When did Jesus become a tall, white skinny guy with long brown hair and beard?

Question

I thought he was born in the middle east.

Answer 1

When Christianity was brought up to Northern Europe. People wanted Him to look like them -- it made it easier to identify with Him and His message.

Answer 2

Your question assumes several things that might not be correct. The first is that all people in the middle east are dark. The second is that there hasn't been a significant change in the look of the population in 2000 years. Neither is correct.

If you look at the pictures of Jews in Mosaics from that time period you see that they are light skinned people with Jew-fros and little beards. There are probably a few such images available on the net.

Also, you should know, the poulation has gotten darker. A genetic study showed nearly 10% of Palestinian DNA is from Sub-saharan African origin. Also, I was born in the Mid-East, and there are a lot of really pasty Arabs. Dark hair though. Check out a picture of the Syrian President.

But as to his look in paintings - the truth is the artists painted from models, not from their head. There were gentleman portraying Jesus. The pictures are of those models.

Answer 3

He was a Jew born in Bethlehem .He probably had darkish skin color and he did NOT have long hair . In the bible 1 Corinthians 11:14 " Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame to him ?" Jesus would not have had long hair when he stated in the bible it's wrong for man to have long hair. They did pluck out his beard in his suffering.

Answer 4

These images are from the minds of artists who painted Jesus on the cross. Jesus was born in Bethlehem- you are right.

Answer 5

Don't know the specific history behind it, but I'm sure its a similar reason to how Santa Claus became a fat, white-beared, man who always wears a red jump suit...marketing.

Someone above mentioned that the religion needed a way to relate to the people when it came to the west. They had to market the Christ concept and had to make him appealing to the masses...and a Middle Eastern savior is unlikely to have garnered that interest.

Answer 6

Your thinking is correct! And just like most myths that migrate from area to area, the people of those areas alter the myth to appeal to the local culture. For instance, although the Greeks and Romans had almost identical gods, they also had characteristics that made them Greek or Roman.

Answer 7

the respond is basic: human beings want Jesus to look exceedingly plenty comparable to they do. hence you spot the variety from white Germanic in Britain to black African in lots of African worldwide places. the reason in the back of this is probably common very own adventure. pictures have had the better portion of 2000 years to be shaped, in the early portion of which the only human beings you might even see might seem a similar (in terms of racial descent) as you; a picture of a Galilean Jew in 8th century Britain to illustrate may well be completely alien. There would possibly be a diploma of racial satisfaction in touch (we seem comparable to Jesus, hence we are extra useful than foreign places heathens, because it have been), yet this looks closer tied to the upward thrust of nationalism in the previous couple of centuries than human nature. quickly, human beings stick to what they be attentive to.

Answer 8

You've not seen the original photographs?

Since we were made in God's image, it only seemed right to make Him acceptable to the masses by presenting Him in our image.

Were we to do this today, He'd probably be in a suit and tie.

Answer 9

Jesus is depicted in many ways, blonde, blue eyed, white, but he was Jewish and most likely had beautiful olive skin when he walked on earth. People paint him to suit their own desires or image. I often see Him now with black skin and that pleases me, personally. We all need to identify with Him in whatever way is comfortable. When we meet Him, He will be so beautiful, all our images won't matter.

Answer 10

He was born in the middle east, in Bethlehem Israel.

Answer 11

Some experts say Jesus looked a lot like this:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/1282186.html

See also:
http://www.wehaitians.com/what%20did%20jesus%20really%20look%20like.html