What did Jesus really look like?
Everyone is familiar with the appearance of Jesus. He is the most portrayed character in all of Western art, and he is easily recognized by his long hair and beard, as well as his long robe with long sleeves (typically white) and a cloak, which he wears everywhere (often blue). As a result, Jesus may be recognized on pancakes and slices of bread. But did he truly have this appearance? In truth, this well-known image of Jesus dates back to the Byzantine period, from the 4th century onwards, and Byzantine portrayals of Jesus were symbolic rather than historically accurate – they were concerned with symbolism rather than factual accuracy.
Image courtesy of Alamy Caption for the image Although the halo derives from ancient art, it was originally a characteristic of the sun deity (Apollo, or Sol Invictus), and was later put to Jesus’s head to demonstrate his celestial nature (Matthew 28:19).
A statue of long-haired and bearded Olympian Zeus on a throne is well-known across the globe; in fact, the Roman Emperor Augustus had a duplicate of himself built in the same manner.
Alamy/Getty Images is the image source.
This depiction of the heavenly Christ, which is occasionally updated in hippy fashion, has evolved into our typical model of the early Jesus as a result of historical development.
Let’s take it from top to bottom.
1. Hair and beard
Almost everyone is familiar with the image of Jesus. Known all throughout the world with his long hair and beard, his long robe with long sleeves (typically white), and his mantle, he is the most portrayed figure in the history of Western art (often blue). Jesus is so well-known that he may be recognized on pancakes or slices of bread. Is this, however, how he truly looked? The Byzantine era, which began in the 4th century and continued until the present day, is when this popular picture of Jesus first appeared, and Byzantine portrayals of Jesus were symbolic in nature, rather than historically accurate.
Alamy provided the image.
It appears that Jesus is wearing a gold toga on this occasion.
Featured image from Alamy/Getty Images For the purpose of depicting the divine reign of Christ as cosmic King, Byzantine painters created a younger version of Zeus, who was known as the Christ of the Universe.
This depiction of the heavenly Christ, which is occasionally updated in hippy fashion, has evolved into our typical model of the early Jesus as a result of historical progression. In the end, how did Jesus seem in person? Now, let’s go through everything from top to bottom!
During the time of Jesus, affluent men wore long robes on important occasions in order to flaunt their social standing in front of others. The following is from one of Jesus’ teachings: “Be wary of the scribes, who seek to stroll around the temple courts in long robes (stolai), to be saluted in the markets, to have the most important seats in the synagogues, and to be seated in the places of honour at feasts” (Mark chapter 12, verses 38-39). Because the sayings of Jesus are widely believed to be the more accurate sections of the Gospels, we can infer that Jesus did not actually wear such clothes.
- As a result, when Thecla, a woman, dresses in a short (male) tunic in the 2nd Century Acts of Paul and Thecla, it comes as a bit of a surprise.
- It was customary to wear a mantle over the tunic to protect one’s shoulders from the elements, and we know that Jesus wore one of them since it was this that a lady touched when she desired to be cured by him (see, for example, Mark chapter 5, verse 27).
- Histation, which could be worn in a variety of ways, including as a wrap, would fall beyond the knees and entirely cover the short tunic.
- Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
- The quality, size, and color of these mantles all served as indicators of power and status in their respective societies.
- Because the dyes used to create these colors were extremely uncommon and expensive, they were referred to as “royal colors.” Colors, on the other hand, might signify something else.
- Real men, unless they were of the greatest social position, should, according to this, dress in undyed garments.
- A notable feature of this hairstyle was that it required bleaching or chalking, and it was linked with a sect known as the Essenes, who adhered to a stringent interpretation of Jewish law.
As Mark describes it, Jesus’shimatia (which may refer to “clothing” or “clothes” rather of particularly “mantles”) began to shine “glistening, exceedingly white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them,” and eventually became “glistening, extremely white.” As a result, before his transfiguration, Jesus is depicted by Mark as an average man, dressed in ordinary garments, in this instance undyed wool, the kind of material that would be sent to a fuller for processing.
More information regarding Jesus’ attire is revealed after his death, when the Roman soldiers split his himatia (in this context, the term most likely refers to two mantles) into four portions, each of which contains a different piece of clothing (see John chapter 19, verse 23).
This cloak with tassels (tzitzith) is expressly mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 23:5 when he speaks of the kingdom of God.
A lightweight himation, typically constructed of undyed creamy-colored woollen material, and it was likely embellished with some sort of indigo stripe or threading, as was the case here.
Jesus would have walked about with sandals on his feet. Everyone walked about in sandals. Sandals from the time of Jesus have been discovered in desert caverns between the Dead Sea and Masada, allowing us to observe firsthand what they were like during the time of the Savior. The soles were made of thick strips of leather that were sewed together, and the top sections were made of leather straps that went through the toes. They were extremely plain and straightforward. Gabi Laron is the photographer that captured this image.
Exhibition catalogue for The Story of Masada, published by G.
The Hebrew University, the Israel Antiquity Authority, and the Israel Exploration Society are all located in Jerusalem.
And what about Jesus’s physical characteristics? They were of Jewish descent. The fact that Jesus was a Jew (or a Judaean) is unquestionable since it is repeated in a variety of literary sources, including the writings of Paul, provides more evidence. Furthermore, as stated in the Letter to the Hebrews, “it is unmistakable that our Lord was descended from the tribe of Judah.” So, how do we see a Jew at this time, a guy who, according to Luke chapter 3, was “around 30 years of age when he began,” in this situation?
- He did not assert that it was the face of Jesus.
- Image courtesy of Alamy Caption for the image Despite what some painters, such as the artist who created this fresco in Crete, may believe, Jesus did not have blue eyes as others have imagined.
- Moses is depicted in undyed garments, and his one cloak is in reality a tallith, since tassels (tzitzith) can be seen at the corners of the Dura depiction of Moses splitting the Red Sea.
- Image courtesy of Alamy A tallith (used as a cloak) with blue ornamentation seems to be worn by Moses in the image description; the blue in both garments is most likely the result of indigo dye being applied to them.
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What Did Jesus Really Look Like? New Study Redraws Holy Image
Following new study by Joan Taylor, it has been suggested that Jesus was of normal height, with short black hair and brown eyes, as well as olive-brown complexion. (Image credit: Painting by Cathy Fisher, depicting Jesus with shorter garments and hair in conformity with the latest results.) Quickly searching for “Jesus” on Google will provide a range of photos depicting a tall, white person with long, blondish hair and a beard, with a beard. But what didJesus look like in his natural state? According to a recent book by a professor, Jesus most likely did not look anything like the image we have today.
- in Bethlehem and spent a brief period of time in Egypt as a kid before settling in Nazareth with his family.
- (T T Clark et al., 2018) “It’s very interesting how little is made of it, and what he looked like,” Taylor said in an interview with Live Science.
- Additionally, Taylor writes in her book that the oldest creative portrayals of Jesus date back at least two centuries after he died, and that they give little trustworthy information about what Jesus may have looked like.
- She also looked at beautiful images on coins as well as Egyptian mummy paintings for more inspiration.
Average, short-haired guy
According to Taylor’s study, rather than towering over his contemporaries in Judea, Jesus was around 5 foot 5 inches (1.7 meters) tall, which corresponds to the typical height observed in skeletal remains of males from the region at the time of his death. As evidenced by the presence of archaeological remains, historical writings, and portrayals of individuals in Egyptian mummy pictures, Taylor asserts that people in Judea and Egypt tended to be of dark complexion with brown eyes, black hair, and olive-brown skin, among other characteristics.
- Taylor discovered that because Jews in Judea and Egypt preferred to marry among themselves at the period, Jesus’ complexion, eyes, and hair were most likely similar to the skin, eyes, and hair of the majority of the people in Judea and Egypt.
- According to Taylor, historical records also revealed that individuals in Judea tended to maintain their hair (and beards) moderately short and well-combed, most likely in order to keep lice out, which was a major problem at the period.
- In order to cut his hair and beard, he might have used a knife, according to Taylor, who pointed out that individuals in the ancient past were generally more competent with knives than people are today.
- This busy lifestyle, combined with a lack of regular eating, resulted in his being likely lean but slightly muscular, according to Taylor.
- In any case, he shouldn’t be portrayed as someone who was content with his lot in life; unfortunately, that’s the type of picture we sometimes receive.” Taylor stated that other elements of Jesus’ face, such as his lips and cheeks, are a mystery at this time.
She expressed skepticism about representations of Jesus in which he is shown to be particularly attractive. Taylor asserted that if Jesus had been attractive, the gospel authors or other early Christian writers would have stated as much, just as they did for Moses and David.
A few suggestions regarding Jesus’ attire may be found in the gospels, as well as in archaeological remnants that have been discovered. He was most likely dressed in a woolen, undyed tunic that exposed his lower legs; a loincloth; and a “mantle,” or outer cloak, to keep warm. His shoes would have looked like modern-day sandals, and because clothing was so expensive at the time, it is probable that Jesus performed a lot of repairing. Furthermore, unless someone gave him with new clothing, the clothes he was wearing would get increasingly damaged with time.
- Taylor’s book received generally excellent reviews from biblical experts who have studied it, including Helen Bond, a professor of theology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and Jim West, an adjunct professor of biblical studies at Ming Hua Theological College in Hong Kong.
- Aside from that, she expressed excitement at the prospect of seeing additional artists attempt to rebuild depictions of Jesus in light of her results.
- The original version of this article appeared on Live Science.
- A bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University are among Owen’s qualifications.
What did Jesus really look like?
Mummy portrait with a beard by ALAMYA (161-180) from Fayyum, Egypt, done in encaustic on wood and mounted on the mummy. In the second and early third centuries, identifying the appearance of Jesus was made more difficult by the fact that most men had beards, and in some cases had hair reaching the nape of their necks. MORE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND IN THE GALLERY. “Identifying the face of Jesus in the second and early third centuries,” says the artist of this picture on a mummy from Fayyum, Egypt, painted with encaustic on wood.
- and inquired as to how I became interested in this subject.
- There were drawings of Jesus with light-brown hair and blue eyes in my children’s Bible, but I also had a King James Bible (given to me by an uncle at my baptism) with illustrations by Edward S.
- The artist Evelyn Stuart Hardy, like many other artists working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, represented Jesus and his disciples as Europeans dressed in Palestinian garb.
- Clearly, Hardy was attempting to depict a more realistic Middle Eastern Jesus in her film, and she succeeded.
- I had a passion for painting and continued to sketch depictions of Jesus throughout my adolescence.
- My Jesus was the traditional long-haired, bearded Jesus in long robes, with light brown hair that was slightly Eastern-styled, but otherwise the standard Jesus.
- When I was in my twenties, I went on a trip to Israel and Palestine, where I got attracted with the discovery of old pieces of fabric in archaeological digs.
As a result, they are consistent with attire seen on the walls of Pompeii or in pictures on Egyptian mummies.
There were undoubtedly some regional variations — for example, Judaean women tended to wear veils when they didn’t in Roman circumstances — but, in general, the clothing code was the same across the empire.
ALAM In the fourth-century church of Santa Pudenziana in Rome, a mosaic in the apse, which was repaired in the sixteenth century.
A few years later, I authored a book about John the Baptist, titled The Immerser: John the Baptist in His World.
It was critical to include a description of John’s clothing in order to help people understand his significance.
After spending so much time describing what John looked like, Jesus is merely described as “coming from Nazareth of Galilee” in St Mark’s Gospel, with no more physical description of himself.
We don’t notice since we “know” what Jesus looked like based on depictions in art.
Without this, however, the absence of a description is concerning, since as people of faith, we desire to correctly visualize and describe Jesus’ story and person.
In my book, I take the reader on a trip through time, from the Veronica cloth to the Turin Shroud, to see whether there is anything in these sacred artifacts that indicates a genuine memory of Jesus’s apparition.
I did learn some interesting things along the way, though, such as the fact that the tale of Veronica is considerably older than I had previously realized, and that the original Veronica (in Greek, Berenice) was believed to be the woman who had the issue of blood with the devil (Mark 5.25-34 and parallels).
- The message was clear: Jesus was divine in every way.
- He is dressed in regal clothing (as befits a king) that are lengthy, highly colored, and have broad sleeves.
- Moses appears to be quite attractive in this image, with shorter, coarser hair and a light beard (Moses was regarded beautiful), while one school of thought in the Early Church felt he was ugly and short, most likely based on reading Isaiah 53.
- Another school of thought said that Jesus’ appearance changed on a regular basis, depending on whether or not the spectator believed in him.
- People have also inquired as to why I believe this research is significant.
- Actually, as I attempt to demonstrate in the book, if we begin to hunt for signs and proof of Jesus’s true appearance, we will learn something about him as a result of our efforts.
- It is not just about our ethnicity, but also about the color of our skin, hair, and eyes.
We all dress our bodies in specific ways and style our hair in specific ways.
Jesus would have dressed in the traditional manner of his day, in a woollen tunic and a mantle (a big rectangular fabric), both of which would have been uncolored.
Tunics for affluent men might also be lengthy and fashioned of luxurious fabrics, which served to advertise their riches, social standing, and leisure.
ALL RIGHTS RESTRICTIONS APPLY JOAN TAYLOR’S PERSONAL WEBSITE In the Letter of Lentulus, a fabricated account of Jesus’s trial that appeared in the late 14th century, depictions of Christ with a European appearance are influenced by the story of the emerald vernicle (c.
1500), an English example of depictions of Christ with a European appearance (Matthew 9.20, 14.26).
Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for wearing tassels (“edges”) on their garments to advertise their piety.
He then donned a short tunic with short tassels and a cloak with shorter fringes.
When I looked into what was stated about Jesus in the second century, as documented by the anti-Christian scholar Celsus, I discovered that there were some strange recollections of the way he appeared to be.
He was described as “a wanderer.
a disheartening appearance Jesus’ tunic was composed of a single piece, which corresponds to what we know from John 19.23-24, which states that Jesus’ tunic was one piece.
Tunics for the outside of the body were formed of two sections that were linked at the shoulder and sides.
He urged his followers to give away their goods to the destitute, which they did (Matthew 19.20-22).
Those who are destined for the Kingdom of God are described as follows in Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats: “I was unclad, and you placed something around my waist” (Matthew 25.36).
Jesus was more than only compassionate toward the poor; he also dressed in the manner of those in need.
Joan E. Taylor is a Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King’s College, London, where she has taught for more than 30 years. What Was the Physical Appearance of Jesus? Bloomsbury publishes (Books, 23 March) at a cost of £17.99 (CT Bookshop at a cost of £16.20).
What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
A bearded guy (161-180) from Fayyum, Egypt, is depicted on a mummy by ALAMYA in encaustic on wood. “Identifying the appearance of Jesus in the second and early third centuries is difficult by the fact that most men wore beards, and in some cases their hair may even reach the nape of their necks. ” MORE IMAGES CAN BE FOUND IN THE GALLERY Mummy image of a bearded man (161-180) from Fayyum, Egypt, painted with encaustic on wood and titled “Identifying the appearance of Jesus in the second and early third centuries” MULTIPLE individuals have asked me how I became interested in the question of what Jesus looked like after the publication of my book What Did Jesus Look Like?
- There were drawings of Jesus with light-brown hair and blue eyes in my children’s Bible, but I also had a King James Bible (provided to me by an uncle at my baptism) with illustrations by Edward S.
- The artist Evelyn Stuart Hardy, like many other artists working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, represented Jesus and his disciples as Europeans dressed in Palestinian attire.
- In all likelihood, Hardy was attempting to produce a more realistic Middle Eastern Jesus in her work.
- Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I enjoyed creating art and continued to sketch portraits of Jesus.
- It was the traditional long-haired, bearded Jesus in long robes with light brown hair, which was slightly Eastern-styled, but otherwise the same as everyone else.
- When I was in my twenties, I went on a trip to Israel and Palestine, where I got attracted by the discovery of old pieces of fabric in archaeological excavations.
- Due to the fact that, culturally, Judaea was very much a part of the Graeco-Roman civilization and individuals wore “Western”-style apparel, they are consistent with clothing seen on the walls of Pompeii or in pictures on Egyptian mummies.
The fact that Jesus would have looked like the people I encountered in this region of the globe was also a stark reminder to me: he would have been a Palestinian or a Sephardi Jew, with brown complexion and black hair, similar to the people I met.
“Christ is the ‘ruler of all,’ and this is a scenario of cosmic judgment at the end of the current world,” says the author of the novel.
Eerdmans published a book in 1997 called John the Baptist in Second Temple Judaism, which discussed how John’s appearance was important: he appeared like people envisioned Elijah, wrapped in camel hair (sackcloth) with a skin knotted around his waist (Mark 1.6 and parallels).
At the time, it seemed to me that the Gospels did not contain a similar depiction of Christ.
Later in the Gospels, individuals fail to recognize Jesus after he has risen from the dead, but we are not informed how he looked to be different from what he had previously been.
The image of Jesus has been imprinted on our brains from an early age, and we have come to associate him with that image.
That picture elicits an emotional response within us.
The probe, however, eventually came up empty.
In looking at the earliest artistic depictions of Jesus from the Byzantine era (the fourth century onward) and early Christian art from the third century, I discovered that Jesus was portrayed in the style of various Graeco-Roman gods: either with long curly hair and a beard, as with Zeus/Serapis, or else with short curly hair and no beard, as with Dionysus.
- The Zeus-type of Jesus, which has evolved through the centuries, is still considered the mainstream form.
- As one goes farther back in time, there were catacomb images of Jesus as a sort of Moses, with Moses’s miracle-working staff, depicting him as a kind of philosopher.
- (see Origen,Contra Celsum6.75).
- Although the Moses-type pictures appear to me to be the most useful, Jesus himself appeared to me to be a kind of wise old man.
- When expressed in a hostile manner on social media, this might be as follows: “What’s the point?”.
- Actually, as I attempt to demonstrate in the book, if we begin to explore for signs and proof of Jesus’ true appearance, we will learn something about him as a result of our investigation.
- What makes us unique is not only our ethnicity; it’s also about the color of our skin, our hair, and our eyes.
Dressing our bodies in specific ways and styling our hair are something that we all do.
It is likely that Jesus dressed in the traditional manner of his day, with a woollen tunic and a mantle (a big rectangular garment), both of which would have been undyed wool.
Tunics for affluent men might also be lengthy and fashioned of luxurious fabrics, which served as an advertisement for their riches, social standing, and freedom.
ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS JOAN TAYLOR is a writer and a former actress.
1500), an English example of depictions of Christ with a European appearance, influenced by the story of the emerald vernicle (c.
Instead of simply referring to the edge of a garment as a hem, the Greek wordkraspedon, which means “edge,” is used in the Bible to translate the Hebrewtsitsith, which was a tassel made of blue thread that was to be worn on the four corners of the mantle of every Israelite man (Numbers 15.38-9).
- In other words, he utilized the attire of other guys as a signal of a mistake to prove his point.
- There is, however, more to it than that.
- When it came to Jesus, he “wandered about most shamelessly in everyone’s presence” (Origen,Contra Celsum6.10; translated by Henry Chadwick).
- an outcast who went around with his body in disgracefully disheveled” by his captors (2.38).
- What we know about Jesus from John 19.23-24, that his tunic was constructed of a single piece, really connects in nicely with what we know about Jesus from other sources.
- Tunics for the outside of the body were constructed of two parts that were linked at the shoulders and sides.
- The impoverished, he said, should be the beneficiaries of his disciples’ wealth (Matthew 19.20-22).
- Those who are destined for the Kingdom of God are described as follows in Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats: “I was unclad, and you put something over my neck” (Matthew 25.36).
- In addition to being sympathetic toward the poor, Jesus clothed in the manner of those in need.
King’s College, London is home to Joan E. Taylor, who teaches Christian origins and Second Temple Judaism. What Was the Physical Appearance of Jesus Christ? Bloomsbury publishes (Books, 23 March) at a cost of £17.99 (CT Bookshop at a cost of $16.20).
Become a Member ofBiblical Archaeology SocietyNow and Get More Than Half Off the Regular Price of the All-AccessPass!
With an All-Access pass, you may access more than 9,000 articles from the Biblical Archaeology Society’s extensive collection, as well as much more. Since antiquity, gaps in the historical record of Jesus have encouraged writers to concoct other narratives. According to the Thomas’s Infancy Gospel, a child Jesus is shown as sculpting birds out of clay. The Gospel of Judas takes a more favourable view of Jesus’ connection with Judas Iscariot than the other gospels. In his article “Painting a Portrait of Jesus,” D.
We’ll simply have to make do with our imaginations.
Painting a Portrait of Jesus
We are inundated with stories about Jesus. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Although Jesus is the most well-known historical figure, he is also the least well-known in many aspects. This would be an excellent subject for a novelist. The look of the subject is described in most ancientbioi(the Greek plural of the word for “life”), just as it is in current biographies. Even portrayals of King David in the Old Testament, for example, make reference to his physical loveliness (1 Samuel 16:12; 17:42).
- We don’t know what he looked like when we met him.
- We are given very little information about his personal life or connections.
- Throughout the gospel account (Mark 6:1–6), his mother, brothers, and sisters play important roles.
- After that, James rose to prominence as a significant figure in the early church (Galatians 1:18–19; 2:9).
- From antiquity, it has been deduced that Joseph died before the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.
- Joseph is just missing from the scene.
- Mary Magdalene was one of the most prominent of these women.
This heartwarming scenario implies a deep friendship between the two characters that is not else portrayed in the Gospels.
Was she the mother of Jesus’ progeny?
The purported truths about Jesus that are “exposed” along the course of the book’s story are, in reality, fabricated inventions.
You may get further free articles about Jesus by visiting the historical Jesus study page in Bible History Daily (Bible History Daily).
But was Jesus a “typical” person, or were the times atypical?
John the Baptist served as Jesus’ preceptor.
The Baptist, like the Jewish occupants of the Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls) group, lived in the wilderness, practicing asceticism and waiting for God’s involvement in ordinary history, as did the Jews of the Qumran community.
In Matthew 19:12, Jesus himself talked of individuals who had chosen to be eunuchs (celibate) for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, a reference that was very certainly intended to allude to his own practice.
The portrait is stereotyped, as are many other portraits from this time period as well.
But by the fourth century, he has grown a beard and is beginning to resemble a more recognisable figure.
A tale told in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (which is not to be confused with the Nag Hammadi gospel attributed to Thomas) describes a young Jesus, who is five years old at the time, creating 12 birds out of clay in a stream, probably ignorant that it was the Sabbath.
Peter’s Gospel, often known as the Gospel of Peter, recounts the emergence of the resurrected Jesus from the tomb in amazing and plainly legendary language.
Recent novels and films have continued to fill in the gaps left by the previous generation.
– Adapted from D. Moody Smith’s article “Painting a Portrait of Jesus,” which appeared in the March/April 2007 edition of Biblical Archaeology Review. The piece was originally published in Bible History Daily in December 2011 and has since been republished several times.
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The universe of the Bible may be comprehended. Modern discoveries that give us with clues about the culture in which the ancient Israelites, and subsequently Jesus and the Apostles, lived allow us to get a better understanding of that civilization. The Biblical Archaeology Review serves as a guide on this interesting trip through time. Here is your invitation to come along with us as we learn more and more about the biblical world and its inhabitants. Each issue of Biblical Archaeology Review has papers that are richly illustrated and easy to read, such as the following: Discoveries from the time periods of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are fascinating.
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What Did Jesus Look Like?
Many people have pondered, “What did Jesus look like?” after reading the Bible or hearing someone speak about Jesus. Given that Jesus lived more than 2,000 years ago, we don’t have any photographs or even sketches of what he looked like. We may, however, draw some broad conclusions about Jesus’ physical appearance based on his society and archeological evidence, which we will discuss below. Professor Joan Taylor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King’s College London conducted research for her book What Did Jesus Look Like?
She believes that Jesus had a physical appearance similar to that of the majority of people in the Middle East throughout the First Century.
The majority of first-century Jewish men, according to archeological data, stood around 5’5″ tall and had brown eyes. Another school of thought holds that Jesus was 5′ 1″ tall and weighed 110 pounds.
Jesus Likely Had Black Hair and a Beard.
“And do not swear by your head, for you will not be able to make even one hair white or black,” Jesus instructed his disciples (Matthew 5:36). Jesus most likely wore a beard and short curly hair with long sideburns or “payot,” as the Greeks called them. “You shall not round off the hair on your temples or ruin the corners of your beard,” according to Leviticus 19:27, therefore Jesus adhered to the rules of grooming. In modern times, Orthodox Jewish men continue to have a lengthy beard on the sides of their heads.
“Does not the very nature of things tell you that if a man has long hair, it is a source of embarrassment for him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is a source of pride for her?” Paul says to early Christians in Corinth.
Jesus Was neither Tall nor Remarkably Good Looking.
They would have made a comment if Jesus’ arrival had been noteworthy in any manner, according to the gospels’ writers. For example, in the Gospel of Luke, a tax collector by the name of Zachaeusas short is described. “Jesus was on his way to him, and Zacchaeus was interested in seeing what he was like. Zacchaeus, on the other hand, was a small man who couldn’t see above the crowd. As a result, he went ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree,” says the author. (Luke 19:3-4, Christian Standard Version) If Jesus had been taller than the average person in the throng, Zacchaeus would have been able to see him clearly over the rest of the people.
“Kish had a son named Saul, who was better-looking and more than a head taller than everyone else in all of Israel,” according to the story.
The giant Goliath was mentioned in 1 Samuel 17:4 as being six cubits and a span tall, which equates to more than nine feet tall.
Jesus Was Not Beautiful and Wasn’t Considered Majestic.
When the disciples were writing their personal narrative of Jesus’ life and career, they drew on prophecy from the book of Isaiah 53 to inspire them. This chapter of Isaiah, according to many Christians, is a description of Jesus’ coming to earth as the Messiah and the suffering He would face. “Because he sprang up before him like a young plant, and like a root emerging from parched earth; he has neither shape nor grandeur that we should admire, nor beauty that we should love him,” he said. He was hated and rejected by mankind; he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with sadness; and like one from whom folks hide their faces, he was despised, and we did not see him as someone to be respected.
(Isaiah 53:2–3, Isaiah 53:5) The Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on Isaiah 53:1-3 draws a connection between this prophetic scripture and Christ’s lack of beauty and appearance, as well as his suffering and ministry, according to the commentary.
According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah’s lowly status and public appearance did not comport with their conceptions of him.
In his explanation, he stated that “it is written of the Son of Man that he should endure many things and be regarded with disdain.” He added that (Matthew 9:12) According to Matthew 8:17, Jesus cured those who were demon-possessed as well as all others who were sick in order to “fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our ailments and bore our diseases.'” “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we may die to sin and live to righteousness,” Peter wrote.
“You have been healed by His stripes” (1 Peter 2:24).
Why Aren’t There Pictures of Jesus from His Lifetime?
Jesus’ ministry and message had a profound impact on the entire globe. People were martyred and died as a result of their faith in him, but we have no physical evidence of what he seemed to be like. Throughout the First Century, carvings, sculptures, and mosaics representing military commanders like Caesar as well as ordinary people have been discovered. Why didn’t early Christians erect portraits or sculptures in Christ’s honor? What was the reason for this? Having been raised as Jews, Jesus and the earliest followers observed the Law and relied on Old Testament principles to guide them in every aspect of their life, including marriage.
God’s people were not allowed to worship any other gods.
A carved figure or any likeness of anything in the heavens above, or anything in the earth beneath, or anything that is in the sea under the ground shall not be made for yourself” (Exodus 20:4).
A critical instruction with far-reaching implications was issued.
“So that you do not become corrupt and create for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed in the shape of a man or a woman, or in the shape of any animal on the earth, or in the shape of any bird that flies in the air, or in the shape of any creature that moves along the ground, or in the shape of any fish in the waters beneath” (Deuteronomy 4:15-18).
Why Do We Have Pictures of Jesus If Early Christians Didn’t Create Images?
The images of Christ in stained glass, icons or sculptures in the sanctuary, or depictions of Jesus in your Children’s Bible may have been a part of your childhood experience. These are examples of the artist’s imaginative abilities. One of the earliest known depictions of Jesus goes back to 235 years after his death and resurrection. This painting of Jesus curing the paralytic was discovered on a wall at Syria’s Dura-Europos church, which is one of the world’s earliest Christian churches and is considered to be the oldest in the world.
- It wasn’t until the fourth century C.E.
- The Bible was taught to Christians via the use of art in the early church.
- Art was an important aspect of Roman civilization, and it was later absorbed into early Christian culture.
- Ancient artwork, paintings, and even current visuals are representations of an artist’s imagination as well as the culture in which they were created.
We can easily see how the artist’s point of view and society impacted the attire, hair color, and even hairdo that Jesus wore in this painting.
What Does All This Mean for Us Today?
Knowing that no images or sculptures of Jesus were created during his lifetime serves as a reminder to us that God looks at the heart and not the external appearance of a person. Once, when God enlisted the prophet Samuel to pick the king of Israel, God gave him extremely precise instructions to avoid Saul, who had the appearance of a king but did not have a desire to serve the Lord. In response, the Lord instructed Samuel to disregard his outward appearance or the height of his stature because he had been rejected by Me.'” Because the Lord views things differently than men do: men gaze at the external appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Samuel 16:8) It is critical that we learn from this and refrain from judging ourselves or others based on our external looks.
- Similarly to what Jesus instructed his followers, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with sound judgment” (John 7:24).
- Considering that none of the texts written by Jesus’ disciples contain any description of his looks, it is astonishing that they do not.
- Whenever we feel unattractive or unattractive, or when people detest or criticize us because of our appearance, we must remember that Jesus himself was unattractive and unattractive; he wasn’t regarded good-looking or handsome; and people laughed at him and even spat on him (Matthew 26:67).
- This is not the behavior that Christians should exhibit.
- According to James 3:9, our value is founded on God’s love for us, for he created every human being in His image.Sources: BibleStudyTools.com, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary.
- Isaiah 53, according to BiblicalArchaeology.org “Can you tell me what Jesus looked like?” CNN.com, “A New Face of Jesus emerges from the realms of science and computers.” Jeordan Legon’s work from 2002.
- TimesOfIsrael.com, “During a forensic pilgrimage, a researcher inquires, ‘What did Jesus look like?'” the article states.
- Penny Noyes, M.Ed., is the author of Embracing Change – Learning to Trust God through the Women of the Bibleas well as two books on Hezekiah.
- Penny Noyes may be found on her blog and on Instagram, where she goes by the handle @pennynoyes.
- Bethany Pyle is responsible for the design.
What did Jesus really look like, as a Jew in 1st-century Judaea?
Everyone is aware of how to identify Jesus’ appearance. In art, cinema, and literature, he is depicted in a similar manner. His picture may be found in innumerable churches and other Christian structures on a regular basis. He is typically European in appearance: a man with nut-brown hair (sometimes blond) and light brown or blue eyes, generally with a beard. His face and nose are both long, and he has long hair and a beard. His clothing is equally lengthy, consisting of a tunic that reaches the ground, big baggy sleeves, and a thick mantle that covers his shoulders.
- But what did Jesus actually look like as a Jew in 1st-century Judaea, and how did he behave?
- What was his height?
- These are the kinds of questions I wrestled with while researching and writing my book, What Did Jesus Look Like?
- It is a subject that has piqued my curiosity for quite some time.
- In the Gospels, Jesus is neither characterized as tall or short, good-looking or plain, strong or feeble, nor is he described as tall or short.
We “know” what he looked like
We don’t notice this exclusion of any description of Jesus since we “know” what he looked like because of all the images we have of him in our possession. However, the Jesus we are familiar with is the consequence of centuries of cultural history. Early portrayals of Jesus, which served as a model for the way he is shown now, were based on the idea of an enthroned monarch and were influenced by presentations of pagan gods, according to the Christian tradition. The long hair and beard have been intentionally borrowed from the iconography of the Graeco-Roman era to create this look.
- As time progressed, the halo of the sun god Apollo was placed to Jesus’s head in order to demonstrate his celestial origins.
- Rather than depicting Jesus as a human being, these paintings were intended to express theological statements about who Jesus was as Christ (King, Judge) and divine Son.
- So, can we picture Jesus in a way that is suitable in light of the evidence from the first century?
- Was it in part due of their physical appearance that this happened?
- Such gentlemen, according to popular belief, did not bother to see barbers very often since they were preoccupied with more essential matters.
- It was considered appropriate in the Roman civilization to have clean-shaven and short-haired facial hair.
- (1 Corinthians 11:14).
You let your hair to grow and abstained from drinking alcohol as part of this promise, among other things.
These depict captured Jewish fighters (some of them are partially clothed) after they revolted against Rome between 66 and 70 AD.
The “philosopher” appearance is shown on Roman coins released by the emperors Vespasian, who issued these coins, and Titus who issued coins depicting Jewish men.
What I’ve discovered is that the Judaeans of this period were the most genetically similar to Iraqi Jews living in the present world.
Jesus would have seemed to be a guy with a Middle Eastern build.
Our whole look, on the other hand, is not simply about our physical appearance. A great deal is dependent on what we do with our bodies. The Gospels provide a few accidental facts that tell us what Jesus was wearing at the time.
He wore a tunic, which is known as a chiton in Greek. Frequently, you’d have two: an outer one and a thinner inner one, which was sometimes referred to as a sindon (Mark 14:63). In Judaea, an outer tunic was always comprised of two pieces of material, one on the front and one on the back, which were linked at the shoulders and sides and had stripes going from the shoulder to the hem. The inner tunic might be constructed from a single piece. This is an interesting element for me because Jesus is supposed to have worn a one-piece garment in the Gospel of John (19:23-24), which I find to be historically accurate.
Wouldn’t Jesus have done the same thing?
Men’s tunics were often worn to the knees.
“But beware of the scribes who seek to stroll around in long tunics (stolai), to be saluted in the marketplaces, to be seated in the most prominent seats in synagogues, and to be seated in positions of honour at feasts,” Jesus warns (Mark 12:38).
A mantle would be worn over a tunic by a guy (himation, Mark 10: 50).
A high level of quality and color (purple and particular shades of blue and red) was associated with power and status.
17:2), Jesus’ followers saw his garments (mantle and tunic) change from a coloured to a dazzling white hue, indicating that these were not usually coloured or bright white in appearance.
Following a thorough study of the Gospels, it becomes clear that Jesus’ physical appearance is fully consistent with his teaching.
19:20-22), he put into practice what he preached.
Joan E Taylor is a Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King’s College London, where she has worked for over a decade.