However, this only implies a general Jewish ancestry, acknowledged generally by authors. Justin Martyr argued for the genealogy of Jesus in the biological Davidic line from Mary, as well as from his non-biological father Joseph. Larger arguments of this kind have been debated for centuries. However, these focused more on his physical appearance than on his specific race or ancestry. ![]() 400–410 AD during the Western Roman Empireĭespite the lack of direct biblical or historical references, from the 2nd century onward, various theories about the appearance of Jesus were advanced. Literary traditions Early Church to the Middle Ages Christ Pantocrator in a Roman mosaic in the church of Santa Pudenziana, Rome, c. This vision is usually considered to refer to Jesus in heavenly form, not his appearance during his earthly life. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire Īnd his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters.Īnd he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. The Book of Revelation includes John's vision of the Son of Man: The synoptic gospels include the account of the transfiguration of Jesus, during which he was glorified with "His face shining as the sun", but this appearance is considered to refer to Jesus in majestic, transfigured form. The New Testament includes no descriptions of Jesus's appearance before his death, and the gospel narratives are generally indifferent to people's racial appearance or features. The New Testament In the Gospels Transfiguration by Alexandr Ivanov, 1824 These passages are often interpreted as Jesus' physical description. Isaiah 53:2 refers to the scourged messiah with "no beauty that we should desire him" and Psalm 45:2–3 describes him as "fairer than the children of men". Old Testament references which Christians interpret as being about a coming messiah have been used to form conjectures about the appearance of Jesus. See also: Biblical terminology for race The Old Testament It has been suggested that Jesus likely had a lean appearance. Historians have speculated over how Jesus's ascetic and itinerant lifestyle and work as a tektōn ( Ancient Greek for an artisan/craftsman, typically a carpenter), with the manual labour and exposure to the elements that entailed, affected his appearance. : 123–37 The earliest depictions of Jesus from the Roman catacombs depict him as free of facial hair. : 158–163 Scholars have also suggested that it is likely Jesus had short hair and a beard, in accordance with Jewish practices of the time and the appearance of philosophers. Judean men of the time period were on average about 1.65 metres or 5 feet 5 inches in height. : 161, 194 Thus, in terms of physical appearance, the average Judean of the time would have likely had brown or black hair, honey or olive-brown skin, and brown eyes. Research on ancient skeletons in Palestine suggests that Judeans of the time were biologically closer to Iraqi Jews than to any other contemporary population, according to specialist bio historian Yossi Nagar. However, as in other cases of the assignment of race to biblical individuals, these claims have been mostly based on cultural stereotypes, ethnocentrism, and societal trends rather than on scientific analysis or historical method. : 44–45īy the 19th century, theories that Jesus was non- Semitic were being developed, with writers suggesting he was variously white, black, or some other race other than those known to have been native to the Levant. ![]() Many depictions are interpretations of spurious sources, and are generally historically inaccurate. Ī wide range of depictions have appeared over the two millennia since Jesus's death, often influenced by cultural settings, political circumstances and theological contexts. These documents are now mostly considered forgeries. By the Middle Ages, a number of documents, generally of unknown or questionable origin, had been composed and were circulating with details of the appearance of Jesus. Various theories about the race of Jesus have been proposed and debated. The race and appearance of Jesus, widely accepted by researchers to be a Judean from Galilee has been a topic of discussion since the days of early Christianity. There is no scholarly agreement on the appearance of Jesus over the centuries, he has been depicted in a multitude of ways.
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