Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

I asked this on the wrong thread. This question and the Nazarite vow has always been an interest to me...any serious thoughts about this?

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Yes Pual did and no, no serious thoughts about this ! LOL:friend

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Love U2!!!!!!!!!

And Paul was bald!

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

He was bald after he shaved his head lol

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

go thou and do likewise...

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

:dancing: shockamoo

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Well according to the way some folks interpret the Scripture as long as he cut it again sometime then it was never long. (long = uncut)

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

It was customary and cultural for Jewish men to have longer hair especially their sideburns. It was not thought of as feminine in any way it was just part of the culture. :D

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Paul did have issue with the long Hellenistic male hair styles of Corinth.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

No he did not. Show me where. And before you use Cor. you had better look at your Greek NT and see what Paul really wrote and how it is completely mistranslated.


The sentence is a statement, not a question. The text reads: "Nature itself does not teach you that if a man has long hair it is a dishonor to him."

Nature teaches us that a man's hair grows long. It is the culture which teaches us that something is shameful or not......as long as it is not expressly prohibited in God's word.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Paul's letter was a response concerning an issue reportedly troubling the Corinthian church. Paul’s primary attention through the first portion of the passage was concerning head coverings. If men were to pray or prophesy with their heads covered (as Jews did and still do) they would dishonor their “head” (meaning Christ, for he is the head of every man). If a woman were to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered (or veiled) she was immodest in public and dishonored her “head” (her husband, for the man is the head of every woman). Paul states that if a woman will not be “covered” (veiled) she is just as modest as a woman who’s hair has been shaved or shorn (treatment issued to prostitutes caught in immoral acts). Paul then ties an argument from nature itself to emphasize that even nature teaches us that women should be veiled and men should be uncovered by pointing to hair as a natural example. Nature (the natural order) illustrates that it is a “shame” for a man to have long hair because long hair is a feminine attribute and nature itself appears to thin and shorten a man’s hair as he ages. And for a woman to have short hair is like being uncovered, for long hair is a woman’s glory.

Paul’s teaching essentially emphasized head coverings as propriety and modesty in worship, drawing an example from nature itself. But the shame of the feminine styles being worn by men of the day can be seen in the Hellenistic styles of that day.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Is that really a more accurate translation?

Because it seems like it makes more sense giving the setting :)

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Paul preached long hair was a shame on males....I doubt he was a hypocrite.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

The preponderance of the available evidence contradicts this assertion.
The vast majority of bible translations render it as a question, not a statement.
I think it's quite a stretch to say that all these bible translators and Greek scholars got it wrong:

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Doesn't nature itself teach you that it is disgraceful for a man to have long hair?
King James Bible
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
American King James Version
Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame to him?
American Standard Version
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
Bible in Basic English
Does it not seem natural to you that if a man has long hair, it is a cause of shame to him?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that a man indeed, if he nourish his hair, it is a shame unto him?
Darby Bible Translation
Does not even nature itself teach you, that man, if he have long hair, it is a dishonour to him?
English Revised Version
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a dishonour to him?
Webster's Bible Translation
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man hath long hair, it is a shame to him?
Weymouth New Testament
Does not Nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair it is a dishonor to him,
World English Bible
Doesn't even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
Young's Literal Translation
doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man indeed have long hair, a dishonour it is to him?

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

good point

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Samson

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

My personal belief is that Paul is arguing that women should wear veils and he brings the natural covering as support for the veils. I personaly don't think women should cut there hair as they should let it grow. I see no reason though that women should not wear veils as well as why would Paul use the argument of natural as the reason we should wear or not wear veils if it didn't matter and was only cultural. It would make no sense. The argument that Man of Word makes is poor at the very best. It's about as bad as "geber" argument on Deut 22:5 that has no support.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

People keep bringing up nazarite or samson as some how this makes 1 Cor 11 void. God uses distinction at times as a seperation from the norm or to mark one. The nazarite vow or any other type of vow in itself it sacred which in part goesbeyond the normal means. Hair in itself is not a sin but a natural God give distinction and honor before God. If God choose to use hair in a different way concerning some type of temporal consecration.... what's wrong with that?

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

LONG hair is not a sin on a man preiod or the NAZERITE VOW IS OF SATAN!
:snapout

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

I think in the end, people just see what they want to see.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Again your failing to see the point of the Nazarite vow! It was something out of the norm than just regular life. I think the nazarite vow shows even more the fact that hair does matter as it is a outward showing. Though God may use it in different ways to him it does mean something.

Hair in itself means nothing but for the divine purpose God uses it for. In regualr life hair means headship and authority. In a Nazarite vow things are different as one stands before God in a different position of consecration.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Isn't that the way it always is.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

2 Questions:

#1 Have you looked at your Greek NT to see how it was worded before translation? (that is my point) I didn't believe it either until I looked for myself in my Nestle/Marshall.

#2 How does NATURE teach us that it is a shame for a man to have long hair?

Men have had long hair far longer in the history of mankind than they have had short hair and that is especially true of the Asian cultures.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Wow, so pagan cultures determine biblical truth. Also it was only long in compared to the butch cuts most women have today. As in time past women let there hair grow very long. Long is not to the shoulders.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Also I find it interesting that not one translation takes your view. Also do you any any scholarship that even would hint to agreeing with this position?

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

I figured I would throw this in over here since we had two threads on the same thing...

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

This is why I asked if your first post was correct because it makes more sense, to me anyway.

I've been asked several times "Where in nature does it teach that it is a shame?" (this was asked while just studying that chapter and has had NOTHING to do with any male asking why he can't have long hair. It was a honest and innocent question"). I've only ever heard VERY weak arguments. So weak that when someone asked me, I said I don't know.

So if someone can explain a solid reasoning behind this, verse as it is translated in the bible, i'd appreciate it. Seriously :)

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

No, you do not get it. God can not accept a sin for a vow. Long hair on a man is not a sin.

It was not abnormal for Absalom to have his long hair.

It is not noted that Absaloms long hair was a shame to him, King David or God.

He did not have the Nazerite vow.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Here is what I said regarding culture and something being "shameful" not sin.


"It is the culture which teaches us that something is shameful or not......as long as it is not expressly prohibited in God's word."


Culture does NOT trump God's word. Culture certainly does fill in the blanks many times on what is proper and improper. (not sinful or not)

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Native Americans are an example. Even our American fore Fathers had long hair and wigs.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

I have always been interested in the Nazarite vow.
Lots of things have symbolic meanings in the Bible and are relevant to culture of the day.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Yes I have. I didn't just pull this out of thin air. I have several Greek tools that I refer to for difficult NT passages.

Besides, I quoted 13 versions that disagree with you on that verse. (I can provide many more if you like.)
Meanwhile, can you provide 13 versions that agree with you? Somehow I think not.
Are you really serious with that question?
OK... simple answer:

The same way "the heavens declare the glory of God". (Psalm 19:1)

There's your answer,sir.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Well, I don´t like long hair on a man...but I have always wondered about the Nazarite vow and how it fit in...

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

The following is taken from "Because We Are His, Biblical Studies in Practical Holiness, The Hair Question" by Raymond Woodward...

"Some contend that while Paul taught men to have short hair, he himself took a Nazarite vow, basing this opinion on Acts 18:18 - “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.” However, the “vow” referred to in this verse is from “euche,” the same word used in James 5:15 for the “prayer” of faith. Paul did not shave his head because he was finishing a Nazarite vow, for the New Testament church did not practice that! Rather, he had just been delivered from the court of Gallio, so he needed to cut (“kiero”) his hair because he was going to prayer! Paul knew that God cared what his hair looked like!"

The whole section on hair is quite interesting.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

Can that be proven?
I find it interesting.

and please I am not for long haired men! lol...

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

"Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken" (Acts 18:18 NIV).

The only vow that required one to cut off all the hair on one's head was the Nazarite vow.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

"What shall we do ? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law" (vs.22-24 NIV).

"The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him" (vs.26-27 NIV).

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

This was arounf 56 or so AD...

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

I know a few that teach that the shaving of the head was done as part of a purification "IN ORDER TO" start a fresh dedication. It was not "BECAUSE" a dedication HAD occurred.

Re: Did Paul let his hair grow long?
 

YOU may be reading it that way, but Nestles Greek does not word it that way. The exact words used is:

Not nature [her]self teaches you that a man indeed if he wears his hair long it is a dishonour to him

Of course ALL versions of the bible got it wrong when they stated that nature DOES teach you that if a man wears his hair long it is a dishonour to him.