

A nazirite who shaves himself, whether with scissors or a razor, or who singes, even a minimal amount, is liable. If shaved himself or bandits shaved him, it overturns thirty days. We see this in the many rabbanical laws which were instituted around it mentioned in the Mishnah.Ī nazirite vow of unspecified duration is for thirty days. A Nazarite vow was the perfect way to display the adherence to the Law, as it had a strict procedure that went along with it. Thus, we see that Paul was an observant Jew who was accused falsely regarding the Law of God. When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.” Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. We have four men who are under a vow take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. When Paul reached Jerusalem, James advised him to bear the cost of four other men who had the same vow with himself in completing the sacrifices in the Temple, to showcase that Paul was an observant Jew.Īct 21:20-27 And when they heard it, they glorified God. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. Together these three offerings were called “the hair offering” at the time, for they were accompanied by the shaving of the hair.Īct 18:18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At the end of his naziriteship a nazirite brings three offerings, a sin offering, a burnt offering and a peace offering, and shaves his hair (Num 6:13-18).

The only vow which had the shaving of the head connected with it, was the Nazarite vow which started with the shaving of ones hair.

The best example to show how much of an observant Jew Paul was, is to showcase his Nazarite Vow. Paul took on a nazarite vow offering sacrifices at the temple While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. Paul proclaims the same thing about himself, before Festus and some Jews who accused him of breaking the Law, in this way:Īct 25:7,8 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. We have four men who are under a vow take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. We clearly see that this accusation was false, in the request and proclamation James makes of Paul in Acts 21.Īct 21:20-24 And when they heard it, they glorified God. A false accusation which is attributed to Paul to this very day. Paul never taught against the Law – in fact he adhered to it!Īpostle Paul who was called to preach the Gospel to the scattered nations, was falsely accused of breaking and teaching to break God’s Law in his day. The writings of Paul are often quoted by many to show that the “Law” was done away and that no one needs to adhere by it.
