xjwsforChrist

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To fear me is to love me....

Or, in other words..... Ta-DAH!

Greetings, my brothers and sisters:

In reading this thread, I was very much enjoying the various and numerous facts concerning “our” Lord’s vow of his Nazariteship. Most interesting. I rejoice in the learning.

In doing a bit of research on another topic altogether, I happened upon the following, to which “my” Lord in addition reminded me, “Don’t forget about the men who accompanied Paul.” Aaahhh . . . more research—I love it! What I found and was reminded of by “our” Lord was with reference to the Apostle Paul:

Acts 18:12-22: 12Now while Gal′lio was proconsul of Acha′ia, the Jews rose up with one accord against Paul and led him to the judgment seat,13saying: “Contrary to the law this person leads men to another persuasion in worshiping God.”14But as Paul was going to open his mouth, Gal′lio said to the Jews: “If it were, indeed, some wrong or a wicked act of villainy, O Jews, I would with reason put up patiently with YOU.15But if it is controversies over speech and names and the law among YOU, YOU yourselves must see to it. I do not wish to be a judge of these things.”16With that he drove them away from the judgment seat.17So they all laid hold of Sos′thenes the presiding officer of the synagogue and went to beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gal′lio would not concern himself at all with these things.

18However, after staying quite some days longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and proceeded to sail away for Syria, and with him Priscil′la and Aq′uila, as he had the hair of his head clipped short in Cen′chre‧ae, for he had a vow.19So they arrived at Eph′e‧sus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.20Although they kept requesting him to remain for a longer time, he would not consent21but said goodbye and told them: “I will return to YOU again, if Jehovah is willing.” And he put out to sea from Eph′esus22and came down to Caesare′a. And he went up and greeted the congregation, and went down to Antioch.

Acts 21:23-24: 23Therefore do this which we tell you: We have four men with a vow upon themselves.24Take these men along and cleanse yourself ceremonially with them and take care of their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved. And so everybody will know that there is nothing to the rumors they were told about you, but that you are walking orderly, you yourself also keeping the Law.

Acts 21:26-27: Then Paul took the men along the next day and cleansed himself ceremonially with them and went into the temple, to give notice of the days to be fulfilled for the ceremonial cleansing, until the offering should be presented for each one of them. 27Now when the seven days were about to be concluded, the Jews from Asia on beholding him in the temple began to throw all the crowd into confusion, and they laid their hands upon him

Acts 22:1-3: Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defense to YOU now.”2(Well, when they heard he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent, and he said:)3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Ci‧li′cia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gama′liel, instructed according to the strictness of the ancestral Law, being zealous for God just as all of YOU are this day.

Acts: 24:5: For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and stirring up seditions among all the Jews throughout the inhabited earth and a spearhead of the sect of the Nazarenes

Acts 24:14: But I do admit this to you, that, according to the way that they call a ‘sect,’ in this manner I am rendering sacred service to the God of my forefathers, as I believe all the things set forth in the Law and written in the Prophets

Acts:24:18: While I was at these matters they found me ceremonially cleansed in the temple,

Acts 26:4-5: Indeed, as to the manner of life from youth up that I led from [the] beginning among my nation and in Jerusalem, all the Jews 5that have been previously acquainted with me from the first know, if they but wish to bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our form of worship I lived a Pharisee.

Acts 23:20-26: 20After hearing this they began to glorify God, and they said to him: “You behold, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews; and they are all zealous for the Law.21But they have heard it rumored about you that you have been teaching all the Jews among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them neither to circumcise their children nor to walk in the [solemn] customs.22What, then, is to be done about it? In any case they are going to hear you have arrived.23Therefore do this which we tell you: We have four men with a vow upon themselves.24Take these men along and cleanse yourself ceremonially with them and take care of their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved. And so everybody will know that there is nothing to the rumors they were told about you, but that you are walking orderly, you yourself also keeping the Law.25As for the believers from among the nations, we have sent out, rendering our decision that they should keep themselves from what is sacrificed to idols as well as from blood and what is strangled and from fornication.”

26Then Paul took the men along the next day and cleansed himself ceremonially with them and went into the temple, to give notice of the days to be fulfilled for the ceremonial cleansing, until the offering should be presented for each one of them.


I would seem then, that Paul was, at times, a Nazarite too.

Greetings, Armand!

Agreed. In addition to that, the verses that I am reminded of as to why he did all that (same verses you cited, actually):

Acts 21:20-23: You behold, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews; and they are all zealous for the Law.21But they have heard it rumored about you that you have been teaching all the Jews among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them neither to circumcise their children nor to walk in the [solemn] customs. 22 What, then, is to be done about it? In any case they are going to hear you have arrived. 23 Therefore do this which we tell you: We have four men with a vow upon themselves.

Paul seemed to be doing it so as not to offend those who were zealous for the Law.

1 Cor 9:20: And so to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, that I might gain those under law.

THANK you for this, dear Armand, and your comments, as well, dear LQ (peace to you, both!). I do have a bit of a different understanding than dear LQ (and perhaps you), if I may share that:

Paul, a Pharisee, was ALSO a "Nazarite", having a vow upon HIS head. When he and Luke and others arrived in Jerusalem they met with James and some of the older men. These understood the zeal of "believing" Jews... FOR THE LAW (although they had come to Christ, they had not yet "left off the former things." For example, they were still insistent upon circumcision for peoples of the nations and concerned about what the latter ate, as well as eating with them).

Because these men didn't want to STUMBLE these Jews... who still had a zeal FOR THE LAW and such were concerned that Paul was teaching an apostacy against MOSES (because Paul was teaching as to the NEW Law, mediated by CHRIST... which Law FULFILLED "Moses" so that THAT Law was really no longer in effect)... they had a plan to help Paul not offend these but move toward winning them over: to "end" HIS vow... along with four Jewish men who had ALSO taken vows (but weren't companions of his). In THIS way, they would better accept PAUL, rather than summarily reject him because of what they had heard about his teachings.

Rather than stand out ALONE, Paul would go get ceremonially cleansed WITH the four (as well as pay for their shavings) so as to be presented before the PRIEST (who had to burn their hair and pronounce them clean - "sanctify" their heads)WITH them, versus alone.

They asked him to do this to show those Jews who, although being believers, were still zealous FOR THE LAW that the rumors about Paul, that he was "apostacizing" from "Moses" was untrue, that he was walking ORDERLY (as to HIS vow) and so also keeping the Law.

As for those believers of the nations, these were sent away after having been given the "decision" that there was no need for circumcision but to keep from things sacrificed to idols or strangled, from fornication, and from blood.

One can read the full account at Acts 21:15-25 and the account it references to at Acts 15:1-30 so see what the understanding I've shared shows. Of course, though, one does not have to believe me as to what I've shared. Interpretations belong to God and although interpretation is not needed here (there is no prophecy), one can go to His Son and Christ know the TRUTH... as that One leads him/her into ALL truth.

I hope this helps and, again, peace to you... both!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

SA

It might help to remember (peace to you all!) that there were two (2) kinds of "Nazarites": (1) those who were made so for life by either JAH (such as Samson, John the Baptist, and Christ) or a vow by their parent(s)/another (such as Samuel)... and (2) those who themselves took a vow Nazariteship for a stated period of time (tradition has the minimum at 30 days). In the second sense, it was kind of like JW "vacation pioneering" - one would dedicate himself/herself to be "undefiled" for a period of time, like JWs "dedicate" themselves to putting in a minimum number of hours from time to time.

If Paul "had a vow on his head", then it was because he was a Nazarite (those who followed the Law "in the strictest sense") in one way or the other: lifetime or per his own vow. Either way, at one point he was considered a leader "of the 'sect' of Nazarites," so he definitely had to BE a Nazarite (one who was no "undefiled" could never have LED them)... and not just pretending for the conscience of the Jews.

Peace!

A slave of Christ,

SA

Thanks Armand! I too, was reminded of Paul and his vow and head-shaving; when Shelby shared as she did about Christ and His vow. Your post reminded me of... well... my reminding, lol.

peace to you both,
tammy

How interesting lol as I just shaved my head yesterday on a whim I look damn Picard Sexy

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To fear me is to love me....

Well. I have been watching Picard lately... so I am getting a good visual on that ; )

Actually, what I am picturing now is Picard sprawled out on that rock, from the pic you posted the other day.


Peace,
tammy

I look damn Picard Sexy

Well, then, I fear you, dear Pup (peace, luv!).

Or, as we say in the 'hood: "I'm scared-a YOU!"

Peace and if it ain't in a photo... it never happened! LOLOLOL!

Shellama, on her own...