What makes anyone think we know what Jesus looked like?

Question

PLEASE NO JESUS-FREAK RESPONSES...& I'm not looking for answers that can't be substantiated.
All these 'renditions' of artist's showing what THEY think Jesus looks like...are just that: "Renditions"...no one ever painted his portrait, or even sketched his portrait, there were no cameras. I think if we really saw him today, he'd be "profiled" and suspected as a terrorist in some venues. Jesus was of Arab lineage and had to have been very dark-skinned. But no one talks about that...or draws him that way...& who knows for sure? no one. They're aren't even any writings describing him---& I think it's blasphemy to try.

Answer 1

The reason that Jesus is typically portrayed with light skin and light hair is due to two letters excerpted below:

This description of Jesus is from a letter by Publius Lentullus, a Roman Governor:

"A man of stature somewhat tall, and comely, with very reverent countenance, such as the beholders may both love and fear, his hair of (the colour of) the chestnut, full ripe, plain to His ears, whence downwards it is more orient and curling and wavering about His shoulders. In the midst of His head is a seam or partition in His hair, after the manner of the Nazarenes. His forehead plain and very delicate; His face without spot or wrinkle, beautified with a lovely red; His nose and mouth so formed as nothing can be reprehended; His beard thickish, in colour like His hair, not very long, but forked; His look innocent and mature; His eyes grey, clear, and quick- In reproving hypocrisy He is terrible; in admonishing, courteous and fair spoken; pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. It cannot be remembered that any have seen Him Laugh, but many have seen Him Weep. In proportion of body, most excellent; His hands and arms delicate to behold. In speaking, very temperate, modest, and wise. A man, for His singular beauty, surpassing the children of men"
http://www.thenazareneway.com/likeness_o...
In a letter from Tiberius to Caesar
"His golden colored hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial aspect. He appeared to be about 30 years of age. Never have I seen a sweeter or more serene countenance. What a contrast between Him and His bearers with their black beards and tawny complexions!"

Another historical description is:
While he is nothing but a man, there is something about him that distinguishes him from every other man. He is the picture of his mother, only he has not her smooth, round face. His hair is a little more golden than hers, though it is as much from sunburn as anything else. He is tall, and his shoulders are a little drooped; his visage is thin and of a swarthy complexion, though this is from exposure. His eyes are large and a soft blue, and rather dull and heavy....'

Forensic anthropology has given us a different view of a Middle Eastern man with coarse features, a broad peasant's face, dark olive skin, short curly hair and a prominent nose. He would have stood 5-foot-1-inch tall and weighed 110 pounds.

The Bible never gives any physical description of Christ. The closest thing we get to a description is in Isaiah 53:2b, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” All this tells us is that Jesus’ appearance was just like any other man's – He was ordinary-looking.

Answer 2

Yes you are right.things like the shroud of Turin are supposed to show the image of Jesus as it was his burial cloth . but cannot agree on the age of the cloth or if it was put there by miracle or painted on in some fashion or just an imprint of someone who died the same way and left a chemical image on the cloth.
That is also true as most of the Gentiles who became Christian think of him as a white person and forget that he came from the middle east. and would be dark complexioned.

Answer 3

There ARE writings describing Him. Hair like lambswool, feet like copper. Look in the bible.
This is His description. That's why many people say that Jesus was Black. That and the fact that He was born of African decent, David's line, who was Black as well. Mary was Black, and so was her Son.

You must also research the fact that the middle east would have still been of the Black persuasion in Jesus' time. It began in Egypt, and it changed to Arab when the Arabs conquered Egypt.

Answer 4

nevertheless not an atheist, i'm looking forward to a touch diverse scenario. as quickly as we bypass from this international into the subsequent, we shed each and everything linked with our actual bodies on the grounds that's a realm of organic spirit. What it ‘feels like’ previous that i won't say. right here’s why. merely think of, for the sake of this communicate, you could talk with a infant interior the womb and that this infant ought to understand you. Now, think of you're enjoying a attractive day which you pick to proportion with this infant and you circulate directly to describe this splendor in great element. This infant’s in hassle-free terms accessible reaction may be “huh?” it would merely have no component to reference. the version between this international and the subsequent is comparative, yet by ability of a minimum of one thousand fold greater so. for this reason we've no sparkling theory of Heaven. Hell is likewise indescribable. for this reason Jesus spoke as he did. case in point, 'throwing the chaff into the hearth' and such are photographs that the human beings he became chatting with ought to understand. it is not literal. So, what does my ‘hell’ look like? as quickly as we bypass from this international to the subsequent, we see the two our life and our skill (a huge disparity between the two being my thought of hell). it is the ‘hell’ that a loving, rational God might build. It’s a ‘place’ the place you will see the value of their errors, yet the place progression can proceed nevertheless at a plenty slower place attributable to the multitude of undesirable selections. the thought hell ought to be punishment is a human projection that has not something to do with God.

Answer 5

Well, if you were to go to Israel, and if it were possible to see Palestinian and Israeli children playing together in a playground, you'd see certain similarities, certain shared traits in their appearances. That's because people of certain regions tend to share certain aspects of their physical make-up (skin tone, noses, etc). The same thing you'll find in Iceland, Norway, Africa, India, or with Native Americans. No one said that JC LOOKED any particular way, but those images that you see are meant to represent how someone imagines a biblical person to look like during a particular event... it's only a representation and not a photograph!

Answer 6

God said that we shall not have any image or engravings in His commandments. and that stands today.

No body knows how Jesus looks like accept based on what historians gather about how the general men looked like in Jesus' time, and it is based on that, and also through any visitations, etc.

But God has said we are not to have any image before Him, etc.
so to worship or adore any idols or images is WRONG.

Jesus lives IN us. We dont need pictures or paintings or idols.

Praise Him.

Answer 7

What the hell does it matter what He lookes like? The Bible didn't provide a description? I guess the authors were more caught up in what He was doing for humankind,rather than what he looked like. I guess they missed the point. Christianity will surely suffer if it turns out Jesus didn't look like Brad Pitt. No-one will follow a messiah who looks like Billy Bob Thornton, then?

Answer 8

A fictional character can look any way you picture him in your mind...what's your problem with the effeminate looking catamite type we see in many paintings...draw your own image if you don't like it.

You can find Chinese, African, Jamaican, Nordic and all types of images of Jesus on the internet...it's a clever marketing tool that he can be any race for any target group.

Answer 9

Do you read the bible? Ever hear of descriptive?

Answer 10

The bible say he not fair to look at