What Did Jesus Look Like? — post by Michael J. Findley

Caravaggio The Arrest of Christ National Gallery of Ireland “The Judas Kiss” Source/Photographer Web Gallery of Art Wikimedia Commons

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would have “no form and he had no majesty that we should look at him, and there is no attractiveness that we should desire him.” (53:2 ISV)
While this might refer to Jesus after He was beaten by the Romans, the words indicate that Jesus was an ordinary Jew. On the night of His arrest, Judas had to identify Him to the soldiers making the arrest.

The Law required a Jewish male to wear a beard. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah “gave my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.” (50:6 ISV)

Other than these words, the Bible gives no hint as to what Jesus looked like. Jesus walked everywhere, spending considerable time outdoors. He would be fit, if not muscular. He would also be tanned, almost certainly a dark brown.

Through the preservation of many skeletons from the time, we know that the average height for a Jewish male was about 5’ 1.” There are many coins, bas reliefs, and of course the images the Romans made of the sacking of the temple. Since the Jews wore helmets, their hair was short, though longer than a Roman’s. When the early pictures are in color, a Jew’s hair is always very dark and either wavy or curled.

Forensic anthropologists have examined several first century male Jewish skulls and have made a composite image which is likely similar to Jesus. https://3dprint.com/111718/3d-modeling-image-of-jesus/