Did Jesus Have Long Hair?

9/6 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 31; 1 Corinthians 11; Ezekiel 9; Psalm 48

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9/6 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 31; 1 Corinthians 11; Ezekiel 9; Psalm 48

1 Corinthians 11:14

Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,

HAIR

To simply answer the question posed in the title: NO. While the apostle makes this statement in conveying the truth of authority and submission, this verse gives us a truth concerning our Lord Jesus Himself. Some will argue that the Lord Jesus did have long hair because He was a Nazarite during His earthly ministry (Num 6:1-21), misinterpreting this gospel verse:

And He went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that He would be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:23

This verse is a fulfillment of Isaiah 11:1,

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

The word “Branch” is the Hebrew נֵצֶר (NĀ-tser), where the town of Nazareth gets its name; not the Hebrew נָזִיר (na-ZEEYR), the word for one who takes a Nazarite vow. Moreover, during Jesus’ earthly ministry, He drank grape juice, touched unclean lepers to cleanse them, and touched a funeral bier to raise the dead, all forbidden for Nazarites while on their vows.

Now, knowing this truth is not an essential for salvation. It is just one of those details from Scripture wherein we may glorify God for His excellent Word. Some years ago, a missionary had spoken to me about Muslims in Indonesia coming to him and desiring to know the way of salvation because they had received “visions” of Christ, describing Jesus from one of the medieval paintings as a long-haired, fair-skinned man. I told the missionary to share with them the gospel beginning with this verse so that they may trust in the authority of Scripture, even if the vision came to them from their fickle flesh, or fanciful imaginations, or worse, the foul emissaries of Satan. Remember what Peter said, that although he was eyewitness to the amazing transfiguration of our Lord Jesus on the mount, and even heard the voice of the Father from heaven,

…we have the prophetic Word more fully confirmed… 2 Peter 1:19 (2 Pet 1:16-20)

Though we may encounter the supernatural, it is to the authority of the Scriptures upon which our faith must stand. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only instruction given to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy Him (Eph 2:20; 2 Tim 3:16; 1 Jn 1:3-4).

“Did Jesus Have Long Hair?” 1 Corinthians 11:14