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Was Jesus White? Does the Bible Say Jesus was White? Get to know what the Bible says about Jesus' skin color and how we are to regard Him

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS WAS JESUS WHITE? JANUARY 22, 2023 DESEMOND MBANTOH LEAVE A COMMENT Was Jesus White? Much of western art portrays Jesus as having white skin and light hair. Is that what Jesus really looked like? If not, why is He so often portrayed that way. We’ll start by calling on your attention to the fact that the Bible nowhere gives a physical description of Jesus. Behold, the Bible does not say anything about Jesus’ weight, height, skin color, hair color, or eye color. As a matter of fact, such things are not important to understanding who Jesus is. The closest the Bible comes to describing what Jesus looked like is a non-detailed sketch of what Jesus was not like in Isaiah 53:2: “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” Notice that Isaiah 53:2 is saying that Jesus was ordinary-looking. Brethren, the description of the glorified Jesus having white hair and bronze skin in Revelation 1:14–15 should not be understood literally unless you also believe that Jesus has seven stars in His right hand, a sword in His mouth, and a face as bright as the sun (Revelation 1:16). According to the Bible, Jesus was a Jew, a.k.a., a Hebrew or Israelite. Jesus lived in the Middle East and was of Semitic descent. Following this, He would have likely had light-to medium-brown skin, brown eyes, and dark-brown to black hair. While Middle Easterners occasionally have light skin, comparably to that of Europeans, such skin tones are rare in that part of the world. Therefore, was Jesus white? The answer is that He was very much likely not white. Was Jesus White? From our previous discussions, it’s clear that Jesus was very much likely not white. So, if Jesus like was not white, why is He so often portrayed that way? By examining artists’ portrayals of Jesus from around the world, we notice that they often portray Jesus in a way similar to what people look like in that particular culture. Europeans portray Jesus as a European. Africans paint Jesus as an African. Asians illustrate Jesus in a way that makes Him look Asian. As a matter of fact, people prefer to picture Jesus as looking somewhat like them, or at least like people they are familiar with. Biblically, is it wrong to do this? Not necessarily. As long as we do not allow our preferred image of Jesus to become an idol for worship or a stumbling block for others, there is nothing wrong about imaging Jesus looking a certain way. The Lord God Almighty is more concerned about the condition of our hearts. Jesus is the Savior for “all nations” (Matthew 28:19; Galatians 3:8). Regardless of a person’s skin color, race, ethnicity, or nationality, he or she can experience forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God through the crucified and risen Christ. In fact, the love of Jesus transcends skin color. Having no physical description of Jesus, people naturally imagine the Son of Man to be like themselves. And as such, we should not be dogmatic about our preferred image of Jesus. The fact that the Bible nowhere gives a physical description should serve as a caution against arrogance and presumption on this subject. Brethren, what Jesus looked like does not really matter. His physical appearance has nothing to do with His being the Savior of the World (John 3:16). What Does the Bible Say About Racism? Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life. The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. Racism and Reconciliation Racism is abou...

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