The Color of Jesus & What to do with His Statues

Artistically, most ethnic groups have created pictures of Jesus where He looks like them. I think this is normal and healthy. It is good and right to express our love of the God who saves us from our sin, saves us from our shame, and saves us from our listening to the lies of satan. Those of us whom God has given abilities with words, worship Him with words, be it in writing or through public speaking. Those of us whom God has given artistic abilities worship Him with art, be it painting or sculpting.

Northern European people who are today called “white” did just that; they worshiped God through artistically crafting the Jesus who saved them and who lives within them by His Holy Spirit to also look like them. It is just as healthy for them to picture Jesus looking like them as it is black Africans making pictures of Jesus to look like them. As an expression of personal creative worship of Jesus, it’s fine to have Jesus look like any ethnic group because if they have repented of their sins & invited Him to fill them with His Holy Spirit, He does live in each person who humbles themselves to receive His gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

So, what about historically? What did Jesus look like way back then when He physically walked the earth? Jesus probably looked something like modern day desert Arabs: big nose, sun darkened olive skin, and perhaps medium thick lips. Some would say that the modern Jews would be more accurate, but the modern Jews are really Europeans with big noses whose two thousand years of breeding with Europeans watered down the melanin. 

What about the Bible? Are there any clues in there as to what Jesus looked like? One passage says He was plain and not very distinguished looking (but that prophecy was written 700 years before His both). Perhaps the reason we don’t have a description, is that one of the 10 commandments makes it clear to not make graven images to worship.

So I guess if people worship the statues of Jesus instead of worshiping Jesus, then first the idol in their heart needs to be torn down, then let they who once worshiped the statue tear it down. If they don’t and if He loves them, then He will do it for them.