I asked Tumblr if the bible was against men having long hair.
The reason for my asking was that 1 Corinthians 11:14 says something that is frequently given as a biblical rule that men should have short hair. Whereas Ezekiel 44:20 and Numbers 6:5 seem to command the exact opposite.
Testing doctrine: Long hair on men according to Paul
I have talked before about testable doctrine. Any conclusion from 1 Corinthians 11:14 should, likewise, be tested.
One thing that I find strange is that this passage stands alone. There do not seem to be other writers of scripture endorsing the position of 1 Corinthians 11 on men and long hair.
Furthermore, the foundation for the New Testament, the Old Testament, seems to teach the exact opposite. How can we arrive at 1 Corinthians 11:14 from the old via the teachings of Jesus? I do not presently see any path no matter how nebulous.
Grace and hair
1 Corinthians 6:12 (the very same text) can be mustered to say that all things are allowable within reason and personal restraint.
“All things are lawful for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me”—but I will not be controlled by anything.
1 Corinthians 6:12 [NET]
Indeed, the doctrine of grace could, likewise, be mustered to say that God is not concerned about the outward appearance but of the heart of a person. Therefore long hair on men can be said to be a non-issue.
Conclusions on long hair
The long hair on men is a shame passage stands alone and in contrast to many other passages. Quite what the writer of that verse was trying to say and how it can be fitted into the wider scriptural narrative is not a question I feel qualified to attempt at this time.
This 1 Corinthians sits as a paradox in its apparent irreconcilable contradiction of itself on this subject.
Is the bible against men having long hair? Yes and no, apparently.