Evidence for God from Science

FFC wrote:1 Corinthians 11:14
Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him?

I used to be an Independent fundamentalist and I was told that I had to cut my hair short because it was a sin. What does this verse mean? Any ideas?

Byblos wrote:

FFC wrote:1 Corinthians 11:14
Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him?

I used to be an Independent fundamentalist and I was told that I had to cut my hair short because it was a sin. What does this verse mean? Any ideas?

Didn't Jesus and several of his disciples have long hair? (or is that due to Hollywood's artistic license?).

FFC wrote:
1 Corinthians 11:14
Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him?

I used to be an Independent fundamentalist and I was told that I had to cut my hair short because it was a sin. What does this verse mean? Any ideas?

Byblos wrote:
Didn't Jesus and several of his disciples have long hair? (or is that due to Hollywood's artistic license?).

Byblos wrote:

FFC wrote:1 Corinthians 11:14
Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him?

I used to be an Independent fundamentalist and I was told that I had to cut my hair short because it was a sin. What does this verse mean? Any ideas?

Didn't Jesus and several of his disciples have long hair? (or is that due to Hollywood's artistic license?).

• That [Paul] specifically mentions hair in these verses does not mean that hair has been the topic throughout this section (contra Blomberg 1994: 213-14). It is brought up only as a final illustration as to why women should have a cover but men should not.
  
  When Paul speaks of "nature" . . . he means what his society understands to be natural. Sicne male hair grows the same way as female hair does, he must be referring to hair that conforms to societel expectations concerning male and female hairdos. In general, it was dishonorable for men in this culture to have long hair . . . He may be referring to an overly elaborate coiffure, since Roman men normally kept their hair short (see Horace, Ep. 11.28; Juvenal, Sat. 2.96; Petronius, Satyr. 119). In a diatribe against a young student associated with Corinith "whose hair was somewhat too elaborately dressed," Epictetus (Diatr. 3.1.1-45) asks, "Are you a man or a woman?" and brands his hairstyle a complaint against nature. Philo rails against "the disease of effemination" among men who debase "the sterling coin of nature" and are distinguished by braiding and adorning themselves with feminine hairstyles (Spec. Laws 3.7 . . .). In Ps.-Phoc. 210-12, we find this warning:
  
  • If a child is a boy, do not let locks grow on [his] head. Do not braid [his] crown nor cross knots at the top of his head. Long hair is not fit for boys, but for voluptuous women.
  Winter (2001: 132) points out that the only surviving statues in Corinth portraying men wearing long hair, besides male deities, are those appearing in teh Facade of the Captives in the forum in Roman Cointh. Their long hair is intended to send the message that these captives were weak, soft, and effeminate. Long hair for men is unnatural for Paul because in his cultural context it conveys sexual ambiguity and hits of moral perversion.

An excerpt from the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1 Corinthians, by David Garland (Baker: 2003), pp 530-31:

That [Paul] specifically mentions hair in these verses does not mean that hair has been the topic throughout this section (contra Blomberg 1994: 213-14). It is brought up only as a final illustration as to why women should have a cover but men should not.

When Paul speaks of "nature" . . . he means what his society understands to be natural. Sicne male hair grows the same way as female hair does, he must be referring to hair that conforms to societel expectations concerning male and female hairdos. In general, it was dishonorable for men in this culture to have long hair . . . He may be referring to an overly elaborate coiffure, since Roman men normally kept their hair short (see Horace, Ep. 11.28; Juvenal, Sat. 2.96; Petronius, Satyr. 119). In a diatribe against a young student associated with Corinith "whose hair was somewhat too elaborately dressed," Epictetus (Diatr. 3.1.1-45) asks, "Are you a man or a woman?" and brands his hairstyle a complaint against nature. Philo rails against "the disease of effemination" among men who debase "the sterling coin of nature" and are distinguished by braiding and adorning themselves with feminine hairstyles (Spec. Laws 3.7 . . .). In Ps.-Phoc. 210-12, we find this warning:


If a child is a boy, do not let locks grow on [his] head. Do not braid [his] crown nor cross knots at the top of his head. Long hair is not fit for boys, but for voluptuous women.

Winter (2001: 132) points out that the only surviving statues in Corinth portraying men wearing long hair, besides male deities, are those appearing in teh Facade of the Captives in the forum in Roman Cointh. Their long hair is intended to send the message that these captives were weak, soft, and effeminate. Long hair for men is unnatural for Paul because in his cultural context it conveys sexual ambiguity and hits of moral perversion.
Pretty much everyone has the same take on this. I thought this would be especially useful due to the historical references. Regardless, it doesn't say to us today that men ought not wear long hair.

God bless

zoegirl wrote:"Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair..."

Just had to throw that in.

I believe (what little I remember from my history class) that the Roman military really brought in the short hair because it was safer during battle. Could be wrong....

So from a societal perspective it was probably more common in Paul's time for men to have shorter hair. (remember when the Brutus style was in a few years ago? George Clooney, anyone?)

As to Jesus...?

zoegirl wrote:I just simply meant that who knows?

zoegirl wrote:I think a lot has to do with Rennaisance paintings and tradition....