In Leviticus chapters 19 and 21, God commands the both the Israelites and their priests not to “mar the corners of thy beards”. Why would God command this? Men having a beard was so important to God in Moses' day that they weren't even to partially shave.
In the Orthodox Christian tradition, beards are often seen as a symbol of masculinity and a reflection of the biblical commandment not to "mar the corners of thy beard" (Leviticus 19:27). Many Orthodox clergy members proudly wear long, flowing beards as a visible sign of their commitment to their faith.
Leviticus 19:27 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995) You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.
Historical appearance
Scholars have also suggested that it is likely Jesus had short hair and a beard, in accordance with Jewish practices of the time and the appearance of philosophers. The earliest depictions of Jesus from the Roman catacombs depict him as free of facial hair.
Although can't say much about Jewish theology but according to Islamic and Christian theology beard has been seen an important practice. The Orthodox Christianity and Islam put special importance in growing beard. So, shaving has been a controversial thing in both Islam and Christianity.
Judaism prohibits shaving with a razor on the basis of a rabbinic interpretation of Leviticus 19:27, which states, "Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard." The Mishnah interprets this as a prohibition on using a razor on the beard.
There is no specific ethnicity that can't grow facial hair, but East Asian individuals, such as Japanese and Chinese, tend to have less facial hair and slower growth rates compared to other ethnicities.
If your motives are to glorify His work in your life (Romans 14:23), the tattoo can be an excellent conversation starter. Just as we are commanded to do all things to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), we can view the act of tattooing in the same manner.
Since the ability to grow a beard is a sign of physical maturity in men, it is naturally associated with age and grown manhood — as is evidenced by a study that found that beards were associated with maturity, power, and higher social status by both men and women.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul says in verse 14 that it is a dishonor for a man to have long hair; however, this passage, as with all Scripture, must be read in context.
Augustine, commenting on Psalm 133, writes, “The beard signifies the courageous; the beard distinguishes the grown men, the earnest, the active, the vigorous. So that when we describe such, we say, he is a bearded man” (Augustine's Commentary on Psalms, John, and 1 John).
Because God wants us to take care of our bodies the Bible affirms, “Physical training is good…” (1 Timothy 4:8). It's good because being healthy and fit will help us better fulfil our God-given purpose in a variety of ways.
Shaving one's beard and cutting one's hair for normal good grooming is something entirely different and not at all condemned in the Scriptures. In fact, the apostle Paul takes great pains to address proper grooming of one's hair in I Corinthians 11:2-15.
Like many questions of should Christians do something that falls outside a sin issue, ultimately it will come down to the personal conviction of the believer. In many countries, it is still considered modest, or sometimes even practical, for a woman to cover her head. In others, men cover their heads.
It comes down to your heart. Leviticus 19:28 says You shall not make any cuts on your body [in mourning] for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves; I am the Lord. In other scriptures, God punished the Israelites for wearing earrings because they were doing it at a feast to the idol, Baal.
Shaving the beard is muthla (mutilation). Verily the Prophet ﷺ has prohibited muthla. The great Imam of Madinah, Imam Mâlik is reported to have said: The sin of shaving the beard is not only a kabîra (major sin), but it is also bagi (open offence).
Present Canon law is silent on the matter. Although most Protestant Christians regard the beard as a matter of choice, some have taken the lead in fashion by openly encouraging its growth as "a habit most natural, scriptural, manly, and beneficial" (C. H. Spurgeon).
A study conducted by the Official Journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society found that men with moderately full beards are found most attractive, and men with full beards may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in their children. “Men with beards have a powerful look,” Dr.
The beard provides the face with protection from the elements, and a natural shield from the more delicate parts of the face around the mouth and lips. Next, prehistoric men grew their beards for protection. The thick, rich beards that they could grow were so full that they helped cushion blows to the face.
1 Peter 3:10 tells us that "whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech." God commands us to keep our tongue from all obscene words, filthy and corrupt communication, lying, swearing, cursing, and any evil speech.
Ultimately, much of the Christian debate around body piercing, tattoos, and other modifications boils down to personal interpretation of scripture and concepts. Some see piercings as self-expression and not “marking your body,” whereas others see piercing as a sin that goes against the Bible's teachings.
Crosses are often worn as an indication of commitment to the Christian faith, and are sometimes received as gifts for rites such as baptism and confirmation. Communicants of the Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox churches are expected to wear their baptismal cross necklaces at all times.
Anthropologist Joseph Deniker said in 1901 that the very hirsute peoples are the Ainus, Uyghurs, Iranians, Australian aborigines (Arnhem Land being less hairy), Toda, Dravidians and Melanesians, while the most glabrous peoples are the Indigenous Americans, San, and East Asians, who include Chinese, Koreans, Mongols, ...
East Asian men (such as those of Chinese and Japanese ancestry) are next on the list of those least likely to experience hair loss. For example, while around half of Caucasian men will experience some degree of androgenetic alopecia, a 2010 study of Chinese men found only about 13% did.
Age is a big factor in beard growth. While most men experience some facial hair growth around the age of 16, it doesn't usually turn into a full beard until the mid 20's. Your beard will continue to thicken well into your 30s and 40s, so if your beard is still patchy in your early 20s, try again in a few years.