I want to know what He actually looks like.
I'm not talking metaphorically speaking. You know, like: "He's the face of love; of truth and justice; of compassion; of grace and mercy. He is what purity looks like. Perfection. Splendor."
No. That's not good enough for me. These things don't have a face. They're attributes, sure, and they're good ones to describe Jesus. But that's not what He physically looks like.
I've started reading "Captivating" again (more like picked up where I left off almost 2 years ago), and it talked about a passage in Isaiah that reminded me that no one knows what He looks like. At least no one living.
I know there are several passages (many in Isaiah) that describe His physical features as being unnoticeable, plain, homey, not one to catch anyone's attention -- certainly nothing deserving of the kingly status He so rightly deserves. He was not regarded as handsome to women (which would be awkward -- how would you feel if you were attracted to Jesus, the ruler of the universe and were thus distracted by his outward appearance and couldn't concentrate on His message?).
But we don't know what He looks like. All the pictures we have of Jesus that flood American walls show him as a sallow, gentle-looking, white man with a beard and long hair. Well we know He wasn't white. Nor was He necessarily sallow. He was a carpenter by trade, and therefore I am assuming He had the muscles to prove it.
He probably looked quite rough with large carpenter hands, the grooves of his fingers permanently ground with dust or dirt. Although He was a Nazarite, His long hair was probably not as well-groomed as the pictures make Him out to be. I wouldn't go so far as to say He had a full head of dreads down to His waist (like one European hippie I saw today had), but it more than likely was as groomed as any other outdoorsy man at the time. As much as we'd like to think of him as our own race, we have to come to grips with the fact that He was definitely born to parents of middle-eastern decent (and yes I know it was miraculous conception and He probably didn't have any DNA connecting him to either Mary or Joseph); however, He had to fit with His people and look like a Nazarite. His skin was not porcelain or untouched by the sun. His average smile broke with chapped lips burned by living in the desert.
I want to see His face. I want to see His middle-eastern face with dark brown eyes and near-black hair. I want to see His stature -- His less than average height, muscular build, and very rough hands.
I want to feel Him wrap his big hands and arms around me and tell me that no matter what, everything will be okay because He is there to protect me and walk me through the difficult times.
I want to look into His deep brown eyes and feel the intensity tingle my spine with the knowledge that He knows everything.
No. That's not good enough for me. These things don't have a face. They're attributes, sure, and they're good ones to describe Jesus. But that's not what He physically looks like.
I've started reading "Captivating" again (more like picked up where I left off almost 2 years ago), and it talked about a passage in Isaiah that reminded me that no one knows what He looks like. At least no one living.
I know there are several passages (many in Isaiah) that describe His physical features as being unnoticeable, plain, homey, not one to catch anyone's attention -- certainly nothing deserving of the kingly status He so rightly deserves. He was not regarded as handsome to women (which would be awkward -- how would you feel if you were attracted to Jesus, the ruler of the universe and were thus distracted by his outward appearance and couldn't concentrate on His message?).
But we don't know what He looks like. All the pictures we have of Jesus that flood American walls show him as a sallow, gentle-looking, white man with a beard and long hair. Well we know He wasn't white. Nor was He necessarily sallow. He was a carpenter by trade, and therefore I am assuming He had the muscles to prove it.
He probably looked quite rough with large carpenter hands, the grooves of his fingers permanently ground with dust or dirt. Although He was a Nazarite, His long hair was probably not as well-groomed as the pictures make Him out to be. I wouldn't go so far as to say He had a full head of dreads down to His waist (like one European hippie I saw today had), but it more than likely was as groomed as any other outdoorsy man at the time. As much as we'd like to think of him as our own race, we have to come to grips with the fact that He was definitely born to parents of middle-eastern decent (and yes I know it was miraculous conception and He probably didn't have any DNA connecting him to either Mary or Joseph); however, He had to fit with His people and look like a Nazarite. His skin was not porcelain or untouched by the sun. His average smile broke with chapped lips burned by living in the desert.
I want to see His face. I want to see His middle-eastern face with dark brown eyes and near-black hair. I want to see His stature -- His less than average height, muscular build, and very rough hands.
I want to feel Him wrap his big hands and arms around me and tell me that no matter what, everything will be okay because He is there to protect me and walk me through the difficult times.
I want to look into His deep brown eyes and feel the intensity tingle my spine with the knowledge that He knows everything.
And I want to know if I wouldn't even recognize
Him as the Son of the Living God;
if He really is as physically forgettable as all the stories say.
Him as the Son of the Living God;
if He really is as physically forgettable as all the stories say.
There's a HUGE discussion happening these days about our "feminizing" of Jesus. And how they think that we've made Him into such a pansy, droopy blue-eyed, blushed-out, with softly blown hair --- how on EARTH are MEN gonna DESIRE to be like that?? I mean, what man is like, "Son, I want you to live to be just like the man with the flush on his cheeks, twinkle in his eye, manicured hands ---" UMM, save that for SANTA!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting thing.