Hair and Nature?

[Praxeas]

What does Paul mean by "Nature"?

the NET bible commentary says

1Co 11:14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

5 sn Paul does not mean nature in the sense of "the natural world" or "Mother Nature." It denotes "the way things are" because of God's design.

So..

1Co 11:14 Does not the way things are because of God's design itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

Comments?

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

What does Paul mean by "Nature"?

the NET bible commentary says

1Co 11:14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

5 sn Paul does not mean nature in the sense of "the natural world" or "Mother Nature." It denotes "the way things are" because of God's design.

So..

1Co 11:14 Does not the way things are because of God's design itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

Comments?

Does any other Bible commentaries say that this is what Paul was trynig to say?

If so, I find this interpretation troubling.

[shazeep]

i might too; until i watch a guy with long hair do that hand-flip thing with his hair, then it gets clearer?

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by shazeep

i might too; until i watch a guy with long hair do that hand-flip thing with his hair, then it gets clearer?

Seriously, that interpretation, in light of Samson and his Nazarite Vow, is problematic for me.

[Praxeas]

The NET bible is more of an exegetical commentary. Most commentaries don't have men like Daniel Wallace contributing

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Seriously, that interpretation, in light of Samson and his Nazarite Vow, is problematic for me.

hmm, my take there is that that is OT #1, Sampson is maybe a special case #2, and you should go with what you are comfortable with above all else. i've found that for anything one tries to 'prove' with Scripture, its opposite seems to also be 'provable,' thus maintaining the mirror? I dislike 'codifying' the Spirit, and i think the Spirit should guide one in these matters.

As an example, when i hear 'long hair,' my image is of hair at least halfway down ones back. 'Long hair' to you might be touching the shoulders. Etc

[Praxeas]

JFB

1Co 11:14 The fact that nature has provided woman, and not man, with long hair, proves that man was designed to be uncovered, and woman covered. The Nazarite, however, wore long hair lawfully, as being part of a vow sanctioned by God (Num_6:5). Compare as to Absalom, 2Sa_14:26, and Act_18:18.

[shazeep]

Male lions have the mane, = nature.

Num 6:5
...and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow."

what exactly are 'the locks?' they have a specific word for sidelocks, i guess...

what is JFB, Prax?...just for...um.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Wouldn't a man's hair be long if he never cut it?

Aren't some women's hair short, regardless of what they try or do?

[shazeep]

Hmm; mightn't Sampson's hair have stopped growing at some point, a la a lion's mane? i have trouble envisioning Sampson at work with Pentecostal female hair...so there you go. kind of like the women in your example, can't grow hair past a certain length, maybe.