Compromise, Acceptance. or Politically Correct

 

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 18:9-18 ~~~ Psalm 47 ~~~ John 16:20-23 ~~~

 

'...he (Paul) had shaved his head because he had taken a vow...'

 

Has this verse ever puzzled you? Have you had a question to the reference

of head shaving and a vow?

It has never been wise to throw out the baby with the bath water.

Is this such a situation?

Was Paul trying to accept the Jews with some of their long held beliefs?

Paul, in his own way, may have been trying to be 'politically correct'

 as he went about preaching.

 

I think, Paul finds himself in a awkward situation.

Does he reach the Jews by throwing out everything

they hold true from the Torah or does he compromise?

 

Usually when a major change is taking place it is better to compromise

 or at least gradually institute changes.

Perhaps Paul was indicating that to become a follower of Jesus

did not necessarily that one would be expected to abandon

every part of the Jewish Torah.

 

He wanted the people to grasp the concept that following the letter of the law

was not the path to eternal salvation. 

Jesus came with a promise much farther than the letter of the law could reach.

 

 

The Jews were not called to reject the Torah, but to move beyond it.

The Gentiles were called to reject their idolatry;

to follow the Spirit, learn from the scriptures and change their lives.

 

We are given no lead up or explanation as to the shaving of Paul's head.

It was a Nazrite Vow.

It is for sure that there was some reason

why this was recorded by the gospel writers.

This was a vow that Paul made voluntarily.

It was not a Jewish requirement.

 

I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.

 

Today as Christians we value the Old Testament

equally as important as the New Testament.

Jesus was a Jew and he lived as a loyal Jew even while he was

modeling that he had a higher way in which to practice

loving God.

 

Every time we celebrate the sacred liturgy in the Mass

we draw inspiration from both the Old and the New Testament scriptures.

 

The Easter Blessing of appreciation for the old and the new.

Meeting people and accepting them where they are is the quickest way

 to bring them to a new realization.