Image of Jesus

[precepts]

With so many incidents of Jesus sightings, do we really believe in the image of Jesus as being Jesus?

Why is this image so institutionalized in denominational Christianity? Food for thought.

 

[laconicstudent]

It isn't....

 

[Texan40]

People are always on the lookout for signs and wonders I suppose... Though I do not suspect that a "Jesus pancake" or any other such thing is either.

 

[pilgrimgal]

I think the reason why many people (which includes some Christians) have some pretty pre-conceived images in mind about the appearance of Jesus is because artists over the years in their various paintings, etc. have influenced perceptions of how Jesus looked. And many of the paintings of Jesus have been determined by the culture of the one painting the pictures. So Christ would appear looking like someone from the culture represented or in a stylized and symbolic form. (Such as in icons of the Eastern Orthodox culture) We, obviously, have no current photographs of the Lord..so a lot is always left to imagination.

Having said that I think we can conclude that Jesus looked quite ordinary to people of his times. He likely dressed as and looked much like other 30 something Jewish young men of that time. And, according to something I read some time back, (can't remember where) if He dressed as a typical Jewish temple going man..no doubt He wore a turbon. And the beard..I sure think so since most Jewish men wore beards.

I think it was not Christ's appearance which drew others to Him as it was what He said and the authority with which He said it. He spoke with the authority of God..which went beyond what the chief priests and pharisees (learned men of that day) had. And that, as we know, intimidated and threatened them.

And, as I said, I also think people were drawn by what He said..and convinced by what He did and how He lived that this truly was the Son of God..even as the centurion said after he witnessed the terrible death Jesus suffered on the cross.

However when the Lord was transfigured and the apostles saw the glory of God shine through His Son on the Mount of Transfiguration they were no doubt awestuck by that and even wanted to stay up on the mountain. But they didn't stay..they came back down the mountain to the valley below.

I am remembering an old saying.. that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." And we do behold the beauty of the Son of God as through a mirror darkly but someday really face to face.

It goes beyond description.

 

[Tomatoman]

It's notable that none of the gospels ever mention Jesus' appearance. This would imply none of the authors saw him or were transcribing from an eyewitness. We have no idea what he looked like, and as the established image of him didn't crystallise until at least 500 years after he died we can conclude that our accepted image of him is guesswork.

 

[88Devin07]

I'm so confused as to what this thread is about, what is the attached image in the OP?

 

[laconicstudent]

I'm so confused as to what this thread is about, what is the attached image in the OP?

Its an ancient Egyptian mosaic from a tomb. He is asking why the attached image has become associated with Jesus. Since it hasn't, I am equally confused as to this thread's purpose.

 

[DoctorJosh]

With so many incidents of Jesus sightings, do we really believe in the image of Jesus as being Jesus?

Why is this image so institutionalized in denominational Christianity? Food for thought.

What is crazy is people think they know what Jesus looks like. In fact, as it is stated in the Bible Jesus was a very handsome man. They had combs back them too, but most pictures show Jesus with scruffy hair. Come on, this is like degrading Jesus with these photos and depictions of Jesus when Jesus took care of Himself and was a handsome man. I find it insulting seeing pictures of Jesus that make Him out to look like a scuffy bum you might find in an alley somewhere. I wish people would show some respect to the Lord Jesus and just not make any pictures of Him for they have no clue what He looked like. Especially when people claim they saw His face in some butter on some bread. It is like on the verge of Blasphemy. God Bless.

 

[laconicstudent]

What is crazy is people think they know what Jesus looks like. In fact, as it is stated in the Bible Jesus was a very handsome man. They had combs back them too, but most pictures show Jesus with scruffy hair. Come on, this is like degrading Jesus with these photos and depictions of Jesus when Jesus took care of Himself and was a handsome man. I find it insulting seeing pictures of Jesus that make Him out to look like a scuffy bum you might find in an alley somewhere. I wish people would show some respect to the Lord Jesus and just not make any pictures of Him for they have no clue what He looked like. Especially when people claim they saw His face in some butter on some bread. It is like on the verge of Blasphemy. God Bless.

Tradition tells that during the Lord's earthly lifetime, his fame spread to Edessa, beyond the Euphrates River. While Jesus Christ was healing many among the multitudes in Israel, Prince Avgar of Edessa on the Euphrates was suffering with leprosy all over his body. He heard of the miracles Christ was working in Palestine.
Prince Avgar sent the court artist Ananius to Jerusalem, asking that Christ come and heal him of his leprosy. He instructed him that if the Master would not come that he was to paint His likeness for he believed that that would be enough to heal him.
The Lord's Passion was at hand, and he was unable to go to Prince Avgar Himself. Ananius tried his best to paint a portrait of Jesus, but was unable to capture his likeness. So Jesus took a napkin, and wiped his face with it, impressing his divine countenance on it, leaving a perfect image of His most pure face on it. He gave it to Ananias, sending it with a message back to Prince Avgar in Edessa. The message was that this napkin would heal him mostly, but that Jesus would send one of his disciples later to complete the healing. Avgar kissed the napkin and his leprosy left him, except for a small spot on his face.
Later, Apostle Thaddaeus came and preached the gospel to him. The prince was completely healed, and was baptized. The prince then smashed the idols at the city gates and placed the Holy Napkin above them, fastened to wood, with a gold frame and ornamented with pearls. He had inscribed above it: "O Christ our God, no-one who hopes in Thee will be put to shame."
Many miracles have been worked by this icon. In 944, during the reign of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos, the image was moved to Constantinople, and a feast was established in its honor on 16 August. It remained there until the Turks destroyed it in the 15th century. Some say it was lost at sea during one of Byzantium's battles with the Huns.
​

 

[88Devin07]

How do we know what Jesus looked like? How do we know what the Apostles looked like?

Jews at the time of Christ included many paintings in their synagogues, these were of the Prophets, OT stories, etc... This tradition carried over into Early Christian homes and Churches. However, the new Christian paintings were of Christ and the Apostles. This eventually evolved into iconography.

So knowing that, how do we know what Christ looked like?

http://tars.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/sinsav.jpg
-This image of Christ is in St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai, it dates from the 6th Century.

http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/lib/00110_good_shepherd.jpg
-This icon of Christ is in Catacombs of Rome, dating to the 3rd Century. It must be noted that this was a frequent image in early churches, and from what I know, this was a way of hiding the true purpose of the church from the authorities, as this was based off an earlier pagan myth, and took on new meaning. (so it probably wasn't intended to look like Christ)

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/...mbs/callixtus/resized/good-shepherd-pa-pd.jpg
-Same as above

http://www.religionfacts.com/jesus/...ral-commodilla-catacombs-late-4thcent-500.jpg
-This is from the 4th Century

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Mosaic.jpg/478px-Christus_Ravenna_Mosaic.jpg
-6th Century

http://www.religionfacts.com/jesus/images/mandylion-of-edessa-vatican-papal-chapel-med.jpg
-This is the image that Christ imprinted himself as mentioned in the article above

Pictures of Jesus: Jesus Image Gallery - ReligionFacts


We know what Jesus looked liked simply because of the tradition of iconography.

 

[precepts]

Devino's

Jews at the time of Christ included many paintings in their synagogues, these were of the Prophets, OT stories, etc... This tradition carried over into Early Christian homes and Churches. However, the new Christian paintings were of Christ and the Apostles. This eventually evolved into iconography.

If that's so, I wonder why there aren't any artifact paintings or sculptures of the prophets and kings of Judah?

 

[buzuxi02]

Devino's
If that's so, I wonder why there aren't any artifact paintings or sculptures of the prophets and kings of Judah?

There are, google:

'dura-europos synagogue' of syria.

 

[precepts]

I was talking about bc artifacts. Israel never made images of themselves! Besides that, the image called Jesus is really Apollo, Mithras, etc. The image representing the father is Zeus. The gigantic image of Zeus in his temple is the exact copy of the image of in the Vatican church of St. Peter supposing to be God. Go figure!

 

[laconicstudent]

I was talking about bc artifacts. Israel never made images of themselves!

Well, the oldest synagogue in the world has these:

So I'm guessing that my claim that they did beats your's that they didn't. Empirical evidence and all that. I can't even imagine why you are making up these arbitrary limits with location and time.

Besides that, the image called Jesus is really Apollo, Mithras, etc. The image representing the father is Zeus. The gigantic image of Zeus in his temple is the exact copy of the image of in the Vatican church of St. Peter supposing to be God. Go figure!

Good for you. You found an Egyptian piece of art that happens to have artistic similarities to other things. I don't care. There is no logical basis for the connections you are trying to make other than your desire for them to be there.

 

[buzuxi02]

Most synagogues have been destroyed, the various roman seiges left nothing of jewish history in their land. A synagogue recently unearthed in galilee dating from the time of Christ did have murals in it. The dura europos synagofue is the oldest preserved synagogue in existence.

 

[precepts]

precepts'

I was talking about bc artifacts. Israel never made images of themselves!
​

lacon's
Well, the oldest synagogue in the world has these:

precepts'
The dates on those paintings is a.d., not b.c.. There are no sculptures, paintings, or artifacts in Israel's bc history.

 

[buzuxi02]

precepts'
The dates on those paintings is a.d., not b.c.. There are no sculptures, paintings, or artifacts in Israel's bc history.

Are you kidding me???? If you dont want to read the OT and the various furnishings of the temple then subscribe to Biblical Archeology Review and see some of the artifacts in color. The reason we dont have much of anything is everything in Jerusalem was utterly annhilated by the romans.
Oh and dolls were actually popular for young jewish girls in the years before Christ.
With your reasoning synagogues didnt exist before 200a.d. because thats from when the oldest well preserved synagogue has ever been discovered.

 

[laconicstudent]

precepts'
The dates on those paintings is a.d., not b.c..

Seriously, no one cares. This is a terrible argument for you, since Jewish culture did not magically undergo a shift when Christ was born.

There are no sculptures, paintings, or artifacts in Israel's bc history.

You cannot say that, since the empirical evidence suggests that they did. If you can find an older synagogue that promotes your belief in Jewish iconoclasm, be my guest.

 

[precepts]

Talk is cheap, I have yet to see any evidence of a Jewish sculpture or painting dating back to bc.

 

[precepts]

And they're claiming that I have ulterior motives, denying the fact that the image called Jesus is an idol/sin!