Glenda Thors writes...
Who is this Jesus?
At a teachers’ conference for the Catholic schools I attended a lecture from a St. Johns’ University professor regarding Art and the person of Jesus. During the lecture he showed pictures of Jesus as imagined by artists from different eras of art. It was interesting to note that most of our “pictures of Jesus” were painted by the Italian artists and were therefore painted as if Jesus were an Italian noblemen in ancient garments. There is the painting of Jesus soulfully gazing toward heaven, his fine features and light brown, curling hair giving him an “angelic” appearance. Then, there is the picture of him knocking at the door of one’s heart—looks like the same artist to me. There are the tragic portrayals of Christ on crucifixes. And in the 20th century, more modern images of him show him with darker skin and hair and hair that is more mussed and less elegant.
Some scientists, according to this lecturer, “figured out” what Jesus looked like—the image portrayed was far from the elegant Italian figure. It was closer to the caveman image and definitely would be unacceptable to many church people, even though it is possibly a closer image to what he really looked like. Our friends of color sometimes portray Jesus with very dark skin and the curls of the African. Being that Jesus’ place of origin was where it was, they could be right.
It was an interesting lecture.
In my own spiritual journey, I am more interested in what Jesus was than what He looked like. What charisma did He have that was so compelling that fishermen, without thought of how their families would be sustained, dropped their nets and traveled with him? How could those whose lives were lived on the desolate side of life, the group that readily mocks righteousness and goodness, be so trusting of Him and enjoy His company? Children flocked to be with Him, understanding that He cared deeply for them. Women, ordinarily snubbed and ignored by the men of His time, listened at His feet and sought His power to change their lives.
It would have been interesting to have known the Jesus that came before the last three years of His life—to see Him laughing with family and friends; to see Him carefully crafting a piece of furniture or part of a structure; to watch Him in meditation and prayer with such peace surrounding Him; to see Him playing sports or cuddling the newest baby in the family. I like to think of that Jesus. Sometimes the Jesus in the New Testament is so intense, as He had to be to get out His message and suffer the death He suffered.
My favorite pictures of Jesus were by a young artist who did pencil drawings of Jesus with babies, children, and teens, smiling and laughing with them and listening to them. Would that we could see the loving, gentle, sparkling Jesus as He was with children—perhaps it would be easier to understand the great love He has for us.
At a teachers’ conference for the Catholic schools I attended a lecture from a St. Johns’ University professor regarding Art and the person of Jesus. During the lecture he showed pictures of Jesus as imagined by artists from different eras of art. It was interesting to note that most of our “pictures of Jesus” were painted by the Italian artists and were therefore painted as if Jesus were an Italian noblemen in ancient garments. There is the painting of Jesus soulfully gazing toward heaven, his fine features and light brown, curling hair giving him an “angelic” appearance. Then, there is the picture of him knocking at the door of one’s heart—looks like the same artist to me. There are the tragic portrayals of Christ on crucifixes. And in the 20th century, more modern images of him show him with darker skin and hair and hair that is more mussed and less elegant.
Some scientists, according to this lecturer, “figured out” what Jesus looked like—the image portrayed was far from the elegant Italian figure. It was closer to the caveman image and definitely would be unacceptable to many church people, even though it is possibly a closer image to what he really looked like. Our friends of color sometimes portray Jesus with very dark skin and the curls of the African. Being that Jesus’ place of origin was where it was, they could be right.
It was an interesting lecture.
In my own spiritual journey, I am more interested in what Jesus was than what He looked like. What charisma did He have that was so compelling that fishermen, without thought of how their families would be sustained, dropped their nets and traveled with him? How could those whose lives were lived on the desolate side of life, the group that readily mocks righteousness and goodness, be so trusting of Him and enjoy His company? Children flocked to be with Him, understanding that He cared deeply for them. Women, ordinarily snubbed and ignored by the men of His time, listened at His feet and sought His power to change their lives.
It would have been interesting to have known the Jesus that came before the last three years of His life—to see Him laughing with family and friends; to see Him carefully crafting a piece of furniture or part of a structure; to watch Him in meditation and prayer with such peace surrounding Him; to see Him playing sports or cuddling the newest baby in the family. I like to think of that Jesus. Sometimes the Jesus in the New Testament is so intense, as He had to be to get out His message and suffer the death He suffered.
My favorite pictures of Jesus were by a young artist who did pencil drawings of Jesus with babies, children, and teens, smiling and laughing with them and listening to them. Would that we could see the loving, gentle, sparkling Jesus as He was with children—perhaps it would be easier to understand the great love He has for us.
posted by Melanie at 2:57 PM
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