. At the end of a Nazirite vow, the hair is to be shaved and offered as a sacrifice to God similar to a grain or an animal sacrifice because it is something of value that you will lose for the sake of God. Now, a logical question comes
up. Should a Christian take a vow to God or was this done away with
when Jesus resurrected?
Acts
18
Acts
18
Acts
18
Here, Paul had his hair cut due to a vow. He made a vow and thus became a Nazirite. This vow made him a Nazirite because it was a vow to God. Once the vow was complete he was required to cut his hair as to complete the Nazirite vow. It is pretty obvious then that he let his hair grow during the duration of the vow. Therefore, one can make a vow to God even after Jesus’ resurrection. Again, the Bible is clear the God doesn’t equate long hair on a man with sin. Next, we move to another character in the Old Testament – Absalom. 2
Samuel 14
2
Samuel 14
2
Samuel 14
The Bible is clear that God regarded Absalom as beautiful and without a physical defect or blemish. If God truly regarded long hair on a man as unclean or sinful, then why would He say this? God is being very clear that long hair is a sign of beauty. God, being the creator, said Absalom’s hair was beautiful and his hair was handsome. Who are we to argue with a perfect God? Another famous character in the Old Testament was Solomon and his wisdom. He says: Song
of Solomon 5
Song
of Solomon 5
Song
of Solomon 5
Solomon agreed that hair was common in length when referring to men. Wavy hair means that it was long enough to develop the wave and it was compared to gold…something very valuable. This verse affirms the rest of the Biblical passages we have discussed referring to men’s hair length that God doesn’t look down upon it but actually compares it to something of value. Ezekiel
44
Ezekiel
44
Ezekiel
44
Ezekiel
44
Here, another command is given to the Levite priests, specifically the descendants of Zadok. They are not to shave their head nor let their hair get long. Please note that I am not a Jew nor of a division of the Jews known as the Levites nor a descendant of Zadok. I am a gentile Christian, thus, not commanded to follow this rule or others referring strictly to the Levite priests. The verse, though, that I do hear the most is: 1
Corinthians 11
1
Corinthians 11
1
Corinthians 11
This always intrigued me because the rest of the Bible teaches the splendor of hair on both men and women. What Paul does here is simple: He asks a question. Most people don’t realize that this is a question. Fewer people still realize that Paul continues and answer this question. Most people I know do not quote the question but just this portion: “if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him” They preach this line as if it is a command but the problem is that it is part of a question…not a statement and definitely not a command. Let’s evaluate the context of this passage: 1
Corinthians 11
1
Corinthians 11
1
Corinthians 11
The Greek word for ‘nature’ in this passage is: 5449 'phusis foo’-sis'. 1) nature
The first thing I want you to realize is that ‘nature’ is not God and the definition is clear that it isn’t. Therefore, this teaching from ‘nature’ is not from God but from elsewhere. When I read the Bible passage discussing what ‘nature’ is teaching I see two questions? 1. Does the very nature
of things teach you that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?
So the entire validity of these statements depends if the ‘nature of things’ is trustworthy or not. So let’s evaluate if it is proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? How does Paul answer in verse 15? He says emphatically that her hair was given to her as a covering thus NOT her ‘glory’. So ‘nature’ or the ‘nature of things’ is wrong. So, why would anyone trust ‘nature’ when we know that Paul said it was wrong? The answer to the overall question is 'yes she should have her head covered but not necessarily with a hat but simply with her hair.’ God already covered her head. Paul also continues, with respect to the issue of women and a covering, that the church has no other teaching (1 Corinthians 11:16). Paul asks, “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?” Well, Paul answers the question so it is not rhetorical. He answers the question in the latter part of verse 15… No, it is not her glory but it is given to her for a covering. Therefore, the ‘nature of things’ misled people to improperly answer such things as ‘God gave her hair for her glory’ but this was the wrong way to think. Paul’s conclusion is logical since the creation (nature) has been cursed in Genesis 3 and Romans 8. Therefore, nothing in ‘nature’ should ever be trusted over God’s Word. One should always go to God’s Word for the answer instead of relying on what ‘nature’ teaches. Since the ‘nature of things’ was wrong, there is no reason to trust it when it speaks on men’s hair length. The very ‘nature of things’ teaches that long hair on a man is a disgrace but as Paul indicates…the ‘nature of things’ is not the correct way to think. Now, when you read this passage in context, it makes sense with other passages in the Old and New Testaments. The ‘nature of things’ seems to be man-made ideals. They are not from God because God is never wrong. We should always develop our thinking from the Bible and not take man’s ideas to the Bible. Paul indicated that the ‘nature of things’ was wrong in its philosophy. The verses above did not say anything about God saying that it was a disgrace for a man to have long hair but that ‘nature’ was wrong. Psalms
118
Psalm
118
Psalm
118
Paul asks the question and then answers it saying that that it is the wrong way to think. So if Christians want to take verses out of context then they are not acting Christian-like and need to be corrected. Therefore, no Christian, according to the Bible, should object to a man having long hair. If they do, they either don’t understand the Scriptures, simply choose not to follow them, or believe in man-made ideals such as the ‘nature of things’ instead. The primary reason a Christian would say such things as ‘it is a disgrace for a man to have long hair’ is due to their presuppositions. They first believe that it is a disgrace then they try to force this belief into the Bible. They should start their thinking with the Bible instead of starting their thinking with man’s ideas. An ideal Christian would have God’s ideas as a presupposition instead of man’s ideas. The Bible even warns that people would begin to believe man’s hollow philosophies instead of God’s Word (Christ’s Word). Please see: Colossians
2
Colossians
2
Colossians
2
Sadly, many people try to state that the Bible can be interpreted any way they like. Thus, they say they don’t have to follow the plain interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:13-16. They claim that the plain reading isn’t correct and that the portion of the question can be taken as a command. This is a clear indication that they have compromised the Bible. In essence, they are taking man’s ideas and elevating them to the status of God’s Word. This is a fallacy. However, this is in direct violation of how God, through Paul, tells us how to interpret the Bible. Please see: 2
Corinthians 4
2
Corinthians 4
2
Corinthians 4
Paul is clear that we are not to use deception nor distort the Word of God. On the contrary to these deceptions and distortions, we are to set forth the truth plainly or straightforwardly. This is confirmed in Proverbs 8:8-9. Proverbs
8
Proverbs
8
Proverbs
8
Some have commented that the verse in Leviticus 19, either no longer applies or should be interpreted in a manner inconsistent with its reading. However, again they would be using a deceptive philosophy and trying to force their belief into the Bible. In fact, Moses confirms that the Leviticus passage is written clearly and no strange interpretations need to be applied. Please see: Deuteronomy
27
Deuteronomy
27
Deuteronomy
27
The ‘law’ is Genesis through Deuteronomy. This means that Leviticus 19:27 is written straightforward and clear. The passage means what it says. The Bible is consistent when you trust its plain meaning from beginning to end. If one consistently uses Scripture to interpret Scripture and not man’s ideas to interpret Scripture, then that person is ready to learn from God instead of trying to tell God what they think. The root of the problem seems to be that not all Christians trust the Bible. There are three classes of ‘Christians’ that I have observed. There are those who trust God’s Word and start their thinking from the Bible instead of taking any other beliefs to the Bible. These Christians are called Biblical Christians. This is the type of Christian that one should strive to be. They trust God’s Word (the original autographs) and they use the Bible to correct themselves as they grow in their Christian lives. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean they are perfect. The next class of Christians are those who take some of man’s ideas and mix them with the Bible. These people are called Compromised Christians. They have their own beliefs and take them and force them into the Bible someplace either by strange interpretations or by simply ignoring passages in the Bible. Many times they are unaware that they have been compromised. These people don’t always accept the Bible for correcting themselves, but instead take the Bible and interpret it in a strange fashion to fit with their preconceived beliefs. This is not the type of Christian one should be. These people are still Christians but they need to learn to trust the Bible in all areas instead of just 'some' areas. The final group is non-Biblical Christians. They call themselves Christians but have little to no respect for the Bible’s teachings or Christ. They trust their own views as truth instead of the Bible. So really they aren’t Christians but they want to be associated with the name. For example, if one is born into a Christian family but reject the Bible and Christ they may keep their family happy by calling themselves ‘Christians’. This is not type of Christian represented in the Bible. I will let you judge for yourself which you are. As a hint, if you are a Biblical Christian, then you probably have absolutely no problem with issue of men’s hair. The Bible is clear and since a Biblical Christian starts their thinking from the Bible, then you were probably already aware of its teaching on this. If you are a Compromised Christian, then the issue of men’s hair may be a stumbling block. In fact, this is probably a rude awakening. It is sometimes hard to align yourself with the Bible after believing something for so long. I want to encourage you to trust the Bible in all areas, not just specific areas. I also want to encourage you to search the Scriptures as the noble Bereans did. They were commended for studying the Scriptures to verify a teaching. If men’s hair length is a problem for you, then search it yourself in the Bible. Remember, not to take your own views to the Bible but let the Bible teach you. If you are a non-Biblical Christian, I want to encourage you to trust the Bible. I know you probably have numerous questions standing between you and your acceptance of the Bible. So I want to direct you to a site that answers the most-asked questions regarding the Bible and offers a defense of it. Here is the link to the Answers in Genesis Q&A section: http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/qa.asp I also want to encourage you to check out the Tektonics site that answers alleged Biblical contradictions: http://www.tektonics.org/TK-GEN.html I pray this helps and have a great day, God bless
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