Christian help please ?

Question

i was looking up Leviticus regarding the answer to tattoos as suggested by someone else and came across another part of that same chapter
can someone help explain what is meant here please ?

"Ye shall no round the corners of your heads , neither shall thou mar the corners of thy beard "
Leviticus 19:27

round the corners of your head ?

wonderful explainations thank you all

i am not Christian .. just curious xx

rationalist .... i have 3 beautiful tattoos .. so i guess that makes me lower class, ugly and unrespectable but its lovely to see how judgemental you are to others who are a little different to yourself :o)

Answer 1

It was the custom of some heathen nations to cut and trim their beards and hair into particular shapes in honor of some pagan god. The Egyptians, for example, had their hair cut short and in a certain way, so that what remained appeared in the form of a circle surrounding the head (the halo was derived from this). In another instance, a round spot would be shaved off. Both of these forms are indications of sun god worship.

Modern forms of such extremes include: extremely short or even no hair to intimidate (e.g., Nazis, skinheads); strangely cut, colored or spiked hair to intimidate, but also to attract undue attention (e.g., punk rockers, the more recent “Gothic” look, etc.); strangely cut and colored hair at sporting events (a form of idol worship); and many others.

Shaving one’s facial hair and the regular cutting of the hair on one’s head for normal good grooming however, is something totally different and, in fact, should be common practices for Christians. Please read I Corinthians 11:14-15.

Answer 2

That verse is in the Old Testament, which is "Old Law". Christians do not have to follow anything in the Old Testament (*except for the 10 Commandments) anymore. Here is the reason why:

"Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17-18). In other words, He brought it to its completion (Romans 10:4). Before Christ, no one could perfectly keep the law, but Jesus proved that it was possible to keep the law. Jesus showed that God's law was good, it was man who was the sinner.

So when did this change take place? Paul said that the Old Law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). In Ephesians 2:15, we are told that it was put to death on the cross. Hence, the law changed when Christ died on the cross at Calvary. The author of Hebrews put it this way, "For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives." (Hebrews 9:16-17). At the acceptance of the Old Law, Moses sprinkled the people with blood (Exodus 24:8). The new covenant also began with the shedding of blood -- Christ's death on the cross. Christ's testament could not come into effect until he, as its author, died."

In summary, we now follow the New Testament because Jesus died and made amends with the Old Testament.

Because of this, I believe that you should be able to get a tattoo, as long as it does not bring shame and pain to God....(*as in something that is against God, etc.) Good luck! :)

Answer 3

This law was evidently given to prevent the Jews from trimming their beards or hair in a way that would imitate certain pagan practices. (Jeremiah 9:25, 26; 25:23; 49:32) However, God’s command did not mean that the Jews could not trim their beards or facial hair at all.—2 Samuel 19:24.

Answer 4

Another translation says it this way:
"I forbid you to shave any part of your head or beard or to cut and tattoo yourself as a way of worshipping the dead."
But 2 matters:
Don't just read from the King James Version. Get yourself a few more modern translations.
AND
Stop reading that part of the Bible addressed to Jews IF you are Christian.
Concentrate on Matthew through Revelation.

Answer 5

All of this Leviticus stuff only applied to Israel under the old covenant. It does not apply to Christians. However, Christians won't normally go over board for tattoos because the body is the temple of the holy spirit and we should therefore take care of it and glorify the creation as God has made it.

Answer 6

Surely you've seen pictures of Jews with long curly locks on either side. They don't cut that part of the hair at all. they're called peyos. In addition, parts of the beard mus not be cut or trimmed with a blade.

In passing, Jersha's reply is somewhat biased. why should only the 10 commandments remain? the early xtians wanted to make life easier in order to encourage converts. so, get rid of as much as possible of the law. In reality - people are supposed to worship God, not his/her/its children. Xtianity tends rather towards idolatry and pagan multi-god worship in this respect. The Matthew extract she quotes says that nobody could kepp the law - but thousands of Jews did just that. Jesus just ignored all that he couldn't be bothered with. Even his most famous statement - Love thy neighbour as thyself - is not his but a quote from Rabbi Hillel, who lived somewhere between 50-100 years before JC. Nothing original, as JC really had little to say.

Finally, regarding tattoos - forget religious instruction, just remember that they look, to most normal people - grotesque. Why disfigure yourself? Are you so ugly that you need to disguise your appearance? In UK english terminology - it's suited to the lower classes only. In other words, no respectable person would consider it. Of course, along with the tattoos, you could have wooden plates inserted in your lower lip, metla bands round your nect to stretch it, a nut and bolt thought the neck. Where do you stop?

Answer 7

My Bible says "the hairs of your head". I think it's speaking of cutting hair and beards in fancy styles that are merely for showing off. I don't take this literally because it seems to me to be one of those scriptures that are meant to guide. In that day and time, it may have been more relevant in the literal meaning, but we can see it now as a way of saying "Don't follow the styles of everyone else just to please other people." I could be wrong, but that's how I see it.

Answer 8

The translation had something to do with sideburns. Most of the levitical laws were only for the Isrealites. Although some of the laws are basic health principles and should still be followed.

Answer 9

Sounds like an old translation. Corners as in edges. They're not supposed to round off their beards or their hairlines.

Answer 10

My version states the verse slightly different:
" Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard"

It also has this foot note:
A prohibition still followed by orthodox Jews...

I'm thinking it refers to the curly locks of hair that typically hang at the sides of Jewish mens heads? Hope this helps!