What Did Jesus Look Like?

Q

What do you think Yeshua looked like? I know it really doesn’t matter. However, as a practicing and obedient (to the Law of Moses) Jew, would He have had long hair or, perhaps short hair with the long curls on each side? What would he have worn as clothing? In many Protestant churches, there are portraits depicting Him with long straight brown hair, beard and very frail looking. I personally believe there should be no likeness of our Lord displayed since we don’t really know what He looked like and it may be a violation of the 2nd Commandment.

A

Even though many artistic renderings of Him give Him more of a Caucasian look, Jesus was a Jewish man and most likely had a typical Middle Eastern appearance. According to the Bible He wore a long robe that extended from his shoulders to His ankles with a shawl-like outer garment that could be pulled over his head to protect Him from the heat of the day and the cool of the night. Being a carpenter by trade and accustomed to outdoor life, I don’t see Him as a frail person, but that’s just my opinion.

Most Jewish men of His time wore their hair and beards long, unless they had adopted the Hellenistic style of the day which favored being clean shaven with short hair and shorter garments. Religious Jews rejected the Hellenistic style, and I think Jesus most likely did, too.

The only way having a portrait of Jesus would violate the 2nd Commandment is if one were to make into an object of worship. Having an image of something does not violate the commandment, it’s turning the image into an idol and bowing down to worship it that violates the commandment. Otherwise every painting, drawing, photo, statue, movie or video would be a sin.