Originally posted by moon1969
"Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" 1 Corinthians 11:14.
Paul is the architect of Christianity, is he not. We should listen to him?
In discussing the matter of headship with the Corinthian congregation, Paul called
attention to the rule that a woman should wear a head covering when praying or
prophesying before the congregation, as a sign of subjection. In illustration, he
says: “Does not nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonour
to him; but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? Because her hair is given
her instead of a headdress.”—1Co 11:14, 15.
Paul’s reference to “nature itself” evidently included more than “custom,” which he
mentions in verse 16 in connection with the use of a head covering by women.
Hereditary characteristics also likely had a bearing on what Christians in Corinth
viewed as natural. Among Europeans (such as the Greeks), the hair of women,
when left uncut, usually becomes considerably longer than that of men. But this is
not true of the straight hair of Orientals and Indians or of the woolly hair of Blacks
and Melanesians.
In addition to their awareness of hereditary qualities among them, the Christians in
Corinth knew that it was the general practice for men to clip their hair to a moderate
length. This was common also among Jewish men; so the long uncut hair of Nazirites
marked them as men who were not following the general custom. (Nu 6:5) On the
other hand, Jewish women usually wore their hair quite long. (Lu 7:38; Joh 11:2)
And in the Greek city of Corinth, shaving a woman’s head, or clipping her hair very
short, was a sign of her being a slave or of her being in disgrace for having been
caught in fornication or adultery.—1Co 11:6.
So, when saying that “nature itself” taught them, Paul evidently had in mind various
factors that would influence their attitude as to what was natural.
source: Jehovahs Witnesses.
03 Feb '12 01:36
Men No Long Hair
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