The Narrow Path Ministries

I had some one tell me yesterday how their boyfrined came across very stern on how a man should have his hair cut short and a woman should have hers long .

That God had definate instructs on it. She said she looked up on his wall at a painting of Christ where he had long hair and asked, then why did he wear His long, or at least every one depicts him like that in art? It troubled her deeply.

I didn't feel I had the depth of answer she needed.Any repsonses to why???

I'm sure others could give more specific answers but i believe scripture teaches that men and women should dress in a way that clearly identifies which gender they belong to without being to specific as to details.

[quote]I had some one tell me yesterday how their boyfrined came across very stern on how a man should have his hair cut short and a woman should have hers long .
Hi Glow I remember back in the late 70'a when every independant baptist preacher had about 3 sermons.
1. Long hair on men
2. Women in pants and bobbed hair
3. Tithing
That was such a legalistic era and very oppressive.
[quote]I'm sure others could give more specific answers but i believe scripture teaches that men and women should dress in a way that clearly identifies which gender they belong to without being to specific as to details.
I believe the beards would give away which was which.

Paul was dealing with a social issue in the culture. Temple prostitutes both male and female. The females would have their hair cut short and the males were effiminate with long hair. So we need to understand the social environment Paul was dealing with.

The truth is, we have no idea how Jesus wore His hair. It may have been long or short, whatever the prevailing style of His culture was. From what little I have been able to find on the subject, the style in Palestine was probably considerably shorter than that depicted in classical Christian art, and that art reflects the styles of the artists' culture, rather than Christ's.

As for the necessity of a man having short hair, this concern is a petty distraction for many people, who apply the styles of the Greeks, referred to by Paul, in 1 Corinthians 11:4-15, to Christians of all times and cultures. It seems that Paul warned not to make this universal application (1 Cor.11:16). Paul's own culture (and Paul himself) may well have favored a shorter hair length for the average male, but did not see any shame in a man taking a Nazirite vow, which involved a man growing his hair long (nor did it disapprove of a woman taking the vow, which involved her shaving her head).

To suggest that God has a specific dress code for Christians (other than the broad concerns for modesty and gender-appropriateness) is to mistake God for one like ourselves, who looks on the outward appearance, rather than the heart.

I had long hair when I was young now I'm glad I have any at all.

Hi Glow,

Just curious. What was the boyfriend's answer?

livingink

This thread reminds me of a joke I heard:

A young man came to his father and said "Dad, I want a car", the dad replied "if you do good on your report card, and cut that long hair, I will buy you one. Well, a few months down the road the boy came back to his father with the report card and said "Here you go, I got all A's and one B...Are you gonna get me a car now?" The dad said "You may have done good on your report card, but you havent cut your hair!" The boy said "But dad Jesus had long hair!!" To this the dad replied "Yes, but Jesus also walked everywhere he went!!!!!" LOLOLOL

livingink


He didn't really know what to say to her, mumbled something and walked away. So she called me. Glow

The "long hair" with which Jesus is depicted, indicates no more than it being the style at the time the artists began painting Him.

There is no doubt in my mind, that Jesus hair was much shorter than that, but certainly not a crew cut either.

As I see it, Paul's instructions about it being a shame for man to have long hair, indicated that a man should not appear effeminate. Tertullian, in the second century, indicated his writing about "Christian Women's Dress", that the cutting of the beard, and the smoothing of the skin, were also ways in which men showed themselves effeminate.

Paidion

I have see you refer to Tertullian before. Who is this guy and why do you place such authority on him in reffering to biblical questions and answers. Just curious. Thanks Glow