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From science and computers, a new face of Jesus
CNN ^ | Thursday, December 26, 2002 Posted: 9:45 AM EST (1445 GMT) | By Jeordan Legon

Posted on 12/30/2002 5:14:19 PM PST by vannrox

Edited on 04/29/2004 2:01:51 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

This image of what Jesus may have looked like is on the cover of Popular Mechanics this month.

This representation is quite different from the typical lithe, long-haired, light-skinned and delicate-featured depiction of the man Christians consider the son of God.


(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Israel; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bible; history; jesus; look; new; past; science
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To: webber
Jesus, IMHO, was a perfect human being without any physical or mental defects whatsoever.

This really doesn't give an idea of what he would look like except that he wouldn't have any physical birth defects...or ar eyou suggesting that there is a 'perfect' facial structure and a 'perfect' hair colour?
21 posted on 12/30/2002 6:53:31 PM PST by Dimensio
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To: vannrox
I have heard that the "Europeonized" Jesus with his long hair is a false image. Observant male Jews of his time kept their hair short according to scripture.
22 posted on 12/30/2002 6:54:29 PM PST by Burkeman1
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To: vannrox
This could also be a dead ringer for the probable Anti-Christ 'Lord Maitreya', as seen below:


23 posted on 12/30/2002 6:56:40 PM PST by Paul Ross
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To: ZULU
110 pounds is very likely. The average height of Northern Europeons was 5'5' or 5'6" 2000 years ago and they weighed about 130 to 160. He was most likely average size for his ethnic group and time.
24 posted on 12/30/2002 6:57:17 PM PST by Burkeman1
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To: webber
I don't see how they can make a dipiction of Jesus Christ since Jesus had no inherited traits of either Joseph or Mary since He was conceived of the Holy Ghost, AND THEN that seed was placed in Mary's womb.

Not quite. "Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus." Luke 1:31 The Holy Ghost and the Blessed Virgin Mary begot Jesus.

25 posted on 12/30/2002 7:07:42 PM PST by SMEDLEYBUTLER
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To: vannrox
Popular Mechanics? I think I'll just wait 'til I see Him myself....
26 posted on 12/30/2002 7:14:14 PM PST by azhenfud
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To: Orion78
Interesting how some cling to the "pretty" Jesus found in paintings. Jesus was a tough man in a tough era.

The picture is probably close to correct - it was the hair style of the day. The Old Testament states (somewhere) that Jesus was not going to be a handsome man.
27 posted on 12/30/2002 7:34:34 PM PST by moyden
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To: Izzy Dunne
You've pegged it. He also looks like the Egyptian guy that was Indiana Jones friend in the first two Indy flicks.
28 posted on 12/30/2002 7:54:46 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth
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To: WorkingClassFilth
He also looks like the Egyptian guy that was Indiana Jones friend in the first two Indy flicks.

John Rhys-Davies. Interestingly enough, he starred in the TV series Sliders and in one episode his character was mistaken for that famous Italian singer.
29 posted on 12/30/2002 8:27:13 PM PST by Dimensio
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To: Burkeman1
The minimum height for a soldier in the Roman Imperial army was 6'. Granted, most of these probably came from northern or western Europe, but I think its a mistake to assume that all ancients were small people.

The figure in the Shroud of Turin was about 5'10" tall and weighed about 180 lbs. If that relic is an accurate one, and recent research seems to indicate it was, even if the figure portrayed was not Christ, it indicates large people did exist at that time.

At any rate, that's my take on it.

I dated a girl who not by any estimate overweight and she was 5'1" tall and SHE weighed about 100 lbs.

Cro-Magnon men reached a height of 6' and the "Turkana Boy" of east Africa who was not even Homo sapiens was close to 6' tall.

I just don't think it is possible to make a generalization about a specific individual's appearance based on what we believe to have been "average" in a population, regardless of what that happened to be.
What is the "average" height and weight for a male in today's population? Maybe 5'9"? There a heck of a lot of people much above that size.
30 posted on 12/30/2002 9:09:43 PM PST by ZULU
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To: Swordmaker
"The article claims that Jesus would have had short hair because it says "would Paul (one of the apostles) have written, 'If a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him' if Jesus Christ had had long hair?" the article surmises."

Intersting passage, especially in light of the fact that St. Paul never even saw Chriust in the flesh.

"This is a false argument as the actual article in Popular Mechanics says that Paul actually KNEW Jesus... seems to me he was a late-comer to apostlehood."

That's news to me and to most Bible scholars.

"I can show you quite a few passages in the Bible where it states that the hair should not be cut, especially the beard and forelocks. To this day many Conservative and Sephardic Jews do not cut their hair."

Nazarites did not cut their hair or shave their beards. References to Christ as "The Nazarine" may have nothing to do with geography.

"The study of the shroud showed that there is a strange blurring in the hair image on the back of the head in the center extending down to the shoulder area. Subsequent research found that male Jews of the period often braided their hair in a queue and oiled it to keep it braided."

You are correct. I remember reading that somewhere also.

"Short hair was also a Greek and Roman style. It is unlikely that the oppressed people of Judea would emulate their conquerors and oppressors. It would be more likely they would return to ethnic affectations to differentiate themselves from the oppressors."

Excellant point. Short hair styles in men have historically been linked with militaristic societies anyway.

"Contemprory depictions of Levantine people in Egyptian wall paintings show them to be consistently bearded and long haired, in contrast to the shorter haired and mostly beardless Egyptians. The sole exceptions to this were depictions of Levantine people who were clearly in the position of slaves. One can surmise that slaves would not have much say in their appearance."

Another very excellent point.

"Also the assumption of a heighth of 5'1" isbased on spurious data also. Data developed because the study of the Shroud of Turin image seems to be that of a man 5'10" tall, found that, contrary to assumptions, the men of that area and period actually averaged about 5'6" inches tall and while the image on the shroud is taller, it is not out of the range of normal for the period. This data was found by measuring skeletal remains from the period. Jehohannon, the one skeleton discovered that HAD been crucified in the first century, is calculated from his leg bones to have been 5'7" to 5'8" tall. The creators of this "new" image took the EXTREME LOWER END of the male height range for their caricature. This choice alone makes me very suspicious of the motives behind this effort."

I read about the crucified Jehohannon, but didn't know they were able to estimate his size. I agree with you about both size ranges and the questionability of the motives here in their portrayal of Christ.

See my comments about body size in another response here.
31 posted on 12/30/2002 9:18:02 PM PST by ZULU
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To: moyden
The picture is probably close to correct - it was the hair style of the day.

How do you know what the style of the day was in Judea? We know what the Roman styles were because of statues and murals. The Jews did not make "graven images" of themselves. Others who did make graven images (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans) when they represented people from the middle east showed Levantine men as long-haired and bearded unless they were slaves, in which case the hairstyles mimicked their masters.

As I stated earlier, the Jews were unlikely to emulate their oppressors' styles, especially in light of Biblical injunctins on dress and hair.

Leviticus 19:27
Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

Many Sephardic and Conservative Jews do not shave or clip their sidelocks to this day.

32 posted on 12/30/2002 9:27:17 PM PST by Swordmaker
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To: SMEDLEYBUTLER
If what you say is correct, then Jesus inherited the sin factor from Mary, and therefore his blood was tainted. Tell me how sin tainted blood can was away sin? It's like taking a less soiled cloth and cleaning a soiled surface, and then after using it, declare it clean.
33 posted on 12/30/2002 9:40:18 PM PST by webber
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To: Dimensio
Yes!!! Emphatically! and you will see that "perfection" when you see Jesus Face to Face.
34 posted on 12/30/2002 9:45:17 PM PST by webber
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To: vannrox
This image of what Jesus may have looked like is on the cover of Popular Mechanics this month.

I wonder if PM answers the question "What Kind of Car Would Jesus Drive?"

35 posted on 12/30/2002 9:47:56 PM PST by Willie Green
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To: ZULU
Intersting passage, especially in light of the fact that St. Paul never even saw Christ in the flesh.

I did a 'double take' when I read that passage in the PopMech article where these "scholars" made the claim that Paul, having known Jesus, would not have said that if Jesus had long hair.

Yes, Paul (nee Saul) did write letters saying that men should not have long hair but I have never been a big fan of Paul. Jesus said "I come to replace the Law." and here come Paul who says "Yes, but here are some rules to live by." ;)

36 posted on 12/30/2002 9:52:07 PM PST by Swordmaker
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To: webber
I'm curious. what is the 'perfect' hair colour?
37 posted on 12/30/2002 10:04:48 PM PST by Dimensio
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To: vannrox
His bone structure is sharper and he has scruffy lips. His nose is large, but more romanesque. His skin is also pitted from the beatings.
38 posted on 12/30/2002 10:30:40 PM PST by ETERNAL WARMING
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To: Slyfox
THAT picture (on the right!) is my personal favorite. I think it's the best 'recreation', and correctly compensates for the heavy swelling found on the shroud image from which it was done. Excellent choice. BUMP for post 12!
39 posted on 12/30/2002 10:33:02 PM PST by thatdewd
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To: Gorzaloon
Cherokee, of course. :-)

My Chickasaw (and Choctaw) ancestors might disagree with you! (but the Cherokee ones wouldn't)

40 posted on 12/30/2002 11:07:02 PM PST by thatdewd
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