Does Leviticus 19:28 constitute a binding mandate, establish a lasting principle, or have any relevance at all in the Christian Age? Translated literally, the verse reads: “And you (all) shall not make cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor put marks on you (all), I am Yahweh.” The Hebrew noun seh'-ret refers to an incision, cut, or gash. The corresponding term qa`aqa` essentially means the same but can also include “imprintment” or “tattoo.”1 The latter expression, with the verb naw-than' (“put” or “give”), is variously rendered in English, “put any marks upon” (KJV), “print any marks upon” (ASV), “tattoo” (ESV), “tattoo any marks on” (NKJV, N/RSV), “make” or “put” any “tattoo marks on” (CSB, NASB, NIV).2Context
The
above directive could be used against circumcision and ear piercing, both
enjoined in the Law of Moses (Lev. 12:3; Deut. 15:16-17), if context and the
qualifier “for the dead” are ignored. And what about other medical surgeries
and procedures, cosmetics, athletic glare-reducing “eye black,” face painting,
or temporary water-based tattoos? Obviously the Law of Moses does not contain
prohibitions against such matters, unless, of course, context is disregarded
and the hermeneutical fallacy of proof-texting is implemented. “A text without
a context is a pretext for a proof text.”3
Leviticus
19–20 addresses moral and ceremonial laws for the post-exodus/pre-Christian
people of Israel, including Sabbath observance, sacrifices and offerings,
harvest surplus for the needy, not mixing livestock or seed or clothing fibers,
corporal punishment, abstaining from fruit until the fifth year of production,
hair removal restrictions, death penalty, distinguishing between clean and
unclean animals, et al.
Many of these instructions were intended to make observable distinctions between the set-apart children of God and the idolatrous peoples around them.4 “And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them .... You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine" (Lev. 20:23-26, ESV; cf. 18:3, 24-30). Separation from heathen religious practices is clearly a major concern in this passage (Lev. 19:4, 26, 31; 20:2-6, 27), and the law concerning cuttings and markings on the body (Lev. 19:27; cf. 21:5) immediately follows instructions about blood, the occult, and haircutting.
Rounding
off or shaving part of the scalp-hair and shaving or disfiguring the beard were
conventional signs of devotion to a cultic deity. Hair-offering rituals were
also common.5 Jeremiah, using a derogatory epithet, alludes to
uncircumcised pagan nations who “cut off” (qatsats) “corners” (pe'ah) [of hair] (Jer. 9:26;
25:23; 49:32).6 The
fifth-century-BC historian Herodotus, in describing the Arabians in particular
(descendants of Ishmael, inhabiting lands southeast
of Israel), observed that in dedication to their
god Orotal (’Οροτάλ), Greek equivalent Dionysus
(Διόνυσος): “the cropping of their hair is like the cropping of the
hair of Dionysus, cutting it round the head and shaving the temples” (Histories
3.8).
From
an ancient Jewish perspective, cutting off a man’s beard, or even a portion of
it, was regarded as shameful (2 Sam. 10:4-5; 1 Chron. 19:4; Isa. 15:2), purification ordinances notwithstanding. Cutting the
flesh, as a frenzied religious practice (1 Kings 18:28), and shaving the hair
were also mourning rituals borrowed from pagans (Jer. 16:6; 41:5; 47:5; 48:37). The Lord,
therefore, commanded the Israelites, “you (all) shall not make cuttings
in your flesh for the dead ...”
New
Testament Application
Certain
moral principles have been carried over from the old-covenant system of Judaism
into Christ’s new-covenant order (e.g., Rom. 1:17; 2:6; 7:7; 12:19-20; 13:9; et
al.). But many of the specific rules, prohibitions, and practices have not.
Note, for example, Leviticus 20:25, “You shall therefore separate the clean beast from the unclean ... which
I have set apart for you to hold unclean,” compared to Romans 14:14, “I know and am persuaded in the Lord
Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself ...” It is a mistake, therefore,
to try to bind any of these old-covenant regulations without clear parallels in
the New Testament (cf. Acts 10:9-16; 15:1-5; Rom. 14:3-5; Gal. 3:10-13; 15:1-4; et al.).
What,
Where, Why?
When
it comes to modern-day tattooing, the deciding factors for Christians should be
(a) what it is, (b) where it is, and (c) why it’s there. Surely we can appreciate
the difference between a satanic symbol and a Bible verse, between the blatantly
obvious and the subtle, between an inconspicuous or innocuous image in memory of a deceased loved one and a
swastika tattooed on the forehead. Let’s be careful about making blanket
statements and extreme arguments that do not and cannot equally apply.
Cultural
or Countercultural?
In
a number of places, tattoos and other forms of body art have cultural significance and are more socially acceptable, representing things like tribal identity, rites of passage, kinship, and family history. For
the Māori people of New Zealand, for example, tattoos (tā moko) are inextricably
linked to cultural heritage, genealogy, and personal identity. For Samoans,
tattoos (tatau) represent commitment to family and cultural values. The red dot
(bindi) on an Indian woman’s forehead is indicative of marital status.
Some African Americans practice skin branding or scarification to commemorate
African heritage or commiserate ancestral slavery.
In other cultures, however, tattoos and comparable markings have been associated
with rebellion and civil defiance, gang affiliation, criminality, or overall
worldliness. A Christian’s appearance can either inhibit or enhance his or her
influence. What are my motives? How do I want to represent Christ? Do I wish
to draw others to the Lord or inadvertently give them pause or drive them away? As we consider the
what, where, and why, let’s not forget the why not? A wise and observant person
of faith ought to be able to make these distinctions.
The
Overriding Factor
The
New Testament principle of modesty addresses this issue most readily. With respect to outward appearance, 1 Timothy
2:9-10 is concerned about
adorning oneself in such a way that draws undue attention to oneself. In
mid-first-century Mediterranean societies this involved elaborate hairstyles, ornate jewelry, and expensive clothes. Although
the text’s immediate focus is on Christian women, the “likewise also” (ὡσαύτως καί) of
v. 9 makes the principle just as applicable to Christian men. Anything that
stands out and silently screams “look at me,” focusing more attention on one’s
outward appearance than one’s inward character, especially if it displays more worldliness
than godliness, is not conducive to a Christ-like demeanor (cf. Rom. 13:14; 1 Pet. 3:3; Rev.
17:4).7
Immodesty in today’s
westernized world would include skimpy or vulgar outfits, over the top makeup and
jewelry, unnatural hair colors and outlandish hairstyles, countercultural
attire and body art, and extreme facial or body piercings. While facial
piercing and associated jewelry are not foreign to the biblical record,8
surely common sense sees the difference between discreet versus immoderately
excessive.
Conclusion
What
about those who already have tattoos and piercing-scars before becoming
Christians? While options might include concealment or laser removal, it seems
to me the better option, especially considering prospective and new
Christians, is relatively simple. We can extend grace and
non-judgmental acceptance. “For
though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all ...” (1
Cor. 9:19).
--Kevin
L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 The New Brown–Driver–Briggs–Gesenius
Hebrew and English Lexicon by Francis Brown, with S. R. Driver and Charles A. Briggs
(Lafayette, IN: Associated Publishers and Authors, 1980) 891.
2 The wording could also be
rendered, “nor make engraven (or branded) writing upon yourselves.”
See C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the OT: The
Pentateuch, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968) 424.
3 D. A. Carson attributes this
quote to his father. See “Filled with the Spirit,” The Gospel Coalition
(27 March 2005), <Link>.
4 This is illustrated as a
constant reminder in the prohibition against mixing livestock, seed, and fabric
(Lev. 19:19; cf. Deut. 22:9-11).
5 See Bellarmine Museum of Art,
“Hair in the Classical World Ritual and Rites of Passage Wall Text,” Ephemera
16 (2015), <Link>;
G. J. Tassie, “Hair-Offerings: An Enigmatic Egyptian Custom,” Institute of
Archaeology (1996) 7:59-67, <Link>.
Pliny the Elder reported: “The Arabs wear turbans or else go with their hair unshorn;
they shave their beards but wear a moustache—others however leave the beard
also unshaven” (Natural History 6.28).
6 Cf. ASV, CSB, ESV, NASB, NET,
N/RSV. Some translations render the expression, “in the farthest corners”
(NKJV) or “in distant places” (NIV), but miss the apparent derision implied by
the description. See J. A. Thompson, The Book of Jeremiah (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1987) 322.
7 See K. L. Moore, “Braided
Hair, Jewelry, and Expensive Clothes,” Moore Perspective (19 July 2023),
<Link>.
8 Gen. 24:22, 30, 47; 35:4; Ex. 32:2-3; 35:22; Num. 31:50; Judg. 8:24-26; Isa. 3:21; Ezek. 16:12.
Related
articles:
Wayne Jackson, Does the OT Condemn Tattoos?
*For
a non-religious case against tattooing, see John Mac Ghlionn, “Inked Nation:
The link between tattoos and exhibiting troubling behaviors is growing
stronger,” The American Mind (21 June
2023), <Link>.
Image
credit:
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/shocking-face-tattoos/
