Would you still follow Jesus if you knew what He really looked like?

For many centuries a number of artists and now filmmakers have portrayed what they think Jesus would look like.  Oftentimes, they have been influenced by their culture and own experiences as they depict Jesus.  In Michelangelo's painting, The Last Judgement on the wall of the Sistine Chapel,  Christ is an under dressed redhead with a thick muscular body and no facial hair.  Really different from, Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary painted by Raphael.  This Christ is a thin brunette with a close cut beard and fully clothed, even though Raphael may have thought less was best for a similar looking Messiah in Resurrection of Christ.  Raphael's Christs have features that are more like Christ in Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.  While, child prodigy, Akaine, has a short brown haired Prince of Peace with green eyes. Some scientists believe this portrait is accurate as they say it matches the face on the Shroud of Turin.

The many faces of Jesus on Google

But, what does the Bible say that Jesus looks like?  Isaiah wrote centuries before Jesus' birth that He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:2  That means no matter how much I wish He did, Jesus just doesn't look like The Passion of The Christ's Jim Caviezel, and He sure doesn't have the features of Diogo Morgado in Son of God, who some have called the "hot Jesus."  Sorry to burst your bubble folks, but Jesus was not a "hotty" according to Isaiah.  Although, you may say Mary Magdalene swooned at His feet, but it wasn't for His appearance on the outside, instead she was moved by who Jesus is and the power within.

Since we are on the subject of feet.  Let's just stay there for a while and work our way up. John in Revelations describes the Son of God's feet as "burnished bronze."  Jesus will have dark feet when He comes back.  But how were His feet when He came the first time?  He must have had dirty dusty feet.  People didn't go for a pedi back then, even though they trod treacherous trying trails in sandals.  So, hard sore feet were the order of the day.  But Paul and Isaiah pointed out, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"  Consequently, no matter how dusty they were, Jesus' feet were beautiful.


Jesus must have also had some strong legs with all that walking, plus He must have lifted a lot of heavy wood being a carpenter, which would have made him muscular.  His hands would have been calloused from using all those tools at work.  Also, He may have had some meat on His bones to have been without food and water in the desert for 40 days.  

What I haven't been quite able to understand though is how so many artists have made his hair out to be so smooth and long. Since He didn't have all these detangling conditioners, then maybe He used some natural hair products.  But, Jesus was quite busy, so I don't think He would have had time to constantly get His hair done between the healings and the preachings.  His hair must have been battling the elements - wind, dust, rain and the heat.  I wonder if he packed a good comb and brush? If not, He would have some bad hair days with horribly matted dirty hair.  On His return, we can look forward to Him having "hair like wool, as white as snow" as revealed to John.

Coming from the Mediterranean, Jesus may have had dark hair and eyes and an olive complexion.  However, John again described His eyes on His return and He said it is "like fire."

I know that "Cleanliness is next to godliness," is most certainly not in the Bible.   Jesus would never have been godly then, yet we know Him as God.  He would have been dirty a lot, unless He walked with multiple changes of clothes and did laundry often.  Jesus healed with dirt, picked corn, played with kids and had people grabbing His clothing.  He must have sweated a lot with all that walking and may have been smelly as he lacked a good anti-antiperspirant.  

Think about hygiene back when Jesus was on earth.  Toothpaste, floss and regular dentist visits were not the norm.  Cavities and no teeth could very well have been what most people expected to have. 

In Painting a Portrait of Jesus, Bible scholar, D. Moody Smith states, "We are awash in Jesus fiction...the New Testament Gospels contain no reference to Jesus’ appearance, much less a description of him. We don’t know what he looked like."  He missed John's Revelation, but that may be because it refers to the Coming King, rather than when He lived on earth.

Cover of Biblical Archaeology November/December 2010 issue showing the representations of Jesus by two different artists 

Now, with little to go on about Jesus' appearance, would you be willing to follow a Jesus, who may have been smelly and dirty with rotten or broken teeth?  What if He wasn't that attractive, and didn't have the hair, eye or skin color you thought, would you still call Him your God?

 

You can't handle the TRUTH

I have found that the biggest hindrance to sharing God's love with people on the streets is Christians.  Yep, that's right.  The same persons who are to show God's love, are the same ones others feel have an unloving and uncaring attitude.

I have really had to check myself and look at the actions of other Christians to see if this is true.  And, I came to the conclusion that, it is.  Sad, but true.  Introspection can be difficult at times, especially when you look at the hard cold truth that some things about you are not good and definitely not Godly.  And most times, as Jack Nicholson said in A Few Good Men, "You can't handle the truth." 

Why can't we handle the truth? It is ironic, because Jesus said He is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).  If we really aren't handling the "truth,"  then we can't really be living in Christ as He is the truth.   And seriously Christians, the way we live reflects just that.  Many of us have been subversive and disingenuous in trying to get our "way", which is not necessarily what Jesus, the way, would have us do. However, we discount that fact, and pick Bible verses, sometimes out of context, to buttress our point.  It may sound good, but may not be of God.

We have made truth relative and not absolute, even though we say we believe in the absolute truth, but it seems only when it is relative to our point. But wait! Absolute can never be relative, so our truths then cause absolute confusion. What's my point?  Exactly!!!

 

This creates another Abbott and Costello type conundrum.  So, we have to figure out who's on first?  Just remember, I'm on third 'cause, "I don't know."

Now, I'm getting lost and need to get back on track.  Which track?  Not sure, because there are so many to get on, and frequently many Christians just "jump on a bandwagon," without even checking in with God or other sound sources to get factual information to clarify if the "bandwagon" is indeed on the track of truth.

The truth is, it's important that Christians do not just react out of emotions.  We need to stop, look and listen before we make a move.  Stop and be still to know without a doubt that God is working in the situation. Then, look at all that is going on from God's perspective, which is through eyes of love. And, listen to other point-of-views and most of all for God's direction, before you go.

http://stleonardsprimarybridgnorth.ethink.org.uk/2012/01/25/stop-look-listen-live/

 

 

We absolutely need to handle this truth and the truth about ourselves.  We cannot truly live or love, if we don't stop, look and listen. 

The Power of Love

"...the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

I met Kalia over a year and a half ago, and I truly believe it is the love of her parents and her extended family that not only makes her survive, but thrive under the circumstances she has had to endure since birth.

Kalia in the hospital

Kalia's first surgery was the very day she was born as she had no anus. The skin on her stomach was cut and her intestines were put on the outside through the incision so that she would be able to pass her feces. However, her battle had only just begun.  At just three days old she had her next surgery. This time it was on her esophagus, which her parents described as being attached to her lungs. When she was swallowing, air and food were going down the same passage.

These conditions would be taxing on an adult, nevertheless, Kalia's afflictions do not end there.  Compounding her situation are issues with her heart and kidney, along with an arm with no radius bone. She also has asthma, and is often admitted to the hospital for wheezing and shortness of breath.  With all these ailments, undoubtedly, she is susceptible to infections.

Kalia and her cousins

It is hard for her young parents to see their little daughter suffering, but they have learned to cope with the many emergency room visits and long hospital stays.  Thankfully, Kalia lives with a loving extended family who are there to help her and her parents lighten their burden. Unfortunately, she and her family live in an inner-city community in Jamaica and they cannot afford all her medical expenses.  

Expecting miracles, Kalia's grandmother often brings her to visiting missionaries and church groups for them to pray for her.  I too believe that amazing things can happen through prayer, but I also understand that we are to be Jesus' hands and feet here on Earth.  We have been positioned to help Kalia in whatever way we can. Learn more about how you can play your part.

Visiting missionaries pray for Kalia as she is being held by her grandmother

Kalia's story has made it to one of the nation's leading newspapers and now many persons are aware of all the challenges she has faced at such a young age and have fallen in love with her.  However, love is an action word, so now we must act and help Kalia have the best life she possibly can.  Love Now...Act Now!!!