What did Jesus look like?

[Rambuchan]

I don't know if we've been here before or not but this has always been an interesting area of discussion. Here are some paintings of Jesus, which do you think is closest to depicting him accurately?

Some little rules:
- Please don't discuss whether or not Jesus existed, this thread assumes that he did.
- Given our assumption, please don't say 'it doesn't matter to me what he looked like but rather what he means to me'. This is not the intention either.
- I mean to cause no offense by posting this, I will gladly retract / request for it to be deleted if this proves to cause major offense but I think we're ok

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Number 6

[Edit: Put some numbers above each picture for ref.]

 

[Quasar1011]

It is highly doubtful that Jesus was a blue-eyed blonde, like some depictions of Him. Since He was a Jew, He had darker, Mediterranean looks. I could not choose from the pictures you posted, except to say that Jesus was not black. Nothing about Jesus would have made Him stand out from the crowd, since Isaiah prophesied this about Jesus:

Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

Actually, we know a lot more about what Jesus looks like in 2005, than in 33 A.D. From the Book of Revelation, chapter 1:

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

All told, Jesus' physical appearance was not that important. There's a lesson there for all of us.

 

[GenMarshall]

I feel that #2 looks more like Jesus, though it's kind of hard to tell with the quality of the picture/painting. I beleve that Jesus would have more of a Mediterainian look to him.

 

[Mario Feldberg]

The BBC created a research-based model of the real Jesus some years ago:

Jesus certainly wasn't a long-haired white guy. In that region at that time nobody looked like that.

 

[stormbind]

Certainly had darker skin, even a white person would look pretty dark after spending a lifetime in the Mediteranean sun

Exposure to sun also accelerates aging of the skin, so by the time of his death he would have well pronounced laughter lines &c.

Most people of Palestine, Egypt, and surrounding areas have a caucasian bone structure.

I therefore opt for #6, which is presumably a young Jesus with a makeover for television or something

 

[Rambuchan]

Yes I feel #6 is the closest to my understanding of what he would have looked like. He's obviously been brushed/grromed up in this painting.

 

[Cheetah]

I'll go with the picture Mario posted. On second place comes number 6.

 

[Marla_Singer]

At least everyone agree he worn a bearb.

 

[HamaticBabylon]

He was a black man; the idea that he is white just comes from the clergy’s crusade to degrade the black man. At one time the church said Africans had tales, and because we eat a lot of fruit they even said that we eat "monkey food", later they realise that fruits are good for the body....silly white man.

 

[rbis4rbb]

A chinese Jesus? Who thought of that?

 

[FriendlyFire]

The BBC created a research-based model of the real Jesus some years ago:

Jesus certainly wasn't a long-haired white guy. In that region at that time nobody looked like that.

NO NO it was a skull they had correctly carbon dated to the same period of history as Jesus. Also they did extensive research into the hair style of the day and have accurately reproduced the hair.

 

[Rambuchan]

@ rbis4rbb: I fished out a whole page of Chinese Jesus paintings, including a nativity scene. There is a whole slew of religious paintings here:

http://religion-cults.com/art.htm

Chinese ones are bang in the middle at the top.

 

[Marla_Singer]

@ rbis4rbb: I fished out a whole page of Chinese Jesus paintings, including a nativity scene. There is a whole slew of religious paintings here:

http://religion-cults.com/art.htm

Chinese ones are bang in the middle at the top.

That Japanese picture of Mary is cute :

 

[Marla_Singer]

Yes I feel #6 is the closest to my understanding of what he would have looked like. He's obviously been brushed/grromed up in this painting.

The #6 looks more Pakistanese than Mediterranean. I would guess for the #1 personnally.

 

[Xen]

considering he was able to pass as a reguler inhabitiant of the area to the Romans, he very likelly looked like any other Judean, or south eastern med. sea inhabitiant at the time

@hamatic babylon of course! every thing is always the white mans attempt to degrade the black mans fault! why couldnt I see it before

please, spare us from your racist garbage. it isnt wanted here.

 

[Rambuchan]

Yes #1 was an option for me too but I thought - 'Jesus with natty dreadlocks? Cool! But nah!'

 

[Marla_Singer]

@hamatic babylon of course! every thing is always the white mans attempt to degrade the black mans fault! why couldnt I see it before

please, spare us from your racist garbage. it isnt wanted here.

Relax please. There's no need to start insulting people.

He was a black man; the idea that he is white just comes from the clergy’s crusade to degrade the black man.

Actually, I don't even think crusades were necessary to picture Jesus as a white guy. All those images of Jesus are coming from the description made in the Gospels. Knowing that few references are made on fashion and hairstyle in that book, it's very easy for anyone to imagine him the way we want.

Obviously though, it should be written in the gospels that he was wearing a bearb. I've never seen any shaved picture of Jesus (except as a baby but that's a given).

 

[Rambuchan]

@ Marla_Singer: You'll find lots of shaven Jesus paintings in that link.

@ HamaticBabylon: Are you familiar with Grand Puba? Responsible for an excellent track called 'Proper Education' (roots reggae meets hip-hop style, on an excellent album called 'Reel to Reel'). Some of the lyrics go:

"Why does the black jelly bean taste the worst?
Why does the black licorice taste the worst?
Why do the bad guys always wear black?
Why is bad luck when you see a black cat?
Cos they're workin' subconsciouleeeeeee, subconsciouleeeeeee!"

Man you would love that!

 

[Xen]

Relax please. There's no need to start insulting people.

equality works both ways; th emodern perception of Africa, and African civlization is based on ignorence of the subject, and lack of education about it; not because anyone has been purposefully trying to "put down the balck mans glorious past", with the notable exception of the southern slave holding states in a warped effort to justify slavery; however, while it continued in belife for a time, the practice of actually teaching it in any mainstream way has died, yet ironically, counter racism is entering a strong hold, campaining such views that woudl ascribe every advacment of civlization to sub-saharan africa; such psuedo-science, and little clothed racism has no place on the web site, and for that matter, I'm more then rpud to do my part in making a better forum community by silencing the voice of racial hate which Hamatic babylon seems to be overcome with in most of his posts.

 

[eyrei]

equality works both ways; th emodern perception of Africa, and African civlization is based on ignorence of the subject, and lack of education about it; not because anyone has been purposefully trying to "put down the balck mans glorious past", with the notable exception of the southern slave holding states in a warped effort to justify slavery; however, while it continued in belife for a time, the practice of actually teaching it in any mainstream way has died, yet ironically, counter racism is entering a strong hold, campaining such views that woudl ascribe every advacment of civlization to sub-saharan africa; such psuedo-science, and little clothed racism has no place on the web site, and for that matter, I'm more then rpud to do my part in making a better forum community by silencing the voice of racial hate which Hamatic babylon seems to be overcome with in most of his posts.

Moderator Action: You aren't going to be silencing anyone. Warned for flaming. Eyrei.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889