[MrB]

I find it patently ridiculous to speculate on the melanin content of the Son of God.

[srmorton]

Being a biologist, I have always felt that Jesus skin was somewhat darker than natives of Northern Europe, but he certainly was not of African American descent. He was a Jew who was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the Middle East, the natives of which have darker skin as a protection from the rays of the sun that are so intense in this area. People from Northern Europe have fair skin which allows them to absorb more sunlight (which is needed for the synthesis of vitamin D) in an area where there is much less direct sunlight.