What did Jesus look like?

Response

The Bible does not provide a physical description of Jesus during His time on earth. The closest reference we have is in Isaiah 53:2b, which states, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” This indicates that Jesus looked like an ordinary man, with no remarkable features. Isaiah prophesied that the suffering Servant would come in humble circumstances, devoid of royal symbols, revealing His true identity only to those with discerning faith.

Isaiah also portrays Christ’s appearance as He endured scourging before His crucifixion. “His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” «As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: », (Isaiah 52:14). These words depict the extreme cruelty He endured, to the extent that He was unrecognizable as a human being (Matthew 26:67; Matthew 27:30; John 19:3). His appearance was so shocking that it left people amazed.

Many of the common depictions of Jesus today are likely inaccurate. Jesus, being Jewish, probably had dark skin, eyes, and hair, unlike the prevalent portrayal of a European/Caucasian Jesus. It is evident that if knowing His physical appearance was crucial, individuals like Matthew, Peter, John, and even His brothers James and Jude, who spent years with Him, could have provided an accurate description. However, the New Testament writers chose not to delve into such details.