Hermenuetics

Comments

Of course we really do not know what Jesus looked like. Many of us here in a America are all to familiar with the image created by Warner Sallman http://www.warnersallman.com/collection/images/head-of-christ/ Many have given him an Hispanic or Afro-American appearance in order to better visualize him with reference to their given ethnic group. But in terms of accuracy all attempts fail. What concerns me most is when we mold the entire picture of Jesus into how we want him to be (images aside)The Republican Jesus, The Liberal Jesus, Jesus the Pop-Psychologist, Jesus the New Age Mystic ect. That's what I like about Jesus. He alludes all attempts to pigeonhole him.

Posted By: Basil | December 15, 2009 12:11 PM

This is just silly.

Posted By: muse | December 15, 2009 1:13 PM

I read an article not too long ago (I can't remember where) that suggested that Jesus' moldibility (both physical and theological) is one of the real strengths of Christianity. This does not require bad theology rather the ability of Christianity to speak directly to the needs and culture of particular people. Clearly Jesus did not die for a particular group of people. So people identifying Jesus with their own racial group is just helping people identify Jesus as a saving their own people group. Yes there was a physical Jesus that had a particular face. But we don't know particularly what that was.

The sin, I believe, is when we as Christians do not allow other Christians to identify Jesus in a way that speaks to them.

Posted By: Adam S | December 15, 2009 2:00 PM

This is why many Christians have opposed pictures of Jesus Christ. The second cammandment of the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20) and Romans 1 both suggest that attempting to visually depict God is foolish.

Posted By: Daniel | December 15, 2009 3:36 PM

In response to Basil's last sentence, there's a book coming out about that exact topic called "Imaginary Jesus" by Matt Mikalatos in April. http://imaginaryjesus.com/

Posted By: Pristy | December 15, 2009 4:22 PM

The incredibly expensive line of porcelain figures from Lladro, of Spain, includes a beautiful nativity set where all the people have the faces of Down Syndrome. Supposedly, the artist who designed them had a son with Down Syndrome and thought that the boy was God's most beautiful creation. In other words, Jesus speaks to people whoever and wherever they are, and if we as Christians are supposed to see Christ in each other, then why not?

Posted By: Maryann | December 15, 2009 5:33 PM

Even the most historically accurate depictions of Jesus and his fam won't be totally accurate 'cause we don't know what they looked like.

The point of setting up nativity scenes, or illustrating books, is to remind us to worship and to help others understand the story. I say dress Mary in whatever outfit best supports that aim.

Posted By: Lex | December 16, 2009 12:25 PM

Pristy I will be sure to keep my eye out for that book once it is on print. I enjoy reading books trailing the Evangelical subculture in America.

Lex. Good point but we should be careful as this newstory illustrates. http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-risque-nativity,0,702770.story

Posted By: Basil | December 16, 2009 2:57 PM

Oh my word, that story is ridiculous! I wish I could say I'm surprised by it. It's always possible to go too far, of course, but then, I don't think who ever set up that display was doing it for the purpose of encouraging worship or telling a story either.

Posted By: Lex | December 17, 2009 10:29 AM

As long as Mary isn't in a bikini, and Joseph isn't in rapper wear with a ton of bling-bling, it doesn't bother me.

I guess my point is that being depicted with respect is the most important thing.

Posted By: Sara | December 17, 2009 3:08 PM

When I see Jesus through the eyes of someone from a different culture or era, my understanding of Jesus is challenged and often enriched. Locking onto one image or type of image is likely to leave us with a Jesus of our own creation, with our own assumptions and blind spots intact. As long as we recognize that our imaginary depictions are just that, and learn to evaluate images in spirit and in truth, varying perspectives are a gift to the whole body, not just to the people who have tried to see him as real and incarnate in their own culture and time.

Posted By: Barb | December 18, 2009 8:58 PM

I just wrote about how we depict Jesus a couple weeks ago on my blog http://blackwasp19.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/the-hope-of-a-hebraic-jewish-jesus/.

It is important that we realize how cultural depictions of Jesus can enhance our understanding of Jesus, especially when they are depictions Jesus as the Christ. But I believe these depictions of Jesus should be taken as art and discussed as art, not realistic images. It is important to acknowledge that Jesus was a multi-racial, hebraic, jew - who lived in the Middle East. Jesus' ethnicity shaped his experience and it is important not to lose that. I believe Christians are supposed to connect with the Jesus' background - part of the reason we put validity in the Old Testament. Again, this doesn't limit artistic depictions.

It seems that often when Jesus is depicted with a certain ethnicity there is a power play or attempt to fortify one's culture as normal. Those actions have positive responses, but overall I fear it breeds ethnocentrism.

Posted By: blackwasp19 | December 21, 2009 2:10 PM

It is not the sari, but the bindi that bothers me. While the mark can be for decoration or to show marriage, its source is the Hindu third eye or inner eye. It is not technically affiliated with the caste system. However, its Hindu roots should have precluded it from the illustration; anything that encourages continuation of anti-Biblical traditions among Christians should be avoided. T. E. Koshy writes, “The caste system has been one of the curses of India. Caste divides but Christ unites. True Biblical Christianity is all-inclusive. Yet even among Christians, particularly in denominations established by foreign missionaries, the caste system is maintained even today...There are Christian churches in India that will not admit to their fellowship, members of certain castes, and others that separate various castes at the communion rail. How, one wonders, can such churches set forth with its full power St. Paul’s assurance that Christ’s death on the cross has broken down all dividing walls? (Eph. 2:14)” (Brother Bakht Singh of India, An Account of 20th Century Apostolic Revival, OM Books, 2003)

Posted By: K. S. | December 29, 2009 1:21 PM

I find it's more beneficial for me to think of Jesus as he is depicted in Revelation, with "eyes were as a flame of fire" and "out of his mouth went a twoedged sword". It's easier to fear the Lord when you think of him that way as opposed to baby Jesus.

Posted By: Matt | December 29, 2009 9:43 PM

The Bible is pretty clear on what Jesus, and His family, looked like.

Posted By: Sonseeker | January 4, 2010 8:27 AM

Check out around 15 critiques and reports on the New Community Bible at www.ephesians-511.net

Posted By: Michael Prabhu | January 14, 2010 2:00 AM

Pristy I will be sure to keep my eye out for that book once it is on print. I enjoy reading books trailing the Evangelical subculture in America.

Posted By: ben ten | August 14, 2010 5:57 PM

The Bible is pretty clear on what Jesus, and His family, looked like.

Posted By: erotik | December 6, 2010 5:08 AM

The new version of the Bible was introduced, it sold around 15,000 hard copies and made a record over selling large number of copies. In the newer versions of the bible they depicted the mari in sari and with bindi as images. Also they depicted the joseph wearing a turban. As the dena bank gave the large amount for the production of Bible. The pictures depicting jesus and mare made big problem.

Posted By: donaldholton | December 15, 2010 7:34 PM

I guess know what can know what Jesus really looked like. Even if you look at pictures of Jesus you can see a lot of different facial styles etc.

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