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?"
There is already a novel out about this, where someone "Jurrasic-Park"-like found a drop of Jesus' blood in a piece of wood and recreated the DNA.
I've not kept up with this with the level of detail I should, but I know that the supposed "disproving" of the Shroud is not as solid as was once thought, and there is still considerable room for scientific reasons to think the Shroud may be authentic. I remain open on this, especially as one way or another it would not affect my faith.
The picture I found is similar to that but has longer hair, narrower nose and face --- and better expression.
But the reality is so much better! I would rather have the Holy Spirit living within me and through me, than have Jesus stand next to me. The disciples seemed to be such bumblers until Acts 2.
John 14:12 ¶Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 ¶If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 ¶I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Depending on your reading of scripture, Jesus had in His past several Hittites, who were thought to be black. Interestingly, the lineages mentioned in the Gospels only record a handful of women---and arguably all of them (for ex., Bathsheeba) were black. This means that Jesus likely looked like an amalgam of Semitie/"white"/black (and, if God is as smart as I think He is, he probably worked a little Oriental and Indian in there too). In short, there is good reason to think that physically, Jesus looked a little bit like all people.
bttt
Glad we don't know what Jesus looks like. It does a world of good for race relations not to know. Some things are better left undiscovered. Besides I imagine Jesus will look much better when I die than some scientific analysis of what he could have looked like.
Check out wyattarchaeology.com
Look for the story of the ark of the covenant. He claims the Blood of Jesus literally ran onto the mercy seat.
It certainly is compelling, don't now how true it is.
I think Santa Clause is black, personally. And Barney.
Shroud was proven to be a 13th century fake several years ago.
“The resulting image shows a fair-skinned child with blond, wavy hair and dark eyes.”
I know for a fact that Santa Claus is Italian. I asked my mother one year and that's what she said.
A guido Santa? Nah, he looks like Grady from Sanford & Son.
Can't argue with you on that. God is everywhere.
LOL
Seriesly, I tell my kids the story of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. Apparently, he raised some kids from the dead, among other miracles. He was pretty radical.
I also tell them that he's alive. Since he's in heaven...
So yes, we really believe in Santa.
He doesn't LOOK Jewish.
Seriously folks, the few people who were portrayed in art works from those days tended to be important leaders, not sons of a carpenter.
The authenticity of the Shroud is in enough doubt to discount this attempt to picture the Lord as a young man, regardless of the motive.
His appearance does not matter; He loves us.
That's a wonderful thing you are doing for your children. There are some people who take perverse delight in telling children there is no Santa. The Santa Claus representations we all see today can be compared to priests who represent Jesus to people.
If having an idea of what He may have looked like helps one to pray than there is certainly no harm in that.
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