Jesus is not blonde haired and blue eyed

[cheifie]

Jesus is not blonde haired and blue eyed, Truth is an offense but not a sin

To be honest, I haven't ever seen the 'surfer dude' depiction of Jesus, but I agree that the world has put the image of God into a "flowing hair and bright eyed" box. But, to be perfectly frank, I don't believe that Jesus was black or white. I doubt that he was Chinese, or even South American. And I'm almost 99% sure that he wasn't eskimo...

My guess is that Jesus looked more like the middle eastern people you're seeing so much on the news lately. But I agree with the above statement. We shouldn't be so worried about His physical appearance, but what Christ is and represents in our lives.

Edited August 9, 2006 by cheifie

[billie]

Jesus was Jewish. He looked like a Jew/Hebrew/Israeli. Unless their looks have changed over the years.

[KeilanS]

I think that his looks are sort of irrelevant. In truth, Jesus probably looked like every other middle-eastern person, like the people we see on TV with the war going on. He was definatly not blonde haired and blue eyed and he was most certainly not white.

I think that if the image of a white Jesus with long hair and blue eyes helps people establish a connection with him, then it's fine. Colour and race isn't a factor to Jesus.

[LadyRaven]

I think that his looks are sort of irrelevant. In truth, Jesus probably looked like every other middle-eastern person, like the people we see on TV with the war going on. He was definatly not blonde haired and blue eyed and he was most certainly not white.

I think that if the image of a white Jesus with long hair and blue eyes helps people establish a connection with him, then it's fine. Colour and race isn't a factor to Jesus.

I agree, we are all supposed to know that our representations, whatever they look like, have no connection to the real person anyhow. If we did think they were we'd be guilty of idolatry.

[sierra21]

I think Jesus was probably very handsome...lol...but that's just me?

[Smalcald]

Jesus was Jewish. He looked like a Jew/Hebrew/Israeli. Unless their looks have changed over the years.

They are not uniform, for example there is an ancient Jewish line that is black African from Ethiopia, and some of them live in Israel today.

So you see we can really get tied up with this. But to be fair to the OP, who said she was black, for many many years white Churches pushed the image of a white Jesus as the only Jesus representation. So looking at it from that perspective I can see where a black Christian might now say, well wait a minute here, for 1000 years the white church of Europe and the US, pushed a white Jesus, and now that we know historically this was false, you all say it does not matter anymore.

I think there is something to the physical, not that it matters but from a humility perspective. If Jesus were shown historically to have been a black man would it make a difference in white churches today? This is a good question and we should of course answer that it would make no difference at all, that white people could easily bow down and worship Jesus if He had taken a black human form just as easy as we bow down and worship Him if He took a white human form. But we live in a racist society, and I think that as Christians we need to confront the issue.

[tah]

I think Jesus was probably very handsome...lol...but that's just me?

In Isa. 53 He is described as ordinary..which I believe is true..

He got lost among the crowds real easy..

Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Personally, If I get a pic, I would choose the dark features of brown and brown...

However we see Him in a pic is not near as important as "we see Him"..

[cjrose]

I am posting this because it is hard to believe that in a multicultural "civilized" world, we are still unable to rid ourselves of racial discrimination. The image of Christ is a good start. Yes it is true that the Christ could have been purple and he would still have been the son of god, but the truth is our unwillingness to present a more realistic image of Jesus can be attributed to constant racial socialization which prevents us from viewing the light and the way as anything but "pure" aka white anglo saxon. Jesus was an israelite which means he could have been a number of shades or complexions none of which are similar to the kurt cobain image we see presented everyday. I am African-American and this erroneous image bothers me. The truth is an offense but not a sin. Let us strive for a more accurate image of christ or represent him as what he truly was a glorious light.

We were all made in His image. I am a caucasian woman but never really thought Jesus looked like anyone one person but in every Christian I meet be it black, hispanic, asian, whatever, that is what He looks like to me.

I mean no offense but you may be blocking His light in your life by focusing so much on His appearance. As someone else said, we should reflect on what He has done and continues to do rather than what He looks like. He is light and love and goodness. That's what I see.

Bless you,

Cj

<3

How do we know God isn't a woman? hmm?

[ladypeartree]

Well since we are all made in Gods image then the outward appearance is of no importance at all. Yes I know that people of all races and colours have at some time or other been made to suffer for things that they had no control over ( and yes still are in many places even today ) but as Christians we really should be able to see past the holliwood hype of fictional films and just be blessed to know the Lord

[Ovedya]

I am posting this because it is hard to believe that in a multicultural "civilized" world, we are still unable to rid ourselves of racial discrimination. The image of Christ is a good start. Yes it is true that the Christ could have been purple and he would still have been the son of god, but the truth is our unwillingness to present a more realistic image of Jesus can be attributed to constant racial socialization which prevents us from viewing the light and the way as anything but "pure" aka white anglo saxon. Jesus was an israelite which means he could have been a number of shades or complexions none of which are similar to the kurt cobain image we see presented everyday. I am African-American and this erroneous image bothers me. The truth is an offense but not a sin. Let us strive for a more accurate image of christ or represent him as what he truly was a glorious light.

I am personally of the opinion that any representation of Jesus can lead to idolatry. This is my preference only, and I do not criticize or condemn any believer that keeps images of this kind, however. I also don't think that "black Jesus" verses "white Jesus" is anything to quibble senselessly about. Remember what the Lord said to Thomas refarding faith: "Blessed are they who have not seen and believe."