Lesson 17 Explore 3: What Did Jesus Look Like?
The Bible’s answer
No one knows exactly what Jesus looked like, since his physical appearance is not described in the Bible. This indicates that Jesus’ physical features are not important. However, the Bible does give us some idea of Jesus’ general appearance.
• Features: Jesus was a Jew and likely inherited common Semitic traits from his mother.
(Hebrews 7.14: For it is clear that our Lord has descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.)
It is unlikely that his features were especially distinctive. On one occasion he was able to travel in secret from Galilee to Jerusalem without being recognized.
(John 7.10, 11: But when his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not openly but in secret. So the Jews began looking for him at the festival and saying: “Where is that man?”)
And he apparently did not stand out even among his closest disciples. Recall that Judas Iscariot had to identify Jesus to the armed crowd that arrested him.-
(Matthew 26.47-49: While he was still speaking, look! Judas, one of the Twelve, came and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, he is the one; take him into custody.” And going straight up to Jesus, he said: “Greetings, Rabbi!” and gave him a tender kiss.)
• Hair length: It is unlikely that Jesus’ hair was long, because the Bible says that “long hair is a dishonor to a man.”-
(1 Corinthians 11.14: Does not nature itself teach you that long hair is a dishonor to a man,)
• Beard: Jesus wore a beard. He followed Jewish law, which prohibited adult males from ‘disfiguring the edges of their beard.’
(Leviticus 19.27: “‘You must not shave the hair on the side of your head or disfigure the edges of your beard.)
(Galatians 4.4: But when the full limit of the time arrived, God sent his Son, who was born of a woman and who was under law,)
Also, the Bible mentions Jesus’ beard in a prophecy about his suffering.-
(Isaiah 50.6: I offered my back to those striking me And my cheeks to those who plucked them bare. I did not hide my face from humiliating things and from spit.)
• Body: All indications are that Jesus was physically robust. During his ministry, he traveled many miles.
(Matthew 9.35: And Jesus set out on a tour of all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the Kingdom and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity.)
He cleansed the Jewish temple twice, overturning the tables of money changers, and once drove out livestock with a whip.
(Luke 19.45, 46: Then he entered the temple and started to throw out those who were selling, saying to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a cave of robbers.”)
(John 2.14, 15: He found in the temple those selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money brokers in their seats. So after making a whip of ropes, he drove all those with the sheep and cattle out of the temple, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.)
McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia states: “The whole evangelical narrative indicates [Jesus’] sound and vigorous bodily health.”-Volume IV, page 884.
• Facial expressions: Jesus was warm and compassionate, and his facial expressions no doubt reflected this.
(Matthew 11.28, 29: Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves.)
People of all sorts sought him out for comfort and help.
(Luke 5.12, 13: On another occasion while he was in one of the cities, look! there was a man full of leprosy! When he caught sight of Jesus, he fell facedown and begged him: “Lord, if you just want to, you can make me clean.” So stretching out his hand, he touched him, saying: “I want to! Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy vanished from him.)
(Luke 7.37, 38: And look! a woman who was known in the city to be a sinner learned that he was dining in the house of the Pharisee, and she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. Taking a position behind him at his feet, she wept and began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them off with the hair of her head. Also, she tenderly kissed his feet and poured the perfumed oil on them.)
Even children felt at ease in his presence.-
(Matthew 19.13-15: Then young children were brought to him for him to place his hands on them and offer prayer, but the disciples reprimanded them. Jesus, however, said: “Let the young children alone, and do not try to stop them from coming to me, for the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to such ones.” And he placed his hands on them and departed from there.)
(Mark 9.35-37: So he sat down and called the Twelve and said to them: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and minister of all.” Then he took a young child and stood him in their midst; and putting his arms around him, he said to them: “Whoever receives one of such young children on the basis of my name receives me also; and whoever receives me receives not me only but also Him who sent me.”)
Misconceptions about Jesus’ appearance
Misconception: Some argue that Jesus must have been of African descent because the book of Revelation compares his hair to wool and his feet to “burnished bronze.”- The New Jerusalem Bible.
(Revelation 1.14, 15: Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame, and his feet were like fine copper when glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters.)
Fact: The book of Revelation is presented “in signs.”
(Revelation 1.1: A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And he sent his angel and presented it in signs through him to his slave John,)
The description of Jesus’ hair and feet uses symbolic language to illustrate Jesus’ qualities after his resurrection, not to describe his physical appearance when he was on earth. In saying that Jesus’ “head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow,” uses color, not texture, as a point of comparison.
(Revelation 1.14: Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame,)
This represents his wisdom due to age.
(Revelation 3.14: “To the angel of the congregation in Laodicea write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God:)
This verse is not comparing the texture of Jesus’ hair to that of wool any more than it is comparing the texture of his hair to that of snow.
Jesus’ feet looked “like fine copper when glowing in a furnace.”
(Revelation 1.15: and his feet were like fine copper when glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters.)
Also, his face was “like the sun when it shines at its brightest.”
(Revelation 1.16: And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth a sharp, long, two-edged sword was protruding, and his countenance was like the sun when it shines at its brightest.)
Since no race has skin color matching these descriptions, this vision must be symbolic, showing the resurrected Jesus as the one “who dwells in unapproachable light.”-
(1 Timothy 6.16: the one alone having immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal might. Amen.)
Misconception: Jesus was weak and frail.
Fact: Jesus was manly in his behavior. For example, he boldly identified himself to the armed crowd that came to arrest him.
(John 18.4-8: Then Jesus, knowing all the things that were going to happen to him, stepped forward and said to them: “Whom are you looking for?” They answered him: “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them: “I am he.” Now Judas, his betrayer, was also standing with them. However, when Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again: “Whom are you looking for?” They said: “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered: “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”)
Jesus must also have been physically strong to have worked as a carpenter using manual tools.-
(Mark 6.3: This is the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon, is it not? And his sisters are here with us, are they not?” So they began to stumble because of him.)
Why, then, did Jesus need help to carry his torture stake? And why did he die before the others executed with him died?
(Luke 23.26: Now as they led him away, they seized a certain Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the countryside, and they placed the torture stake on him to carry it behind Jesus.)
(John 19.31-33: Since it was the day of Preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the torture stakes on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath day was a great one), the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and those of the other man who was on a stake alongside him. But on coming to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs.)
Just prior to Jesus’ execution, his body was seriously weakened. He had been up all night, in part because of emotional agony.
(Luke 22.42-44: saying: “Father, if you want to, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, let, not my will, but yours take place.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. But he was in such agony that he kept praying more earnestly; and his sweat became as drops of blood falling to the ground.)
During the night the Jews had mistreated him, and the next morning the Romans had tortured him.
(Matthew 26.67, 68: Then they spat in his face and hit him with their fists. Others slapped him on the face, saying: “Prophesy to us, you Christ. Who struck you?”)
(John 19.1-3: Pilate then took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head and clothed him with a purple robe, and they kept coming up to him and saying: “Greetings, you King of the Jews!” They also kept slapping him in the face.)
Such factors likely hastened his death.
Misconception: Jesus was always somber, melancholy.
Fact: Jesus perfectly reflected the qualities of his heavenly Father, Jehovah, whom the Bible describes as “the happy God.”
(1 Timothy 1.11: according to the glorious good news of the happy God, with which I was entrusted.)
(John 14.9: Jesus said to him: “Even after I have been with you men for such a long time, Philip, have you not come to know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also. How is it you say, ‘Show us the Father’?)
In fact, Jesus taught others how to be happy.
(Matthew 5.3-9: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them. “Happy are those who mourn, since they will be comforted. “Happy are the mild-tempered, since they will inherit the earth. “Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled. “Happy are the merciful, since they will be shown mercy. “Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God. “Happy are the peacemakers, since they will be called sons of God.)
(Luke 11.28: But he said: “No, rather, happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”)
These facts indicate that Jesus often reflected happiness in his facial expressions.
[End of article.]