Mantles and Manhood. Strong people have strong weaknesses. Peter Drucker

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1 L E S S O N T H I R T E E N Mantles and Manhood Strong people have strong weaknesses. Peter Drucker I.Honoring Christ A. (I Corinthians 11:5 KJV) Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 1. The spiritual head of the man is Christ. a) So the man has to be uncovered lest he should bring a reproach upon Christ. b) We have to look into the facets of what it means to be uncovered. B. We pretty much understand short hair for men. Men ought to look decent, clean, and godly. 1. Much of this changes from one generation to the other. 2. We don t have specific guidelines for hair on men. a) The main point is that there be a distinction between men and women. b) But the point that Paul makes is that a man s head is not to be covered. (1) So the shorter the hair the better. (2) We should not seek to be borderline in our holiness. (a) A good guideline to follow would be to make sure that your ears show (as they are part of the head) and to make sure that it doesn t run long down the neck and especially kept off of the shoulders. 1 of 11

2 (b) A widely accepted rule of thumb would be to keep it reasonably close to the hairline. II. Beardology Jew and Gentile Distinction A. It ought to be self-explanatory that if it is a shame for a man to pray or prophesy having his head covered, that would mean to also be clean shaven. 1. So we are going to look at the ancient customs of beards. B. (Genesis 41:14 KLV) Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 1. Pharoah sent for Joseph and Joseph had to shave. a) Egyptians were known for personal cleanliness. b) They only allowed men s hair and beard to grow as a sign of mourning (shame), but Hebrews shave as a sign of mourning. c) These were ancient customs. (1) So the customs were the exact opposite of one another. (2) Egyptian gentiles were always clean-shaven for the purpose of Hygiene and grew beards as a sign of mourning. (3) But the Hebrews shaved as a sign of mourning. (a) We will come back to this principle in a minute. C. Why did Hebrews wear beards in the first place? 1. Quote from page 223 Manners and Customs of the Bible: a) In II Samuel 10:4 Hanun shaved off half of each man s beard. Beards were a sign of manhood slaves were compelled to shave their beards in token of servitude. 2. But there were stipulations regarding beards in the Old Testament. a) UNGER S Bible Dictionary: (1) The law forbade the deforming of the head by cutting away the hair around it, and of the beard by cutting the corners. 2 of 11

3 (a) (Lev 19:27 KJV) Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. (b) This is understood to mean that the hair was not to be cut in a circle from one temple to another, as among the Arabs. b) Neither might that portion of the face where the beard and hair met be shaved. (1) NOTE: These regulations are thought by some to have reference to the fact that among some nations these customs are part of idol worship. (a) We must understand that just as wine had a different use and typology in the OT so do things like this. (b) We cannot change the New Testament customs by saying that beards were the norm before the death of Jesus. III. What s wrong with beards Jesus had one? A. Point #1 1. There is only one verse that talks about Jesus having facial hair. It was in a prophecy in the Old Testament. a) (Isaiah 50:6 KJV) I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (1) There is no way of knowing whether this was a full beard or if he had just not shaven in a few days due to the series of events that had led up to His crucifixion. (2) That would not have been the first Old Testament Jewish custom that he had fulfilled. (3) Some Jewish Rabbi s say that Jesus most probably had a beard because He was a Rabbi. (a) However, I have two considerations for that claim. i) He was called Rabbi, and He was a teacher sent from God but He was not a Rabbi in the Levitical priesthood. 3 of 11

4 He was from the tribe of Judah and as such could not be part of the OT Aaronic priesthood. ii) He would have been a Davidic priest if anything but he was actually described as the mediator of the NT that speaketh better things. 2. It is not outside of the realm of possibility that he had a beard but there is no way of proving that. a) The word beard is not even listed in the New Testament one time. b) Nor is there any reference to hair on the face. (1) If he did indeed have a beard it may have been just for the sake of Prophetic fulfillment (Isaiah 50:6). (a) Plucking hair from the beard was a sign of mourning. (2) But again, no guarantee. B. Point #2 1. The Jewish people shaved their beards as a sign of mourning. a) Sackcloth, fasting, and shaving the beard and shaving the head were a sign of humility under judgmental circumstances. b) But in the New Testament Jesus changes the paradigm of mourning. (1) Look carefully. (2) (Matthew 9:14-16 KJV) Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. (a) He is referring to the subject of mourning, more specially fasting. The Old way of mourning and fasting was accompanied with the wearing of sackcloth and shaving the beard and shaving the hair. 4 of 11

5 i) Paraphrasing what Jesus said, We aren t going to adjoin the new way to the old way, but the new way will replace the Old Way by fulfilling it. (Very important principle) ii) While Jesus was alive they were in a dispensational transition from a natural to a spiritual relationship with God. (3) (Luke 6:25 KJV) Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. (a) Mourning and weeping were to become a lifestyle not of sorrow but of humility. (4) (James 4:7-10 KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (a) Here it says it plainly. (b) Their mourning in the Old Testament was a sign of repentance. i) (Joel 2:11-13 KJV) And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 5 of 11

6 ii) (Joel 2:23 KJV) Be glad then (mourning releases gladness), ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. iii) (Joel 2:28 KJV) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. (1) He said, rend your hearts and not your garments. (2) They were accustomed to doing things with garments, sackcloth, and periodic shaving but God was now asking for heartfelt humilty and brokenness. c) The New Testament concept of mourning is to be: (1) A lifestyle (2) Not sporadic or occasional (a) (James 4:10 KJV) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (b) So if shaving the beard was a sign of mourning but it was sporadic, and Jesus commands us to live in humility then we must always be clean shaven. (3) Look at the context of (James 4:7 KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. i) The subject is submission. ii) Not coincidentally the subject context of I Corinthians 11 is also submission. (1) A woman having long hair is showing her submission to her husband. (2) A man having his head uncovered is showing the same thing that was shown in the Old Testament when a man shaved his beard mourning, humility and submission. He is also showing his submission to Christ. 6 of 11

7 (4) (Matthew 5:4 KJV) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. C. Point #3 1. The beard in the Old Testament was a sign of manhood. 2. But in the New Testament, character becomes the determining factor in manhood. a) (1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1) Paul didn t say he grew a beard when he became a man, he said he changed his behavior. D. Point #4 1. Mourning, fasting, sackcloth were all used in repentant prayer and worship. a) Prayer was sporadic in the Old Testament and mostly done by the priests and prophets. b) They shaved the beard many times during these sporadic consecration sessions. (1) Prayer in the New Testament is not sporadic but continuous. (2) (1 Timothy 2:8 KJV) I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (The attitude here is humility) (3) (Luke 18:1 KJV) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Perpetual prayer means perpetual humility) E. Point #5 1. The Jewish custom in the Old Testament: you could not trim the corners of the beard or cut the portion of hair between the hair on the head and the chin. a) If you are just going to go by the Jewish custom then you have to believe it all the way. 7 of 11

8 b) The Balbo, The Chin Strap, R & B Special, The Chin Curtain, Mutton Chops, Friendly Mutton Chops, The Zappa, Fu Man Chu, The Dictator, The Soul Patch, The Cop Stache, The Chin Stripe, Goatees, the Pencil Stache, the Handle Bar, The Klingon, the Van Dyke, the French Fork, Franz Joseph, the Winnfield, the Duck Tail, the Old Dutch, or any other kind of beard that was shaped or contoured as a mask was considered vanity. (1) David Bernard writes in one of his books, In the 1960 s, men used facial hair to symbolize rebellion against authority and the acceptance of an immoral lifestyle. Frequently the same men wore long hair which violates Biblical teaching. In some segments of society and in some conservative churches, beards and mustaches still carry these negative connotations. If they create an appearance of evil or a stumbling block in society, Christians should not wear them. (2) Let me ask you another question: (a) Why are movie stars and recording artists wearing the unshaven look, short stubble? To look sexy. Sex appeal. F. Point #6 is a series of questions: 1. Primary question: a) If you have ever worn facial hair or are wearing facial hair, the primary question is: Why? What is the reason for wearing it? 2. Are you wearing it to appear more masculine? a) Then you are out of Biblical order. Men are to be submitted to Christ as their HEAD. His headship is more important than your head. Uncovering your head allows you to be covered by the HEADSHIP of Christ. 3. Are you wearing it to change or enhance your image? a) Then its vanity. You are promoting your image. 4. Are you wearing it to appear more intimidating? a) Then you are doing it out of pride the opposite of humility. 8 of 11

9 5. Are you wearing it because someone else said you look too young, to feminine or like a pedophile? a) Their opinion of you does not trump God s opinion of you. 6. Are you wearing it because you are insecure or hiding behind shame? a) You need to allow God s grace to remove your shame or insecurity. G. Point #7 1. Beards worn by Jewish men never had anything to do with image. It was always about covering. 2. NT = uncovering the head so you can be covered by Christ. 3. If the subject of beards and hair is not important then why did God give specific instructions about it? IV. Face Value A. FACE means simply presence, as when it is recorded that Adam and Eve hid themselves from the "face of the Lord God" (Gen. 3:8; comp. Ex. 33:14, 15, where the same Hebrew word is rendered "presence"). The "light of God's countenance" is his favour (Ps. 44:3; Dan. 9:17). "Face" signifies also anger, justice, severity (Gen. 16:6, 8; Ex. 2:15; Ps. 68:1; Rev. 6:16). To "provoke God to his face" (Isa. 65:3) is to sin against him openly. 1. The Jews prayed with their faces toward the temple and Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:38, 44, 48; Dan. 6:10). To "see God's face" is to have access to him and to enjoy his favour (Ps. 17:15; 27:8). This is the privilege of holy angels (Matt. 18:10; Luke 1:19). The "face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6) is the office and person of Christ, the revealer of the glory of God (John 1:14, 18) B. Transfiguration: (Easton) 1. (Matthew 17:2-11 KJV) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for 9 of 11

10 us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things 2. OT glory behind veil. 3. NT glory behind veil. C. How many CEO s, Politicians, and bankers do you see with facial hair. 1. Not many. Why? Because it is a mark of dishonesty and is intimidating. D. Summary 1. In short, the scripture is clear on the issue of hair and how God feels about it. a) It is only those who are looking for self-justification or debatable issues that continually attempt to make the issue look out-of-date or ridiculous. V. Tattoos and Piercings A. (Leviticus 19:28 KJV) Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. 10 of 11

11 1. (Leviticus 19:27-28 NLT) Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards. 28 Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the LORD. a) This passage of Scripture comes right after the verse that talks about things they were not to eat. The difference is that God showed how the previous verse was fulfilled with Peter s vision in Acts 10. B. (Deuteronomy 14:1 KJV) Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves. (That s possessive) 1. Your body is His temple. 11 of 11