Why is Jesus presented as white?

Question

Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It is said he had hair of wool. Why then is it presented in pictures and implied by religons that he is white with straight brown hair. It seems the white race has controll issues. FYI. I am white

Answer 1

It doesn't matter.To know what He looks like I look at my neighbour.

Answer 2

Primo, the popular picture of Jesus Christ is actually, wrong.

It's based upon the Shroud of Turin which was believed to have been the Shroud of Jesus Christ.

Scientific investigations with carbon isotope tests etc, proved that the Shroud was actually 18th Century and that of a Slavic Crusader.

However, public sentiment being what it was, the findings regarding the Shroud were not given wide publicity outside the scientific world.

Secundo, Jesus Christ was actually somehwat shorter than the one depicted, had a leg that was shorter because he'd suffered polio and had a pockmarked face because of his childhood ailments.

However, this does not make him any lesser because it was his deeds that marked him Great!

Anyone can read the Bible and cull out the references that will tell you what he actually looked like.

Terrio, the saying is his hair was as wool, not "of wool". The meaning is that it had lustre and softness.

Quarto et finalamente, Jesus was "white" or a "Caucasian" Jew. Sorry, I can't do anything about that fact.

Pax Vobiscum, Pax Dominic

Answer 3

The reason Jesus was drawn as "white" was because in the early years of Christianity, the converters needed the masses to identify with the people shown in the pictures since most people could not read. Just like some people are encouraged to ask "what would Jesus do" today, in those times the ignorant masses were encouraged to put themselves in the place of Jesus. To do this Jesus was drawn to resemble the common man of Europe. This is still being practiced in some parts of the world nowadays.

Answer 4

It's only as simple as the first paintings of Jesus were either done by a white person or a person who believed whites were superior, or evolved from people's interpretation as to have Jesus appear as they themselves appeared.
I've seen paintings of black Jesus.
Jesus was Jewish, and being born in Bethlehem, had to have had brown skin.
I don't believe this has anything to do with racism, just ignorance.

Answer 5

Jesus was mid-eastern, probably dark skinned.
"Hair of wool" comes from Rev. 1:14 and is symbolic of His eternity and wisdom.

Artistic depictions of a white Jesus are grossly inaccurate, but it is the influence of culture on art that is depicted, not racial accuracy.

I have seen Jesus shown as black, oriental, and Inuit. What is important is that He is all things to all men, no matter what the race.

So cultural influence does not mean control.

Answer 6

I personally don't think it is relevant since his teachings permeate the whole human race. He said whoever does it to the least of my bretheren, he does it to me.

I thought Mel Gibson's Passion movie gave a good representation of what Jesus looked like. He even digitally colored the eyes brown. It can also come from evidence: the Shroud of Turin gives some indication.

Answer 7

He was a Jew, not white, in the book of Revelations , last book of the Bible he has hair as wool in his glorified state.
Read this book
Also Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
His hair was bobbed
that is cut off around the lower neck line
What color are Jews and what color of hair do they have, you will see them on the news
Have a good day..............

Answer 8

He's Jewish, you could probably go to a white grocery store around where you life and see alot of Jews and not know it.

I don't think most people really know what a Jewish person looks like, they are white but usually with dark hair. They are alot like their regional neighbors the Italians and Spanish.

Answer 9

well your correct. Jesus was more brown tint, just for the reason of the ethnic persons in that region. There is no known description of Jesus or the Apostles. The last supper is a group of men (friends) from the painter.

Answer 10

Your right, There is no way Jesus could have been white. The holy family had to escape to Egypt to hide. They had to blend in.I aways say Jesus was 3/4 cup black and 1/4 cup white. FYI White also

Answer 11

no, Revelation 1:14 says that his hair was WHITE LIKE WOOL....not hair like wool.....i just recently heard the argument that because the Bible says hair like wool then Jesus was African American......umm, no. I'm not racist, but don't be so stupid as to totally change what the verse says....mind you, presenting Jesus as a blonde haired, blue eyed man is stretching it a bit, because let's face it....Jesus was a Jew.....in the middle east.....yes, Jesus was a modern day arab.....but because we're not given a specific picture of Jesus as he looked on this earth, people give their own personal interpretations of what they think he looks like....i don't really see why it matters either....i've seen black jesus, mexican.....white......

and ALSO....this description of Jesus you're referring to is the description given in Revelation.....where Jesus is in His glorified form.......NOT how he looked in his day to day life while living his 33 1/2 years on earth....