What Does Christianity/The Bible Say about Beauty?

Question

'It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.' Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy.

Is physical beauty one of the 'universal goods' like love, justice, equality etc? And what does Christianity say about it?
And how come that our 'modern' culture places so much value on the beauty of physical appearances?

Answer 1

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Answer 2

“Mere man sees what appears to the eyes."
Although God created many beautiful things, and all for our enjoyment he see's things quite differently. A true Christian, although they may strive to look good, should not be overly concerned with impressing others with showy displays. Instead we need to try to see things as God does. Because we are imperfect however, we know that people see the outward appearance and thus we sometimes go overboard trying to impress others.

Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

"Do not let your adornment be that of the external braiding of the hair and of the putting on of gold ornaments or the wearing of outer garments, but let it be the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible apparel of the quiet and mild spirit, which is of great value in the eyes of God.”—1 Pet. 3:1-4.

Answer 3

The Bible recognizes some people as being physically beautiful but it also recognizes that our physical bodies are only temporary and cannot stay that way. Our spirits however are all absolutely beautiful and our spirits live on forever. The Bible doesn't condone treating people who look good physically better or treating people who do not badly. The Bible places most of its emphasis on people's hearts which is the only thing God sees when he looks at us.

Answer 4

I suggest that you study up on the golden mean, the Fibonacci sequence, the golden spiral or "curves of life" that come from what some call the "god" number ir "god" equation. These respective numbers are found in all the things humans ac cross cultures and ages find as a consensus beautiful, classical, more attractive or perfect.

The Bible says that God gives beauty for ashes and goes on to say that whatsoever things are lovely or beautiful to think on these things.

"Truth is beauty, beauty is truth" -- Yeats

Answer 5

Great question! I think North American culture idolizes and perverts the concept of beauty. Why? Well I don't want to make this long, but from your q, I'd say you might agree with that opinion of mine, so I'll just say the answer is self-evident by what our culture values and spends time and money "promoting".

Scripturally, I'd point you to Song of Solomon, first. This song or poem is full of references to beauty and love and while it is beautifully intimate and detailed in its metaphors, it has such an unperverted and honorable view of beauty.

There is an old adage: if something is created by God, then satan and the powers of darkness will create a counterfeit to attempt to distort and confuse the intent in that creation. I believe this is true of beauty. Lucifer is said to have been the most attractive of angels [Ezekiel 28:13-15 suggests this], perfect in appearance. It makes sense that Lucifer's rebellion against God would include a perversion of beauty.

I believe true beauty is the total of what we not only see, but sense with our whole being to be pure, right and good. Beauty is not just seen with the eyes, it is experienced with the whole of who we are. True beauty is one of the attributes of God.

Psalms 90:17 And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

Answer 6

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
1Peter 3:3-4

Answer 7

Beauty is health. Beauty is genetic fitness. These are good things in themselves.
Some religions promote ugliness and genetic disease because of their anti-beauty/anti erotic attitudes. These are the cultures that promote forced marriages often between kin. We can at least trust beauty to show us the way to health.

Underlying the anti-beauty attitude is a hatred and fear of women's sexual power. Again some religions have a particular problem with women's bodies.

Answer 8

Even in the bible it talks of beauty - Sarah was very beautiful in fact all the Matriarchs were considered beautiful
Joesph and king David were noted for their beauty.
A priest serving in the Holy Temple was not allowed to have one eyebrow or hunchbacked or a clubbed foot.
yes there is a standard for beauty that is why it is greatly sought after .

Answer 9

Well, the old testiment specifically says women are not to dress or act like "harlots." Also that men are not to wear their hair in the manner of a woman.

Moses had his choice of daughters to marry, he could have gone with the teenies or young women, intsead he chose the one who would be considered the older maiden. He seemed to pick her because she was wise, strong and not prone to the giggles.

Jesus expected his followers to live a spartan life. No money in the pockets, no credit cards. Maybe no coat or cloak, for you have given those to someone who needed them and asked for them.

Answer 10

The Bible lays greater emphasis, on spiritual beauty. Parental discipline is “a wreath of attractiveness” to one’s head “and a fine necklace” for the throat, “a crown of beauty”; “lips of knowledge are precious vessels” superior to any gold vases of an artisan; “as apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time for it,” and “an earring of gold, and an ornament of special gold, is a wise reprover upon the hearing ear.” (Pr 1:9; 4:9; 20:15; 25:11, 12) A pretty woman lacking sensibleness is likened to “a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig.”—Pr 11:22.

Moderation is encouraged, particularly in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Women were “to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive garb, but in the way that befits women professing to reverence God, namely, through good works.” (1Ti 2:9, 10) Peter could call upon examples of pre-Christian times in urging that women seek the beauty of “the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible apparel of the quiet and mild spirit, which is of great value in the eyes of God”; he pointed to women such as Sarah who so adorned themselves, “subjecting themselves to their own husbands.” (1Pe 3:1-6)

1 samuel 6:7 But Jehovah said to Samuel: “Do not look at his appearance and at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For not the way man sees [is the way God sees], because mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.”

Proverbs 16:31 Gray-headedness is a crown of beauty when it is found in the way of righteousness.