Is it wrong for Christians to cut their hair?

Bible Question:

The Old Testament says that people should not cut their hair. Why do Christians not follow that rule?

Bible Answer:

The Bible has some important things to say about a man cutting his hair, or for a woman cutting her hair. We will discover if it is wrong for Christians to cut their hair. In some situations, there are commands in the Old Testament to not cut the hair or to cut the hair. The New Testament has some important comments about a woman’s hair. There are commands to priests about cutting hair. With some exceptions, we will discover the Bible does not prohibit a person from cutting their hair. In addition, the Bible says that our hair can bring honor. So, is it wrong for Christians to cut their hair?

When Is It Wrong To Cut Your Hair?

Cutting the Hair For Special Reasons

The first time the cutting of hair is found in the Bible is in Leviticus 14:8-9 in regard to the disease of leprosy. When an Israelite was healed of leprosy, he or she was commanded to shave off all of their hair. That included the hair on the head, a man’s beard, the eyebrows, and all of the rest of a person’s hair. This means that the cutting of hair was necessary for medical reasons and was not a normal requirement.

Another special situation was a Nazirite vow. It had special requirements regarding a person’s hair. The Nazirite vow was a commitment in which a person dedicated themselves to God for a period of time. It was an expression of total commitment. The vow had many requirements (Numbers 6:1-27). One of the special requirements of the vow was that a person was not allowed to cut their hair until the period of separation to the Lord ended (Numbers 6:2-5). However, when the period of separation to the Lord was over, the person was required to cut off his/her hair (Numbers 6:19). In addition, if an individual’s hair was defiled by a dead body, then the person’s hair had to be shaved off seven days later (Numbers 6:9). Since Nazirite vows were elective, the commands about cutting the hair were not normal requirements for everyone.

God also prohibited the Israelites from cutting the hair in honor of the dead (Deuteronomy 14:1). This was the custom of some of the false religions around them. That was the reason for this prohibition. This command was designed to prevent the Israelites from adopting the customs of the pagan religions around them. This requirement reveals that Christians are to avoid the practices of other religions or cults.

A very unusual command about the hair is found in Ezekiel 5:1. There we are told that God commanded His prophet Ezekiel to cut his hair. This unique requirement does not apply to us.

Cutting the Hair of Men

God commanded every man in Leviticus 19:27 to do the following,

You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard. Leviticus 19:27 (NASB)

The “side-growth” referred to the hair on the temple and the side of the face. Therefore, this command prohibited men from cutting hair on the temple, any hair on the side of the face, and beards. Jeremiah 9:26; 49:32 repeats the command prohibiting cutting of the hair on the temples. This command was designed to prevent the Israelites from adopting the customs of the pagan religions around them (Jeremiah 9:26). That reveals that the cutting of hair would otherwise be okay (see the section below about Cutting the Hair of Priests).

The book of Proverbs makes some wonderful comments about our hair. For example, we are told that gray hair is a crown of glory and honor for old men and women (Proverbs 16:31; 20:29). Also, God commands us to do two things for the aged.

You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. — Leviticus 19:32 (NASB)

A senior citizen’s gray hair brings honor.

Cutting the Hair of Women

In the New Testament we learn that long hair brings honor to a woman (1 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? 1 Corinthians 11:14-15 (NASB)

The loss of hair for a woman brings shame or disgrace (1 Corinthians 11:6).

It is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved. 1 Corinthians 11:6 (NASB)

These verses reveal that a women brings dishonor upon herself if she cuts off her hair or shaves her head. Women are also prohibited from dressing like a man (Deuteronomy 22:5 and 1 Corinthians 11:3-16). God is opposed to the unisex trend and the blurring of the distinctions between the sexes. The modern trends are not from the Lord.

Cutting the Hair of Priests

The Old Testament also provides guidelines about the hair for priests. Leviticus 21:5 states,

They shall not make any baldness on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh. Leviticus 21:5 (NASB)

This command is another one designed to prevent the Israelites from adopting the customs of the pagan religions around them (Leviticus 19:27-28; 1 Kings 18:28). So, God also commanded the priests to not shave the hair on their heads and their beards. Notice the verse prohibits making cuts into the flesh. This was a cultic practice.

We must not miss Ezekiel 44:20 which is a command that is described in many places in the Bible and will be fulfilled during the millennial kingdom. The command requires the millennial priests to not have long hair and to not have hair that was too short. They could not be bald either.

Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. Ezekiel 44:20 (NASB)

It is important to note that this command is a prophecy for future priests who will live during the time that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will rule the world from Jerusalem. This will be an extraordinary time. If these priests are to keep their hair at a moderate length during the time that Christ reigns on the earth, then surely the standard for hair to be of a moderate length would apply to men today. This is contrary to the modern belief and the paintings that frequently show the priests with very long hair. These passages reveal that God wants His priests to have moderate length hair and if they have a beard it was to be regularly trimmed. Since these were priestly requirements, then surely they would be God honoring standards for men today and in the kingdom.

Conclusion:

Most of the requirements about cutting hair concern those with leprosy, those taking Nazirite vows, and the avoidance of pagan religious practices. So, is it a sin for men to cut the hair? The answer is no! The priestly requirement in Ezekiel 44:20 strongly reveals that men are to have moderate length-hair. If they have a beard, it was to be regularly trimmed. Is it a sin for women to cut their hair? The answer is no! Women are to keep their hair longer than the men. Her long hair is her glory.

Gray hair for both sexes brings honor. It is obvious that the loss of hair due to genetics or medical issues are from the Lord (Exodus 4:11). Men and women are not responsible for such conditions.

The modern unisex movement and cross-dressing is not from God. It is prohibited in Scripture. Otherwise, there is great freedom in the care of your hair.