What did Jesus really look like?

[rangerrebew]

What did Jesus really look like?
29 March 2018
 

Investigating the evidence for Jesus’s appearance tells us something about him, and about us, argues Joan Taylor
ALAMY

A portrait on a mummy of a bearded man (161-180) from Fayyum, Egypt, encaustic on wood. “Identifying the look of Jesus in the second and early third century is complicated by the fact that most men had beards, and sometimes could even have hair to the nape of their necks” SEE GALLERY FOR MORE

SINCE the publication of my book What Did Jesus Look Like?, several people have asked me how I got interested in this topic. I was probably thinking about it ever since I was first asked to draw Jesus at Sunday school. In my children’s Bible, there were illustrations of Jesus with light-brown hair and blue eyes, but I also had a King James Bible (given by an uncle at my christening) with illustrations by E. S. Hardy.

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2018/29-march/features/features/what-did-jesus-really-look-like

[ABX]

I suspect even that image is very Romanized considering Egypt was highly Romanized at the time. As Jesus is described as a Nazarene or Nazarenos (possibly related to the Essene sect) and they didn't cut their hair or beards, I suspect he would probably look a lot more like this (obviously without the Coptic trappings):

[ABX]

At that, considering what happened with the Jewish people in the 1st through 3rd Century BC and their migration, he may have had a much more Ethiopian Jewish look :

[Sanguine]

Doesn't the Bible say somewhere that he was "unremarkable"?  In other words, the way he looked was not important.

[Victoria33]

"HIS" face was reconstructed some years ago using the imprints on the shroud.  Whether that was His shroud is not known.  However, dating of the shroud means it is of that period, so it shows what a man of that period looked like regarding facial hair and shape of head.

Before our world started qualifying people by how they looked, people were "natural" in appearance.  However, women in high places, think Egypt, started using colors on their eye lids and jewelry on their hands back in those times.  Kings had the best robes and they also wore jewelry.

All of us, not being kings or ladies of the court, would be "natural" in looks.  No shaving of men's hair, low level material robes, same with women as they cooked whatever food was available, and washed what robes they had.  No rings or other jewelry for us.

[Frank Cannon]

What did Jesus really look like?

[Idiot]

"HIS" face was reconstructed some years ago using the imprints on the shroud.  Whether that was His shroud is not known.  However, dating of the shroud means it is of that period, so it shows what a man of that period looked like regarding facial hair and shape of head.

Before our world started qualifying people by how they looked, people were "natural" in appearance.  However, women in high places, think Egypt, started using colors on their eye lids and jewelry on their hands back in those times.  Kings had the best robes and they also wore jewelry.

All of us, not being kings or ladies of the court, would be "natural" in looks.  No shaving of men's hair, low level material robes, same with women as they cooked whatever food was available, and washed what robes they had.  No rings or other jewelry for us.

I saw that special on tv about the shroud a few years ago.  At the end they revealed the face of "the person" covered by the shroud.  I found it very interesting. 

[ABX]

[Restored]

He looked like a white guy from England, blue eyes. I've seen the movies.

[INVAR]

I suspect even that image is very Romanized considering Egypt was highly Romanized at the time.

True.  Yes.

Which in roman cultural tradition which they imported throughout the world - men did not do the long hair thing.

As Jesus is described as a Nazarene or Nazarenos (possibly related to the Essene sect) and they didn't cut their hair or beards,

No, Nazarene or Nazareth is a reference to where Jesus was FROM, not what He was. Jesus was not a Nazarite.  He took no Nazarite vow (like Samson), nor did He abstain from alcohol as is required for a Nazarite given the wine He both made and drank with His Disciples.

I think people confuse a Nazarite vow with being from Nazareth.

I suspect he would probably look a lot more like this (obviously without the Coptic trappings):

Sans the long hair, yes you are likely correct.  Scriptural prophecy tells us that the Messiah:

"For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor beauty in appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not." - Isaiah 53:2-3

In fact, he was so comely and ordinary-looking that Judas Iscariot had to betray Him with a kiss to point him out to the temple guards sent to arrest Him.

[GrouchoTex]

Billy Gibbons? 

[Sanguine]

...Scriptural prophecy tells us that the Messiah:

"For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor beauty in appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not." - Isaiah 53:2-3

In fact, he was so comely and ordinary-looking that Judas Iscariot had to betray Him with a kiss to point him out to the temple guards sent to arrest Him.

Yes, that was the verse I was thinking of.

[Frank Cannon]

[jmyrlefuller]

Did they bother reading Revelation?

"His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. (...) His face was like the sun shining at its brightest." (Rev. 1:14-16)

Rough bronze skin, ratty blond hair, and eyes that were likely not dark brown.

[dfwgator]

Billy Gibbons? 

Ted Nugent?

[Jazzhead]

David Hogg?

[WingNot]

[Jazzhead]

 

[RoosGirl]

[Gefn]

I'm sure he was handsome no matter how he looked.

We know he was fit. Robably no superfluous fat on him from diet and working. Most people at that time weren't fat.

And if he was Jewish - we know he had a bris. (Or started life as one)

[Frank Cannon]

Jesus wasn't gay.