Historians, anthropologists and theologians, whether secular or believer, tell us that the flesh and blood Jesus Christ, looked nothing like the image most of us have of him. Unlike the familiar European depictions, Jesus’ hair was not long (Galilean Jewish men wore short hair; it was mandated) and he was not blonde.
So it is logical to presume that Jesus was dark skinned and dark eyed if he looked anything liked the men of his culture and time–and, according to the Bible, he did. The Bible tells us that he blended in so much that his betrayer, Judas, had to point him out to the soldiers that came to arrest him because he was with his disciples. In other words he looked like they did.
And who were they? Predominately fishermen and laborers.
Jesus Christ was not handsome. The Bible tells us “…he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” Isaiah 53
He was a carpenter and a wanderer. He walked many, many miles in a harsh, barren environment.
Jesus was poor. The Bible tells us that he was often homeless.
He was a rugged man. A strong man. He carried his own cross after being beaten so savagely that the flesh of his back–what was left of it–hung in grotesque, bloody shreds. It was called scourging, and it was so brutal that many people died during it. Jesus carried his cross until he collapsed. Then an African man was forced to carry it the to the top of the hill Golgotha where Jesus was executed.
Jesus said this regarding the stranger, the immigrant, the alien; those who, like he was, are poor and hungry, who are often sick and imprisoned, who are mistreated and discarded; those who, ironically, look like he did:
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.” Matthew 25
I did not know that about the hair length.
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As you know, I’m not religious. But those teachings were basic good humanity, and are to be applauded. It is a shame that so many who still claim to be ‘Christians’ don’t seem to abide by them any longer.
Nice to see someone revealing the truth about the historical physical depictions too.
Thanks, Pam.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks for reading, Pete. It’s a paradox that so many who claim to follow and to know him would not recognize him if they came into contact with him. They would most likely pass him by without a thought. Some of them would probably belittle him or curse him. I pray I would at least be kind to him.
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Humble, average looking, and strong. I didn’t know about the hair length either. I gave a short class on the thief on the cross…just horrific the way people acted.
The one on the left is like the GQ Brand…it is everywhere.
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Yes, GQ and effeminate. Not realistic at all. Thanks for reading Max. I would have liked to hear your thoughts on the thieves crucified with Him.
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My reasoning for doing it was…as you know we believe we have to have to be baptized…and people bring up the thief on the cross that was saved but wasn’t baptized… but that was still under the old law. You are coC. you know exactly what I’m talking about.
I’m learning more as I go…I still have a lot to learn.
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Yes, I am. And I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I think we (coC) get too hung up with semantics and we can’t see the forest for the trees. Bottom line, Jesus saved him and Jesus will save all of us (or not) as he sees fit. Whatever he decides will be right. Anyway, that’s how I see it. But yes, I think people get the new law and the old law confused all the time. I do too, sometimes.
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Yes thank you Pam. It’s good to hear that from someone else. I think we get too legalistic at times. The instrument accompaniment…make melody in your heart…when I write songs with my guitar…they are from the heart…why can’t a gospel number be from the heart on piano or guitar?
Now saying that…I will admit I do like hearing songs a capella also. I like the history part of it…knowing if you stuck your head in a church in 1950 it would sound the same as now…but again I don’t think a piano will make you hell bound.
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Agree. Totally.
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So encouraging! Thank you Pam.
dw
P.s. What is “coC”?
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Thank you, DW. I am a christian and I worship at the Church of Christ.
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Many shall come in his name and he will say “I know ye not”.
Pretty much sums it up…..
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True.
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Maybe I don’t get out enough, but I’ve hardly ever seen someone address this topic, Pam. Thank you! My husband’s mother and my own father are perfect examples of very religious ethnic people who went their whole lives with the GC image of Christ, and my husband’s family fits this topic perfectly since his parents immigrated from the Dominican Republic. That GC image used to enrage my husband as he was growing up because he knew enough that anyone living in that area where Jesus was from wouldn’t be pale and have blond hair–it was just common sense!
So many things are followed to the detail in the Bible, right, one has to raise an eyebrow at how the details of Jesus’s actual physical form got muddled and turned into Peter Frampton over time!
Also that was one of my biggest issues with Sarah Sanders, since she hails from a religious family with her semi-famous minister father. How dare she serve Trump? How dare she do what she’s done under him? How does she look in the mirror? The denial and lack of empathy and absent insight and hypocrisy is astounding.
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Thank you Stacey. This is a very important topic to me and I’ve been a little disappointed that some of the more conservative folks who follow my blog haven’t responded. But that’s okay. Some of them have stopped following me because they don’t approve of the subject matter of my blog. I understand that. I’ve struggled with that myself.
Anyway, I agree about Sarah Sanders and Mike Huckabee. I used to respect Mike Huckabee, but no longer. I will consistently resist this anti Christian administration and this anti Christian president in particular and I will shout it from the rooftops. THIS IS NOT CHRISTIANITY. This isn’t even respectable or decent.
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I also really wish people would join in the discussion and not just unfollow. What happened to “agree to disagree”? Did people actually unfollow you after this particular post:? Because that’s what’s REALLY baffling to me: what did you say that was so offensive? You quoted the Bible, you stated facts. You’re attempting to spread a message of inclusion and empathy. Where does the insult come in?
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No. They didn’t unfollow me because of this post. And some haven’t unfollowed me at all, they just never respond to my posts or my comments on their posts anymore. And that’s okay. I get it. I’ve never really fit the mold of what conservative Christians think I should be–and I’m not speaking for all of them by any means, Most are dear people who have been nothing but kind to me, but–and maybe it’s just me–some do not approve of me. And I’m not just referring to the blogging community. I’ve grown up in and still consider myself a member of a very conservative Christian church, but I’ve grown especially weary of the silence from the Christian community at large regarding Donald Trump. And then, there are those like Mike Huckabee and Sara Sanders that are cheerleaders for Trump. That makes me very weary indeed.
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Interesting read. I think our President could learn from this post.
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I don’t think our President can learn anything about humility until–when and if–he’s flat on his back and has to use a bed pan. Then he might learn something about…I don’t know. I think he’s a very damaged individual. I would feel sorry for him if he was not our President.
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This is a very interesting post Pam 🙂 I guess when one really thinks about it, their is no right or wrong answer to how Jesus actually looked in his physical appearance. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂
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Thank you, John. And you are right. It shouldn’t matter what Jesus looked like, but the fact that he most likely looked, in many ways, like the people who have become the foil to the hardcore right is ironic sense so many of the hard core right profess to follow him.
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I hear ya 🙂 The big problem with them is that – whether they are on the right side of history or not – their heavy-handed behavior can’t help but incite the more articulate and rational-minded Christians to distance themselves from them. As for myself, it is hard to tell If this observation passes muster, but it is a vibe. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂
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No, I think you’re right. That’s definitely the vibe I get too. Hmmm…I wonder what movie you are going to feature tomorrow? I hope it’s something that I know. Ha! Anyway, looking forward to your post John.
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I agree with the above that on one level it doesn’t matter. Because how people look in general shouldn’t matter to anyone. But in this specific case, though, regarding your post, it does matter because the point you’re making is that Jesus lived in an ethnic location and most likely was ethnic, so the hue and cry over immigrants and people of color in this country becomes even that much more confusing and tragic.
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Exactly.
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Pam, are you okay if I repost this on becoming flame.com ?
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Yes, of course, DW. I would be honored. Thank you.
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Interesting. The Shroud of Turin describes him different about hair length.
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