How come they always portray Jesus with blond hair and blue eyes? He probably had black hair and brown eyes?

Answer 1

Jesus was a first century jew, and would have looked very odd indeed if he had been a tall man with blond hair and blue eyes (as holman hunt protrays him in 'the light of the world').

we can be fairly sure that Jesus did not have caucasian features - they would have been so remarkable that at least one of the evangelists would have commented on this.

but christianity became a world religion - as opposed to a local cult - when the roman emperor constantine made it the official faith of the roman empire. Jesus the man was a jew in first cenury palestine, but Jesus as an important western god begins when constantine makes modern christianity the compulsory faith of the roman empire three hundred years later.

constantine's capital was technically rome, but in practice constantinople (istanbul). the people who first made images of Jesus as pantokrator (almighty) were not jews but greeks, armenians, turks (and the dozen other nationalities who drifted through a city on the cusp between europe and asia).

when the first images of Jesus as god were made they were made by artisans who wanted to show a man like themselves. they seem to have chosen a characteristically greek face, and since for the next fifteen hundred years Jesus would be a mainly european god, this was the face He kept.

there is some evidence (convincing but non-conclusive) that the face of Jesus we know today may indeed the original face of zeus (the main greek god) as he appeared on his famous statue at olympia.

a few of our wonkier current christian cults believe that europeans still worship zeus (at the olympic games).

if only they knew.

Answer 2

Most of the paintings that you are talking about, that portray Jesus as a light skinned blonde with blue eyes, were painted by Europeans, many years ago. They were painting what was familiar. I agree that he probably had olive skin, black or brown eyes, and black hair.

Answer 3

Personal opinion on this:

whoever it was that portrayed the image of Jesus that enough people liked and that "stuck" most likely had blue eyes (though I have seen alot of images with brown eyes) and light brown hair(I have never seen a blond image)

you are most likely right though, he probably did have black or very dark brown hair and brown eyes considering the region of his birth. but we will never really know.

Answer 4

Why is the Vatican in Rome? Shouldn't it be in Jerusalem? (Like we need another religious headquarters there!)

Most people want to think of their deity being 'like' them. It's a way to relate to the deity and see how you're similar in some way to a more powerful being. Europeans were the vast majority of the church until colonization began and in some countries blonde hair is prevelent, like Sweden, France. Also, Europeans and Americans have clung to this notion throughout history that blonde and blue eyes are somehow 'perfect.'

Our ancestors just wanted our 'human God' to be perfect and to look like them. The fact he was middle eastern is not the point.

On that note, there are blondes in the middle east. There are natural blondes in Arab families, just like there are natural blondes in Brazil. It can happen, just not very often.

Answer 5

I'll give you my thoughts on it. No matter where you are in the world, people like to think of Jesus as looking like a more perfected version of them. For example, white people look at the blond hair blue eyes as ideal. My friend from Korea like to think of Him as Korean, Black people like to think of Him as black.

Consider this - I am created in God' image, I am actually blond hair with blue eyes so therefore Jesus is blond hair and blue eyed. (acually I believe His body was one of a short Middle Eastern Jewish guy)

White missionaries are what penetrated the jungles and the deserts, and they brought their version of Jesus with them, so that is why that look is more wide spread.

Answer 6

It is the artists interpretation, that's all. I've seen Jesus portrayed in numerous ways, and find them all fascinating. Each one has a little bit different features, and they tend to look like the artist lol

Answer 7

You are right. I have thought that myself many times. It is a consequence of the ideal of Nietzsche, the blond superman. People that represent Jesus as anglosaxon are a little very confused

Answer 8

Who's "they"?

I've seen Jesus pictured and videoed in a wide variety of different ways. Mostly as a dark complected man with dark hair and eyes.

Who's the "they" you are pertaining to? Have you looked in a wide variety of places?

Answer 9

no one really knows what Jesus look like. they did not have cameras in those days. he may of had brown hair and eyes.

Answer 10

A Middle Eastern Jewish man? You are quite right.

The simple answer is cultural bias, with a hint of racism.