Hair Doctrine?
© 2001 Stan Hallett
Hair Doctrine?
I need to tell the truth in an effort to put an end to what I believe is false teaching, legalism and persecution in the Church.
I firmly believe that any Saint of God of that can separate themselves from the prejudices and man-made traditions for long enough to prayerfully study out what Paul was actually saying to the Corinthians, will see the truth of the matter.
1 Corinthians 11:6 – “For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.”
Some Church assemblies teach that this means a woman cannot “cut” her hair, ever. Many teach that if she cuts her hair that is is condemned to hell. This is ludicrous!
A close study reveals two things here.
1. Paul is speaking of a woman not being covered while praying or prophesying as shameful to a woman as it would be if she were shorn or shaven.
2. He is using the terms shorn or shaven as though they were the same or similar things and indeed they are.
Shorn = 3 times, Cut = 308 times
The word “shorn” is used only 3 times in the entire collection of books and letters we call the Bible. Each time it is used it is referring to, or relating to something as sheep are shorn. Paul uses “shaven” or “shorn” here as though they were similar or the same thing. Shaving is the removal of all hair to the skin’s surface by shaving with a sharp razor-like instrument. Shorn refers to removing all hair or wool by using sheers, cutting as close to the skins surface as possible therefore removing all the hair or wool possible.
Song of Solomon 4:2 – “Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.”
This scripture refers to the evenness as when sheep are shorn because they are no longer wooly and uneven but shorn and smooth and even to the appearance having been shorn with all wool removed.
Acts 18:18 – “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.”
I think we can agree that in this passage Paul has shorn his head as sheep are shorn and therefore removed all his hair with sheers. I don’t think anyone would say that he simply trimmed his hair or cut off his split ends. No, he cut off all of his hair with sheers because of his vow.
1 Corinthians 11:6 – “For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.”
This is the third and last place this word shorn is used in the Bible. Any astute Bible scholar looking for the truth can see that Paul is using the terms or actions shorn and shaven as though they were the same or very similar things.
If we want to just find the definition we like that agrees with our own doctrine it is not hard to do. If you look up the word “shorn” in most modern dictionaries you will indeed find as one of the definitions that it means to cut. You can accept this as a vindication if you wish and say “see, I was right” but you would be wrong. Certainly cutting is being done, but the word shorn had a definite meaning in both the Old and New Testaments.
In the Old Testament the word shorn is translated from the Hebrew word “qatsab” pronounced kaw-tsab’. It’s meaning according to Strong’s means to cut down or to cut off as in the removal of all. In the New Testament the word shorn is translated from the Greek word “keiro” pronounced ki’-ro. It’s meaning according to Strong’s is 1) to sheer: a sheep 2) to get or let be shorn 3) of shearing or cutting short the hair of the head.
Shorn is used in the Bible 3 times, however the word cut is used in the Bible 308 times. If Paul meant that it was a shame for women to cut their hair in any fashion he would have said “cut”.
He was not speaking of cutting the hair. He was saying only that a woman should keep her hair long and that it was a shame for women to shave or sheer off all of their hair. Likewise it was a shame for a man to have long hair.
The question arises then, what is long? I believe this is a very natural thing to for the individual saint to discern for themselves.
Take this first silhouette. If a man’s hair would be this length, I think that we can all agree that we would say it is good. However I think that most of us would also agree that it would be way too short for a woman.
In this silhouette, again I think we would all agree that it would be way too long and effeminate for a man, but long and very appropriate for a woman.
How about this one? I think for most of us would say that it is too long and effeminate for a man. Yet, it would also be considered short, and not long as Paul instructs, for women making a fairly wide and distinct, natural separation. It’s really a very natural thing for a Spirit filled saint of God to discern for themselves without imposing any rules or laws.
Do you have questions? Feel free to write to me via my contact form.
