The question of Jesus’ race has been asked for centuries, especially considering the various depictions of Him in art and media. From European portrayals to African, Middle Eastern, and Asian representations, the image of Jesus has varied based on cultural and historical contexts. But what do the Scriptures and historical evidence really say about Jesus’ race and appearance?
Was Jesus’ ethnicity significant to His mission and message, and does it matter how we envision Him today? What are some of the common assumptions people make about His race, and how do they align with historical and biblical facts?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Dive into this thought-provoking conversation by sharing your insights and interpretations. For further reading, check out this article:
Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jew. He looked like other Middle Eastern Jews before the establishment of the Modern state of Israel that brought an influx of European Jews. No Greeks are mentioned in his ancestry.
He was not white. We need to stop portraying Him as such.
(Isaiah 53:2) tells us He had “no beauty or majesty,” suggesting His appearance was typical for His time. However, I believe that focusing on His race shouldn’t overshadow His core message.
Jesus’ mission was universal, rooted in love, grace, and compassion. (John 3:16) beautifully states, “For God so loved the world…” No matter how we envision Him, it’s His teachings and principles that define who He is. Let’s remember that His message transcends any cultural representation.
Assuming there actually is something as “race”, Jesus (Yeshua) was a Semite. What He was not is the Caucasian (white) person depicted in so much artwork.
Because He is depicted in so much art as being “white”, there is the subtle message that the “white” race is God’s race, and that other races therefore are not.
Are you suggesting that a tall white man, wearing a floor-length white robe, with hair down over his shoulders, who walks in a slow gait, and speaks in hushed tones, maybe with a slight glowing disk behind his head might not be an accurate portrayal of Jesus? What are you going to tell me next, that Grape nuts have no grapes in them? I’m going back to bed.
Technally we all are just a bit here and there.
Genetic tests are facinating.
I don’t know. It use to matter to me what Santa Clause looked like… Now I only care that he brought the gifts. Does it really matter whether he wore a red suit, or how many reindeer there were? North pole or South, he still gave it all away on that special day.
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, historically part of Judea, and he was of Middle Eastern descent, specifically Jewish. The Bible doesn’t focus much on His physical appearance, emphasizing instead His teachings and actions. In Isaiah 53:2, it’s mentioned, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” This suggests that His mission and message were far more important than His physical appearance.
Isaiah53 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
Theseverse imply that he was not a hansom man.
Certainly as his mother was a Jewess so he would be regarded as Jewish.
How did he look? We don’t know.
Possible li,e many middle eastern men who have dark hair a d a slight tint to their skin, maybe a more pronounced nose!
To start a red herring. Should we be depicting Jesus?
Hi,
Jesus ’ other nature is of course God in human form.
Nobody in the human race has that nature.
Luke 1:34-35 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Jesus also has a distinctively different nature ( or another race ) implanted by the Holy Spirit.
His spiritual nature is defined by scripture as being a component of three representations of God in the Bible.
That’s why I said perhaps the Trinitarian race.
Why are you getting all bent out of shape over this?
OK, you tell me, what race is the spiritual nature of Jesus?
