Nazarites in the New Testament

o John the Baptist

A Nazarite from birth, John the Baptist was the son of the priest, Zacharias, and his wife, Elisabeth.  Luke 1: 7 tells us that “Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.”  When Zacharias was performing his priestly duty, there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord saying : “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.  And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.  For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb” (Lk 1: 13-15). 

John’s special commission was to be the fore-runner of the Messiah of God, Jesus Christ.  “And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk. 1: 17).  John pointed Jesus out to his disciples saying: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1: 29, 36).

He spent his early years in the wilderness of Judaea (Matt. 3: 1) and “was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel” (Lk. 1: 80).  Great multitudes flocked to hear him at the banks of the Jordan.  There John baptised thousands unto repentance.  Even the Lord Jesus Christ came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptised of him.   

John boldly denounced the religious leaders as a “generation of vipers” and warned them to “bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance” (Lk. 3: 7-8).   His public ministry was abruptly cut off when he was cast into prison by Herod whom he had reproved for adultery with Herodias, the wife of his brother, Philip.  Subsequently, he was beheaded in prison to gratify Herodias’ spite against him.

John had abased himself to honour the Lord Jesus Christ and to point the way to Him (Jn. 3: 30).  What did the Lord think of him?  Praising His fore-runner, Jesus said that John was “more than a prophet” (Matt. 11: 9).  He added that there had never been a greater man born than John (Matt. 11: 11).  The Lord also commended him as a resolute and self-denying man - not “a reed shaken with the wind” nor “a man clothed in soft raiment” (Matt. 11: 7).    

o Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul is considered by some to be a Nazarite.  It is believed he took on the Nazarite vow for a determined period of time on at least two occasions recorded for us in Acts:

 “And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow” (Acts 18: 18).

“Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;   Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them” (Acts 21:23-26).

The following notes from Easton Commentary give us a clearer understanding of Paul’s Nazarite vow in Acts 18: 18 and Acts 21: 23-26:

“For some reason, probably in the midst of his work at Corinth, Paul took on himself the Nazarite vow.  This could only be terminated by his going up to Jerusalem to offer up the hair which till then was to be left uncut.  But it seems to have been allowable for persons at a distance to cut the hair, which was to be brought up to Jerusalem, where the ceremony was completed.  This Paul did at Cenchrea just before setting out on his voyage into Syria.

On another occasion (Acts 21: 23-26), at the feast of Pentecost, Paul took on himself again the Nazarite vow.  ‘The ceremonies invo lved took a longer time than Paul had at his disposal, but the law permitted a man to share the vow if he could find companions who had gone through the prescribed ceremonies, and who permitted him to join their company.  This permission was commonly granted if the new comer paid all the fees required from the whole company (fee to the Levite for cutting the hair and fees for sacrifices), and finished the vow along with the others.  Four Jewish Christians were performing the vow, and would admit Paul to their company, provided he paid their expenses.  Paul consented, paid the charges, and when the last seven days of the vow began he went with them to live in the temple, giving the usual notice to the priests that he had joined in regular fashion, was a sharer with the four men, and that his vow would end with theirs.  Nazarites retired to the temple during the last period of seven days, because they could be secure there against any accidental defilement’ (Lindsay’s Acts).”

Conclusion

God has His plan and purpose when He appoints His servants.  Today, we may not be called to take the Nazarite vow of separation.  However, we can consecrate our lives to do the Lord’s will.   Pray to be made useful for the Gospel ministry.  The Lord will certainly provide us the opportunity and ability to serve Him.  

- Pastor