A Vow

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

A VOW

Acts 18:18-22

18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will." Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

NIV

This is somewhat of a confusing passage, or at least one of the things mentioned within it. This cutting off of hair because of a vow to God has been discussed by a plethora of theologians. There are many who think it was the vow of Paul and many who consider it as a vow of Aquila. The reason for the controversy between these thinkers of the past who studied not only the scriptures themselves, but the ancient manuscripts. It is the manner of the Greek verbiage which gives way to these varied opinions. The reason we use the term opinion is due to the simple fact that is all any of us can have, unless we are led by the Spirit into all truth. The interlinear puts it thus: “and Paul there yet after this tarred a while a good of the brethren and then took his leave and sailed into Syria and with him Priscilla and Aquila having shorn(shaved) in Cenchrea his head he had for a vow.” So it is that is could have been Paul or Aquila who shaved his head because of a vow. This may or may not be of importance as to which one, but because it is included in this narrative that a man shaved his head, which was most likely because of a Nazirite vow, or some other special religious vow to God. It matters not to us, but what  does matter is if we ever vow or promise God that we are going to do something, we had better make sure we follow through to the fullest.  Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived said:

Eccl 5:4-6

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow . 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin.

 

We need to be very careful when we deal with God and our daily lives, Of course, it is also not a good thing not to follow after God, and in some sense when we make a decision to follow Jesus, that could be viewed as our vow to follow Jesus, to do that which he has told us, and to follow his teachings and commands. If we fail at this and have a tendency to want what we want when we want it and live according to our ways, but simply include Jesus in our lives, maybe we might have had our mouths lead us into sin. If we vow to follow Jesus, then we need to follow Jesus and all of what that means.