What Did Jesus Really Look Like?

No one has a photograph of Jesus.  He never posed for a portrait or a sculpture.  Still, he has appeared in the works of countless artists throughout the centuries.

Of course, those artists did not know what Jesus really looked like.  Prevailing culture, religious beliefs, and the wishes of their patrons often dictated how the artist portrayed Jesus.  Even so, their imagery could influence, even blur, people's views of Jesus and his teachings. 

Some artists depicted Jesus as a frail weakling with long hair and a thin beard or emphasized a look of melancholy. In other presentations, Jesus appears supernatural, adorned with a halo, or distant from those around him. Do such portrayals  correctly characterize Jesus?  How can we find out?  One way is to examine statements in the Bible that can shed some light on what he might have looked like.  They can also help us to have the correct view of him. 

Note: I have read the King James and the  The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures many times, and I have not seen a description of what he looks like, only what his personality is like; and that is of a very powerful, know all, loving, gentle man who loves people.  To me, that describes him as a medium good looking man who has a heart and lots of love for everyone. 

Next time: What Did Jesus Really Look Like? - "YOU PREPARED A BODY FOR ME"

From the jw.org.publications