The Vow

So Paul, having stayed on for many days, said goodbye to the brothers and sailed away to Syria. Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He shaved his head at Cenchrea because he had taken a vow. When they reached Ephesus he left them there, but he himself entered the synagogue and engaged discussion with the Jews. And though they asked him to stay for a longer time, he declined, but he said goodbye and stated, "I'll come back to you again, if God wills." Then he set sail from Ephesus. Acts 18:18-21

Taking vows was a part of the Jewish life and traditions. Yet here is a born again believing Jew taking a vow which has him shave his head. Shaving the head was required if a man who took a Nazarite vow came in contact with a dead body, yet Paul had shaved his head without mention of the type of vow, perhaps he had a modified idea of what he was doing. He definitely was a man separated unto God.

We did not see Jesus taking vows, or his disciples for that matter. It does not seem something He required. He did not fast but said that His disciples would fast when He was no longer around.

It was unusual for Paul to do this but as a Jew vows were consistent with who they were. Down through time people have taken vows of silence, vows of abstinence, vows of purity. Paul may have been drawing aside and waiting on the Lord for something, perhaps he felt the need to dedicate himself in some way.

Giving the Lord our heart, soul and mind and living in the love He has for us is all He requires. Yet each of us are unique and will outwork our dedication in different ways, but none is law. I come for a Catholic background and there were a lot of rituals there, but none were biblical, but man made by people seeking to know God more. 

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