What does the Bible say about men having long hair?

This is a topic that needs a lot of explanation. I will try to cover as much as possible while at the same time being short and simple. First of all, the debate of Jesus having long hair is not a topic at all if you just read the Bible. But it does become an issue when an artist (possibly a Catholic sissy) decides to paint picture of Christ with long hair. The confusion probably comes from distinguishing between the meanings of the terms "Nazarite" and "Nazarene." Samson was a "Nazarite" which was a term given to a man in the Old Testament times when he took a vow to bear reproach and shame for the Lord's sake. It is taught in the New Testament that it is a shame for a man to have long hair in 1 Corinthians 11:14. But Jesus was a "Nazarene" which is a term for someone who was a citizen of the city of Nazareth. When a "Nazarite" fulfilled his vow at the appointed time, he would then eventually shave his head back to normal. Absalom, one of David's sons, had a very bad experience with his long hair in 2 Samuel 18:9. But now there is confusion brought to light when someone comes across 1 Corinthians 11:16 which says, "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God." God is not changing His commandment in the previous verses. The context is teaching that if a man is contentious by already having his hair short, then there should not be a custom or a rule for him to practice something that he is already practicing. There is an important lesson about grace in this verse. It teaches us that we shouldn't have to have customs to force things upon man. If a man is born-again, then it will be the grace of God that gets those scissors to that long, effeminate looking hair. It will be the grace of God that also gets into his wallet to give in the offering plate. Preachers must preach on what the Word Of God says, but must be willing for the grace of God and His Spirit, and not a custom, to intervene and do the changing upon who is being preached to. The grace of God does not teach us to live like we want to live, but how God wants us to live (Titus 2:11-12).

Back to the Index