Archaeologists discover one of the earliest-known images of Jesus — and he's beardles

The Week ^ | October 9, 2014

[NYer]

Archaeologists have uncovered one of the earliest-known images of Jesus in the town of Cástulo in Andalusia, Spain. The image, engraved on a glass plate known as a paten, shows a beardless, short-haired Jesus.

The archaeologists estimate the 8.6-inch paten is from the fourth century C.E., and they suspect it was used to hold Eucharistic bread. The image shows Jesus in a philosopher's toga, along with two other — also beardless — male figures, whom researchers suspect are Peter and Paul, two of Jesus' apostles. All three of the men are depicted with halos. "The scene takes place in the celestial orb, framed between two palm trees, which in Christian iconography represent immortality, the afterlife, and heaven, among other things," the archaeologists said in a statement.

The paten is the earliest depiction that has been found in Spain, Discovery News reports, and it is "in an excellent state of preservation," with 81 percent of its original contents restored. The paten is now on display at the Archaeological Museum of Linares. --Meghan DeMaria

Early Image of Beardless Jesus Found: http://t.co/j5K0t20NFc pic.twitter.com/oTOH1GkgzS — Discovery News (@DNews) October 5, 2014

[Elsie]

Groan...

[Elsie]

Wouldn’t Jesus have been dark-skinned,too?

Of COURSE not!

Haven't you seen his MOM???

[Elsie]

Don't base your image of the Inquisition on a Monty Python sketch.

Heck no!!!

[Elsie]

We don’t have to BOTHER with it now!

[Elsie]

I always tell them the Constitution mentions the little baby Jesus.

Earlier than that we have...

 

 

 

Mayflower Compact

 

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620.

 

 

 

[Elsie]

Sure that ain’t just backlit?

[Elsie]

Ask Dan Quayle!

[Alter Kaker]

It’s a coverup and worse it’s a revisionist encroachment on Christian heritage.

AD stands for Anno Domini, the year of our Lord. Since a large percentage (over 2/3) of the world's population doesn't believe in the divinity of Jesus, it would not be reasonable to expect non Christians to refer to Jesus as their Lord against their will. I think it's entirely appropriate for you to use AD - but I think it's unreasonable to try to compel others to do so.

[dangus]

Isaiah 50 includes one of four songs called the songs of the suffering servant. (Also, Isaiah 42, 49 and 52-53.) In numerous places in the New Testament, these verses of the suffering servant are cited as referring to Christ, even though that particular verse is not one of the verses cited. Even the Talmud identifies the Suffering Servant of Isaiah in many places as referring to the Messiah; the later Jewish notion that it refers to the entire nation of Israel in no way contradicts this.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Yeah, I doubt anyone disputes that.

However, they do freak-out over the imaginary “separation of church and state” thing when I allude to the Christian reference in the Constitution.

One lawyer denied it existed, read the Constitution three times, and swore up and down it wasn’t in there.

[Slings and Arrows]

Thank you. Thank you very much.

[dangus]

You presume no-one ever made an image of him. By the fourth century, there were spread throughout Syria many versions of a legend, all agreeing on the key points, of a cloth which bore a miraculous image of Jesus. (The varied, yet substantially agreeing versions of the same legend suggests a common origin much older than the fourth century.)

Whether this image was the Shroud of Turin, the Mandylion, or the Veil of Veronica, or none of the above it suggests the image of Christ Pantocrator (the basis of Eastern Christian imagery of Jesus) was based on people who believed they actually did know what Jesus looked like.

Christ Pantocrator:

From the 6th century, based on much older paintings.

The Shroud of Turin:

Veronica's Veil:

One of six images, all remarkably similar, said to be Veronica's veil. It is believed quite likely that five are copies of one original, but which is the original is unknown.

Despite the distortions created by the physical abuse of the crucifixion and the prone posture in the Shroud of Turin, note the remarkable similarity between the images: the very long, thin nose; the cleft beard; the heavy brow; the high, gaunt cheekbones; the hairline with the high, single peak; and, in the Pantocrator and the veil at least, the eyes.

[huldah1776]

“long” is relative. Some natural hair for women is extremely long. I would tend to go with historical Jewish tradition for the time before making any judgments. I love Marine high and tight cuts, but I grew up in the 60’s and also like long hair. I abhor dreadlocks, or matted hair. Whatever looks good for the face.

[Hostage]

> “I think it’s entirely appropriate for you to use AD - but I think it’s unreasonable to try to ***compel others*** to do so.”

Excuse me? “Compel others”? No one is compelling anyone in archaeology or any science where a system of calendar is necessary.

The usage of BCE/CE in place of BC/AD for the Christian calendar is a deceitful encroachment of altered basis planned in a revisionist attack.

It is the same behavior that brings down crosses, moves extracurricular bible study groups out of public schools even though Islamic studies are permitted, brings lame complaints about using “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance or icons of the Ten Commandments in Congress or prohibits Christian speech in public places, all because a few are somehow offended.

Nothing bars others from using any number of different calendars. There is no excuse and no explanation for BCE/CE other than a blackout of Christian tradition. BC/AD are a part of history; BCE/CE are not.

Today the Jewish calendar is year 5775; use that or be polite and gracious by writing 5775 (2014) or use the Chinese year or any of the following calendars:

Akan,
Ancient Macedon,
Ancient Mexican ,
Armenian,
Assyrian,
Astronomical,
Attic,
Aztec,
Babylonian,
Bahá’í,
Bengali,
Berber,
Buddhist,
Bulgar,
Byzantine,
Chinese,
Coligny,
Coptic,
Discordian,
Egyptian,
Enoch,
Ethiopian,
Fiscal,
Florentine,
French Republic,
Germanic,
Gregorian,
Hebrew,
Hellenic,
Hindu,
Ibibio,
Igbo,
Indian,
Iranian,
Irish,
Islamic,
ISO,
Jain,
Jalali,
Japanese,
Javanese,
Juche,
Julian,
Kurdish,
Lithuanian,
Malayalam,
Maya,
Mesoamerican,
Minguo,
Nanakshahi,
Nepal,
Nepali,
Obsolete,
Old Icelandic,
Pentecontad,
Positivist,
Rapa Nui,
Revised,
Roman,
Romanian,
Rumi,
Runic,
Runic,
Soviet,
Swedish,
Tamil,
Thai,
Thai,
Tibetan,
Xhosa,
Yoruba,
Zoroastrian,

or propose an entirely new calendar systems.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

Yes, I have. But how do we know that Jesus and his mother were white? Didn’t they live in the Middle East?

[Jedidah]

Sorry. I was speaking Texan. Kinda like “fixin.”

[Jedidah]

I don’t need a picture to know what He looked like.

He was a Jew. He was a builder, so likely muscular, calloused, tanned.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

But mankind always seeks physical proof to bolster weak faith.

[Alter Kaker]

Today the Jewish calendar is year 5775; use that or be polite and gracious by writing 5775 (2014) or use the Chinese year or any of the following calendars:

So you think you have to be Christian to use the Gregorian calendar? I'm pretty sure the corporate world can't wait to have to convert their calendars every time they hire, fire, do business, etc. with Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Bahaii, Muslims, etc. Using common calendar is simply common sense for reasons that have nothing to do with religion - so it's silly to tell Buddhists they should use "AD" when they don't mean it.

[Alter Kaker]

I’ll also point out that the Gregorian calendar you seem to consider a holy relic is actually a pagan calendar with only a veneer of Christianity - it’s a reform of the Julian calendar which was commissioned by Julius Caesar and based on earlier Roman calendars. January is named after the Roman God Janus, February is named after a pagan purification rite, April is named after the Etruscan God Apru, etc. Early Christians understood the value of having a common solar calendar without presumably feeling a need to endorse its pagan origins.

[RegulatorCountry]

Early Christians understood the value of having a common solar calendar without presumably feeling a need to endorse its pagan origins.

It's interesting that early Christians were far more tolerant than those who would force CE and BCE upon the western world, then.