Hair is a defining feature for women and men alike. In many cultures, including ancient Israelite culture, hair carried symbolic meaning about a person’s social status, religious devotion, and identity. The Bible contains a number of verses discussing hair practices for ancient Israelite men and women. But what guidance does the Bible offer Christians today about whether women should cut their hair or not? How should these verses be interpreted?
Key Takeaways:
- The Bible does not expressly forbid women from cutting their hair. The main passage discussed is 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.
- 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 provides guidelines for maintaining gender distinctions and respectable appearance in worship gatherings, but does not prohibit hair cutting altogether.
- Principles of modesty, avoiding ostentation, and upholding gender distinctions can guide modern application of these verses. But the length of hair itself is not the core issue.
- Christians have interpreted these verses in different ways throughout church history and come to differing conclusions about whether women can cut their hair. There is room for disagreement among believers seeking to honor God’s word.
- Whatever decision Christian women make about their hair, the most important considerations are upholding their Christian witness, worshiping God wholeheartedly, and serving others selflessly. Our outward appearance is meaningless without love for God and others (1 Corinthians 13).
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Cultural Background on Hair in the Ancient Near East
To understand the Bible’s discussions of hair, it is helpful to understand how hair functioned as a cultural symbol in ancient Mesopotamian and Israelite societies. Both men and women in these societies carefully groomed, styled, and sometimes cut their hair for psychological, social, and religious reasons.
In many ancient Near Eastern cultures, hair functioned as a status symbol indicating a person’s social, marital, and religious standing. For example, the Code of Hammurabi (18th century BC Babylonian law code) and Mesopotamian legal texts mention different hairstyles worn by slaves versus free people, and by married women versus single women. Israelite culture similarly used hair to denote marital status and position in society.
Ancient people also groomed their hair for aesthetic reasons, desiring to appear attractive and stylish. The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (18th century BC) criticizes Enkidu for letting his hair grow long and wild, “like a woman’s.” But after bathing and cutting his hair, Enkidu was considered civilized and attractive. Ancient people could be vain about their hair just like people today!
But more importantly, hair held deep religious symbolism in the ancient Near East. In Mesopotamian culture, shaving one’s hair could signify devotion to a deity. Likewise for the ancient Israelites, hair symbolized religious obedience. The Bible prohibited Israelite priests from shaving their heads (Leviticus 21:5) and prohibited the pagan ritual of Israelites completely shaving their heads during mourning rites (Deuteronomy 14:1). Nazirites who took a religious vow of separation unto the Lord also abstained from cutting their hair (Numbers 6).
So in summary, hair held great cultural significance for God’s people in the context of the Bible. It could denote social status, ideals of beauty, vanity, and religious devotion. With this background in mind, we can better understand the Bible’s instructions about hair practices.
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 – Guidelines About Head Coverings and Hair Length
The longest discussion in the New Testament about hair length is found in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. The Corinthian church asked the Apostle Paul for guidance on proper practices while worshiping together, including whether women should wear head coverings. Paul responds with instructions for upholding gender distinctions and respectable appearances while praying and prophesying.
“But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man” (1 Corinthians 11:3-7, NIV).
Paul appeals to the idea of “headship” to argue that during Christian worship gatherings, gender distinctions between men and women should be maintained. Women should have their head covered while praying and prophesying since mankind was created first, then woman was created from man to be his companion. To have their head uncovered while leading worship activities would blur this distinction between man and woman’s position before God.
Paul indicates that a woman who prays or prophesies without a head covering might as well go all the way and shave her head, which was considered shameful for a woman in that culture. His argument assumes that the Corinthian audience would of course agree it is disgraceful for a woman to have a shaved head. So Paul reasons that women should maintain a respectable appearance by covering their heads.
Some Christians interpret this passage to mean that women should not cut their hair short or style it like a man’s. But the issue being addressed is actually wearing head coverings during times of public ministry, not absolute prohibition of any hair cutting. Paul Critiques ostentatious hairstyles and head coverings within the service because they detract from the gathered church’s focus on God.
Paul does not suggest women must never cut their hair. The key principle is upholding gender distinctions and avoiding distraction from reverent worship of Christ.
Other Biblical References to Women’s Hair Practices
A few other passages mention women’s hair, although none forbid women from cutting their hair altogether:
- 1 Timothy 2:9 – “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes.” This teaches modesty and avoidance of ostentation. The ornate hairstyles likely referred to elaborate braiding, curls, and headdresses that flaunted the wearer’s wealth and high social status. But the core issue is modesty and humility, not the hairstyle itself.
- 1 Peter 3:3 – “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.” Again, avoidance of flaunting social status. Outward modesty and inner godly character should take priority over superficial hair and clothing styles.
- Song of Songs 4:1 – “Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead.” In this poetic wedding song, the woman’s long beautiful hair flowing down her shoulders is praised by her husband. But the Song of Songs does not forbid cutting hair; it only celebrates hair as an aspect of physical beauty within marriage.
Summary: Throughout Scripture, ostentatious hairstyles are criticized for distracting from humble worship of God. But the Bible does not prohibit women from cutting their hair or giving guidelines for specific hair lengths. The focus is on living modestly and selflessly to glorify God.
How Have Christians Interpreted These Verses Throughout History?
Throughout church history, Christians have read these passages and come to differing conclusions about whether women can cut their hair. The length of women’s hair itself has never been a core doctrine for the church. But Christians have aimed to apply biblical principles of gender, appearance, and worship practices in their specific cultural settings.
Some denominations, such as Pentecostal and Holiness churches, have forbidden women from cutting their hair based on these verses. Leaders in these groups argued that women must retain long hair to uphold femininity, modesty, and submission to husbands. Having short hair was seen as rebellion against God’s design.
For example, the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) proclaimed in 1951: “We recognize no such custom among apostolic Christians, except in cases ofnecessity, for a woman to cut her hair. The cutting of the hair by a woman is condemned in scripture: ‘Doth not nature itself teach you, that if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for a covering.’ (I Cor. 11:14-15).” This perspective held women’s uncut hair as an inviolable command.
Meanwhile, plenty of faithful Christian women throughout history have worn short hairstyles without believing this compromised their femininity or disobeyed Scripture. They focused more on principles of modesty and worshipful living than mandating a particular hair length.
More recently, many Christians believe 1 Corinthians 11 refers to practices specific to the Corinthian cultural context. They do not believe Paul issued universal rules about women’s hair length for all churches across all eras. This passage likely addressed a particular issue in worship gatherings at Corinth that is not automatically transferable today.
So in summary, there is room for disagreement among Christians seeking to interpret and apply these verses faithfully. The Bible does not definitively forbid or command women to cut their hair. This decision is a matter of personal discernment for women seeking to honor biblical values of femininity, modesty, respect for their husbands, and cultural appropriateness within corporate worship.
Principles for Modern Application
Given the variety of interpretations discussed above, what principles can modern Christians consider when making decisions about women’s hair practices today?
- Focus on inner godly character rather than superficial outward appearance. “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment” (1 Peter 3:3). The condition of our heart matters far more to God than our hairstyle.
- Maintain feminine distinctiveness and respect for husband’s position. “Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5). Seek to uphold beautiful gender distinctions between masculine and feminine. When married, graciously honor your husband’s preferences regarding your appearance.
- Avoid vanity and ostentation. “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adoring themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls” (1 Timothy 2:9). Do not use your physical appearance to flaunt social status or draw undue attention to yourself. Let your inner spirit shine brightest.
- Consider cultural context and current hairstyle customs. In many modern Western cultures, short hairstyles for women are common and culturally acceptable. Be discerning about what hairstylesappropriately uphold Christian principles within your current cultural setting.
- Focus on reverent worship during church gatherings. “Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5). When participating in corporate worship, consider hairstyles that avoid distraction from focus on Christ. But this does not forbid cutting hair in everyday life.
- Grant freedom to other Christian women before God. “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Avoid prideful judgment of other believers who prayerfully make different decisions before God. We serve the Lord most beautifully through mutual love and humble reverence towards Him.
The Bible’s discussion of hair ultimately points us towards deeper themes of loving God and loving each other selflessly. Our outward appearance is meaningless if we lack inward love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). So focus first on growing a beautiful heart devoted to God and overflowing with Christlike love.
Conclusion
Throughout history, Christians have interpreted Biblical passages about hair in different ways. There is room for disagreement among believers seeking to apply these verses faithfully. The Bible does not definitively prohibit women from cutting their hair altogether or specify an exact standard hair length. Principles of inner godly character, feminine distinctiveness, cultural appropriateness, modesty, respect, and freedom in Christ can guide women’s hair decisions today.
Most importantly, our lives must be marked above all by fervent love for God and sacrificial love for others, rather than disputes over superficial outward appearance. Our passion is to worship God wholeheartedly, serve people selflessly, and live out the gospel boldly in a way that brings glory and honor to Christ our King.
