More On Beards

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by UnTraditional

I wrote a bit about this a bit ago. I had facial hair, and my avatar on here shows it. But, since God has done what He has done in my life, I looked around and saw the elders of my church, and saw their lives and ministry. As the Spirit led me, He began dealing with me on my own life, and yes, this included facial hair. While having a beard is not a sin, the reasoning behind it can be. I wore the beard and goatee because of rebellion, because I did not want to fit in with the norm. But, as I looked at my elders and saw my own life, yes, they are clean shaven, but they do things of a right spirit. So, last night, I shaved everything off.

What we do and why we do it is as important as all else. You can do something that is not a sin, and then have the wrong reasons for it. I am not saying everyone who has a beard does so for the wrong reasons, but I did. I saw my own life, and discerned ( I know many do not like that word) the why as well as the what. Maybe that should be more the focus, the reasoning, than just the act.

Anyways, my 2 cents worth, for whatever it is worth.

I go around scraggly out of laziness mostly.

When I came back to God I actually argued with God about shaving my beard and He told me that it wasnt about submitting to a man...it was about submitting to Him since He told me to do it....so I shaved and havent "bushed out" since.

[Amanah]

When early Christians were not showing Christ as heavenly ruler, they showed Jesus as an actual man like any other: beardless and short-haired.


The earliest surviving paintings of Jesus, from the church at the ruined city of Dura-Europos on the Euphrates (dating from first half of the 3rd Century AD)

In the 1st Century Graeco-Roman world, being clean-shaven and short-haired was considered absolutely essential. . . .. Even a philosopher kept his hair fairly short.

A beard was not distinctive of being a Jew in antiquity. In fact, one of the problems for oppressors of Jews at different times was identifying them when they looked like everyone else (a point made in the book of Maccabees). However, images of Jewish men on Judaea Capta coins, issued by Rome after the capture of Jerusalem in 70AD, indicate captive men who are bearded.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35120965

[Amanah]

People arguing for Jesus not having a beard:


. . .The trial accounts in the gospels all mention the different things that were done to Jesus in terms of physical abuse. He is beaten and spat upon by the temple guards and High Priest (Matthew 26:67–68 and Mark 14:65); he is similarly mistreated by the Roman soldiers in John 19.3, and..Matthew 27:30 and Mark 15:19 include him being hit on the head. Perhaps not surprisingly, Luke gives the most detail:
The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” (Luke 22.63–64).
In these descriptions, the gospel writers appear to be consciously echoing in their descriptions one of the ‘Servant’ passages in Isaiah (these passages exercised a huge influence on NT understandings of Jesus):
I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from mocking and spitting. (Is 50.6)
..What is striking here is that Isaiah talks of the ‘servant’ suffering from mocking and spitting and beating and pulling out the beard. the Gospel writers, on the other hand, talk only of the mocking and spitting and beating. If Jesus had had a beard, there is no doubt it would have been pulled. If it had been pulled, there is no doubt that the Gospel writers would have noted this, because it would bring Jesus even more into line with Isaiah’s servant.

https://www.psephizo.com/biblical-st...-have-a-beard/

[Esaias]

Considering the Law forbad marring the corners of the beard, it is highly unlikely Jesus was clean shaven.

That would have put Him in with the Hellenists, would it have not?

[houston]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Considering the Law forbad marring the corners of the beard, it is highly unlikely Jesus was clean shaven.

That would have put Him in with the Hellenists, would it have not?

That doesn't matter because sacred cows and golden calves.

[Amanah]

Like I posted before, I don't think Jesus was clean shaven.
Some disagree.

There are some who feel that being clean shaven is more respectable.
Maybe society views people that are clean shaven as more respectable?

Originally Posted by Amanah

I'm sure all the prophets and apostles and Jesus himself had a beard. I think it's time for OPs to cut loose and have beards.

[Scott Pitta]

I just don't understand assigning any moral value to facial hair. It certainly says nothing about the contents of a persons heart.

If we are going to make a doctrine out of something, we better have Bible to back it up.

If it is a cultural issue, which culture does it belong to ? Is a ban on beards by Apostolics worldwide ? Do all Apostolics in each and every country ban beards ?

Early American Apostolics had facial hair and did not think anything of it. Where and why did it change ?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

I just don't understand assigning any moral value to facial hair. It certainly says nothing about the contents of a persons heart.

If we are going to make a doctrine out of something, we better have Bible to back it up.

If it is a cultural issue, which culture does it belong to ? Is a ban on beards by Apostolics worldwide ? Do all Apostolics in each and every country ban beards ?

Early American Apostolics had facial hair and did not think anything of it. Where and why did it change ?

The Devil did not want men coming to Apostolic Churches. He put it in the hearts of certain rulers to start teaching beards were sinful and men could not be members if they had beards. This teaching spread and countless thousands of sincere seeking souls wound up going elsewhere. The Devil was well pleased. Many if not most "Apostolic" Preachers are under the same delusion to this day.

They hid behind a smooth sounding excuse. Hippies wore beards! Therefore all men who wear beards are evil!

They were/are so blinded they never saw the double standard with something else they love....wearing suits and ties.

Who wears suits and ties?

Hollywood actors.
CIA hitmen.
Crooked politicians.

So doesnt this PROVE that anyone wearing suits and ties must be evil?

Should they be allowed to come to Church? Much less stand on the holy platform?

This my friends is the ludicrous and hypocritical reasoning found in a great number of "Apostolic" Churches!

[Scott Pitta]

Be nice to the Hollywood actors. Besides, they don't always wear a suit.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Amanah

When early Christians were not showing Christ as heavenly ruler, they showed Jesus as an actual man like any other: beardless and short-haired.


The earliest surviving paintings of Jesus, from the church at the ruined city of Dura-Europos on the Euphrates (dating from first half of the 3rd Century AD)

In the 1st Century Graeco-Roman world, being clean-shaven and short-haired was considered absolutely essential. . . .. Even a philosopher kept his hair fairly short.

A beard was not distinctive of being a Jew in antiquity. In fact, one of the problems for oppressors of Jews at different times was identifying them when they looked like everyone else (a point made in the book of Maccabees). However, images of Jewish men on Judaea Capta coins, issued by Rome after the capture of Jerusalem in 70AD, indicate captive men who are bearded.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35120965

Sister, you are a good one.