ORIGINS - Part 1

POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CHRIST - His likeness

Did Jesus have long hair or blue eyes? Is he the person portrayed in countless images, icons or movies?

To say the truth, no hard evidence exists of the physical likeness of Jesus, despite all the claims about the Shroud of Turin, the so-called earliest depictions by saints, etc. Jesus in my point of view will always remain a Man of authority, assertiveness, and complete control yet humble and compassionate towards the oppressed. The images you have seen throughout your life contradicts all the above mentioned and instead paints a very different picture of a person who looks like a rather poetic, alienated, and intellectual man.

When the temple soldiers came to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane, they had to confirm His identity and hence they asked, “Who among you is Jesus the Nazarene?” Jesus answered them, “I am He.” Doesn’t that mean Jesus looked like a common Jewish man of His times? I’m sure there wasn’t anything in the looks of Him that suggested the very incarnation of God on earth. What did satisfy the disciples that Jesus was the Son of God was the way He preached and the authority He proclaimed.

28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. – Matthew Ch. 7

Another thing we should consider is that Jews of the time of Jesus thought it shameful to keep long hair. Why then would Paul speak against the very thing in 1 Corinthians Ch. 11?

14Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,

Many try to dispute that Jesus was a Nazarite and therefore he did not put a razor on his head.
There is however a sharp difference between a ‘Nazarite’ and a ‘Nazarene.’