Nazarene vow

I think it's more acurately referred to as the Nazarite Vow. Jesus was called a Nazarene but that was simply in reference to where he was from.



It had to do with seperating himself (the Nazarite) from certain things for a period of time to focus entirely on Jehovah. Not cutting his hair during that time was to show that he'd overcome his pride, since long hair was an indication of shame. Abstaining from wine or anything from the vine showed that he was willing to sacrifice the joys that life had to offer. Avoiding the dead was symbolic of leaving behind the dead (sin) of the world. And then, at the end of the seperation period, the Nazarite would go to the tabernacle and go through the sacrifice ritual. "The hair of his seperation" would be shaven and offered as a sacrifice to Jehovah. Afterwards, the restrictions of the vow were removed.

Paul tells us we should seperate ourselves from the death of this world. Jesus also said 'let the dead bury their dead'.

The whole idea is that seperation from worldly things brings us closer to Christian holiness.

Or, at least, that's my interpretation of it.

Love, Heather

Mea Culpa said:

Hi,

I was wondering a couple of things.

1. What exactly was the Nazarene vow?

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I think you mean Nazarite vow.

I know it involved cutting off all your hair, or growing it long, but for what purpose?

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Simply put, it was an act of submission to God and seperation with the world.

2. Why did Paul take a Nazarene vow?

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I don't believe that he did. Where are you finding this in scripture?

Does it have any bearing on us today, is it something that a Christian should consider, or was it an OT kind of vow?

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No, this was an OT thing.

Mea Culpa said:

Hi,

I was wondering a couple of things.

1. What exactly was the Nazarene vow? I know it involved cutting off all your hair, or growing it long, but for what purpose?

2. Why did Paul take a Nazarene vow? Does it have any bearing on us today, is it something that a Christian should consider, or was it an OT kind of vow?

I am just curious, as I have read about it. I am especially interested in what you guys think Paul did it for, or the reasons behind taking the vow in the first place. For Paul to take a vow there must have been a good reason.

Thanks for your help in advance,

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Hi there!



I think you mean John the Baptist, who did take the nazarite vow.

If you are citing the text of Acts 18:18 concerning Paul... the vow was not a nazarite vow, for the nazarite vow required that the head be shaven at the entrance to the temple in Jerusalem, and the context of the passage is not Jerusalem.


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.


~serapha~

I believe certainly that only Jews are able to make such a vow, since Num 6:2 begins with the words "Speak unto the children of Israel." Futhermore, I do not believe it would be right even for a Jewish Christian to take such a vow.

(1) They would be unable to pray for the duration of the vow, seeing as how the Scripture says "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head" and the covering in context certainly includes long hair. 1 Cor 11:4
(2) They would be a bad example to Gentile Christians concerning 1 Cor 11, since they would be claiming some ethnicly based exemption from the commands there.
(3) They would be unable to observe the communion for the duration of the vow since Nazarites cannot consume anything from grapes.