Computer-generated sketch of boy Jesus based on Shroud of Turin (courtesy Retequattro-Mediaset
Posted on 12/24/2004 12:18:11 AM PST by JohnHuang2
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
Computer-generated sketch of boy Jesus based on Shroud of Turin (courtesy Retequattro-Mediaset |
What did Jesus Christ of Nazareth look like as a boy?
While no one knows for certain, forensic experts are now using computer images from the Shroud of Turin along with historical data and other ancient images to make an educated guess.
In a documentary called "Jesus' Childhood" airing Sunday night on the Italian TV station Retequattro of the Mediaset Group, police artists use the same "aging" technology employed when searching for missing persons and criminals.
"In this case the experts went backwards. Now we have a hypothesis on how the man of the shroud might have looked at the age of 12," Mediaset said in a statement. "While some features, such as the color of the eyes and the hair's length, cut and color, are arbitrary, others come directly from the face impressed on the shroud."
The group points out the facial proportions between the nose and eyebrow, as well as the shape of the jaw are identical to those on the shroud, which is a piece of linen some believe to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus after he was crucified.
The resulting image shows a fair-skinned child with blond, wavy hair and dark eyes.
"We made a rigorous effort based on the Shroud of Turin, but it's clear that the data at our disposal were limited," police official Carlo Bui told the Italian paper Corriere della Sera. "Let's say we have made an excellent hypothesis."
The Bible itself gives little information as to the specifics of what Jesus looked like during his ministry.
It does say he was a descendant of King David, who may have been fair-skinned with a reddish tint to his face and hair. The Old Testament notes David as a youth "was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to." (I Samuel 2:16)
Others have argued Jesus was more olive or dark-skinned being from the Middle East.
The book of Isaiah gives what many believe to be a prophecy about Jesus' appearance as a human being, noting there wouldn't be any features out of the ordinary:
"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." (Isaiah 53:2)
When asked by Discovery News about the latest computer-generated image, Prof. James Charlesworth, an expert on Jesus research and the Gospel of John at Princeton Theological Seminary, said, "Too many Christians look down the well of history, seeking to see Jesus' face, and see the reflection of their own image. Those who follow Jesus find him attractive and thence always tend to portray him as a very attractive male, as in this new image."
"It shows clearly an Aryan Jesus, just like the Nazis proclaimed. Jesus was a Jew, looked like a Jew, and followed Jewish customs," he said.
As WorldNetDaily previously reported, the Shroud of Turin itself has been mired in controversy for centuries, with some maintaining the image on the linen is that of the crucified Jesus, while others reject it as an elaborate hoax.
In the 1980s, three international laboratories were selected to run the newly refined accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS) method of carbon dating on the shroud, to help determine its time of origin. The labs, including one at the University of Arizona at Tucson, all concurred the shroud was dated 1260-1390 AD.
But many have since questioned the reliability of the carbon-dating process which fixed that time period.
In 2000, millions of people turned out to view the controversial fabric during a rare public display.
The New Testament does refer to linens in connection with Jesus' burial, recounted when Jesus' disciples went to his tomb:
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (John 20:3-7)
While some think the "napkin" that was on Jesus' head casts doubt on the whole shroud theory, others believe it helps validate the shroud as authentic.
A relic called the Sudarium of Oviedo is claimed by some to be the actual cloth around Jesus' head.
The cloth is impregnated with blood and lymph stains that match the blood type on the Shroud of Turin. The pattern and measurements of stains indicate the placement of the cloth over the face.
Juan Ignacio Moreno, a Spanish magistrate based in Burgos, Spain, asks a critical question:
"The scientific and medical studies on the Sudarium prove that it was the covering for the same man whose image is [on] the Shroud of Turin. We know that the Sudarium has been in Spain since the 600s. How, then, can the radio carbon dating claiming the shroud is only from the 13th century be accurate?"
bump
Shroud was proven to be a 13th century fake several years ago.
Doesnt mean that Jesus was not the son of God, just that the Shroud was a very nice piece of art that got a reputation as something it was not.
It happens all the time.
There is a nice tagline around here that goes something like "Science answers how, Religion answers why".
The picture is not bad. It is what you would expect a Middle Eastern Jew to look like. But ultimately his physical appearance is irrelavant and bordering on idol worship.
I think the importance in all of this is because we have only a limited amount of scripture. Those of us who love the Lord always hope to know a little more. If having an idea of what He may have looked like helps one to pray than there is certainly no harm in that.
Of course people should be careful not to base one's faith on things like the shroud but how can we resist the idea of being a little closer physically to him? Can you imagine how it must have been to walk beside him as the disciples did? Awesome.
Fair enough. What you write makes a lot of sense, especially on a deeply emotional level.
I just become agitated when the debate about teh Shrouds authentiticy someone becomes linked with the debate about Jesus authenticity.
If evidence using modern scientific techiniques shows that the Shroud is not what some would like it to be- sobeit To cling to belief in the Shroud despite clear and indisputable evidence to the contrary (although this is not yet 100% the case) allows those who wish to sully the name of Christ an unfortunate opening.
I have seen Him. He doesn't look like that. His face is very angular. His lips are scruffy. His skin is pocked. His hair is dark and He isn't handsome. His nose is classic but large.
Well said.
I think that's the reason that we don't have physical things to link us to the Lord (I mean from the standpoint of items he used, touched, etc.)
There is always the danger of unintentionally worshipping the items.
(hmm, re-reading what I wrote, let me please say by way of clarification that I in no way mean to assume or intimate that you would fit into that category...)
To answer your question - no. I can't imagine it. I've tried to mentally project myself back in time (so to speak) to envision what that world must have been like and how it must have been for the disciples to relate to the Lord Jesus Christ personally. Consider John for example. Jesus truly loved him like a brother!
I've often asked myself if I had lived in that time period would I recognize the Messiah promised of old? Or would I be skeptical, a doubter - like Thomas?
But I delight in the fact that one day I'll meet Him face to face, not only as my Judge (not to condemnation) but also as my King and Savior.
Wow, that was a wordy post but I'm feeling a little verbose right now, I guess! :o)
So Jesus was Italian. You're right doing a computer rendering of Jesus based on a 13th century italian hoax is the ultimate in junk science.
Jesus was Jewish. He probably looked more like Jon Silver than a young italian kid from Florence.
Where did you see him?
You've seen Him? Where and under what circumstances?
Jesus was real, the shroud is fake. We can't learn what Jesus looked like from the Shroud since whoever faked it probably based the image on paintings from the period which always depicted Jesus the way they wanted him to look.
can anyone give me VERY SIMPLE instructions on how to post a picture?
But then this is from the guys who keep assuring us that flying cars "ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER!"
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