Posted on 12/22/2023 1:19:32 PM PST by nickcarraway
IT’s nearly here! The birthday of the selfless one himself. The man, the myth, the legend, saviour of all humanity, Jesus Christ.
However, it is actually widely debated that, if he did exist in flesh and blood, his birthday was actually on December 25. One theory suggests that the ‘Star of Bethlehem’ may have been Venus and Jupiter coming together to form a bright light in the sky, a rare event that occurred in June of 2 B.C. Another possibility is that it could have been a similar conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter, which was in October of 7 B.C. So nobody really knows.
Anyway, whenever that famous night was when there was ‘no room at the inn’, the birth is agreed to have taken place in Bethlehem, which was just south of Jerusalem, in the Middle East. If this is something that is not debated by scholars, then isn’t it a little strange that most modern depictions of Jesus Christ in the western world show him to have fair skin and light hair? Whilst not impossible, if we take a look at people native to the Middle East, typically they have dark hair, and olive to dark brown skin. So why would we assume that Jesus looks any different to the average person of that area? The Bible does not mention anything about the appearance of Jesus, apart from stating that he did not stand out in any particular way. Even more reason to assume that he was not a pale, white man roaming around!
In their book, ‘Legacies of likeness’, Scholar Edward J. Blum and Paul Harvey argue that in ‘the centuries after European colonisation of the Americas, the image of a white Christ associated him with the logic of empire and could be used to justify the oppression of Native and African Americans’. Another theory of this possibly inaccurate image is that it is mostly white people who have painted these depictions.
Whatever he looked like, he is a symbol of selflessness, forgiveness, and an inspiration to how man can embody his goodness and true human nature. However, representation matters, and viewers of his image should ponder and understand the complicated history of these portraits of Christ that they consume.
If you are so concerned about his skin color—you do not know him or his message. Look within your heart and cast out all racists thoughts. His message is what counts all the rest isn’t important. Love ye, one another. Jesus didn’t say love only those that look like you.
He probably looked Phoenician; or, like a modern day Syrian, Lebanese, or Jordanian.
There is some art from ancient Phoenicia (mosaics, etc.), and if those depictions are anywhere near accurate, Jesus likely looked as Semitic as they did.
You can’t remove YESHUA’S Jewishness from him.
The historian Josephus writes about a description of Jesus that was sent to the Roman Emperor, who was curious about this upstart among his subjects. Jesus is described as fair ( light hair and eyes)
Josephus was not required to be politically correct.
Does it matter?
Who is your favorite authoritarian?
The pictures of Jesus look like the model who the painter hired.
Blond Jesus, black Jesus, epicanthic fold Jesus. All good, whatever beckons local culture. No sensible person agonizes over it, scolds others about it. If Durer painted a blond Jesus in 1506, it had nothing to do with plans of European conquest 200 years later.
Never saw a red-headed Jesus.
She really was!
Or something similar.
He is black and trans!
Of course not. He was Jewish of the middle eastern variety.
What does it matter though? Go into a black Christian family’s house, Jesus is black. Go into an Asian Christian family’s house, Jesus just might be mandarin Chinese.
Does it matter?
cue denzel
See Matt. 24:45-51.
It may create discomfort, but Jesus as returning king and final judge won’t be Mr smiles and hugs.
Apparently it does matter to some.. I wonder IF Christ included the data on his DNA when He declared Mark 13:23. Take heed, behold I have foretold you all things.
Now for a bit of His history the name Adam in the Hebrew means to show blood in the face (rosy cheeks)…. Not exactly the first traits used to describe ‘Middle Eastern ‘ peoples.. wonder what the phrase ‘Key of David’ means…. Sleep away not time for all to see.
I am NOT the one concerned about skin color. The article is, though. What racism are you speaking about?
Thank you. That was very interesting reading.
He wasn’t black african, he wasn’t chinese.
So he is white. Haplogroup J.
Yep. Occam's Razor. He certainly wasn't sub-Saharan African.
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