“To
whom has the LORD
revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the LORD’s
presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was
nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract
us to him”. Isaiah
53:1-2 (NLT)
Do
you prefer your Jesus to look European, with highlighted hair, blue
eyes, about 6’2”, strong, purposeful, kind of like Mel Gibson (yes I
know he’s not blonde) or the latest handsome Jesus in the movies?
To be honest I’ve always liked that kind of Jesus myself!
A “Western” Jesus, one who would have led the American
Revolution and free the captives from the tyranny of Rome (I mean
England, same thing).
I
recently read this about the first picture above.
“About
a decade back, on the basis of archaeology, art, forensic anthropology,
and some anatomy and biology, here’s what the experts think.
Average
height of a Jewish male in the 1st Century? 5 feet one inch. Average
weight? 110 pounds.
Analysis
of excavated skulls of 1st-century Jews and images from ancient Syrian
frescos reveals that the traditional image – from that depicted on the
Turin Shroud to Willem Dafoe’s blond-haired portrayal in the Last
Temptation of Christ – is a fictitious construct based on centuries of
erroneous impressions.
By
combining computer images of ancient skulls with 6th century images of
Christ, the series producers believe they have come up with a far closer
likeness.
It’s
not the face of Jesus, but how he is likely to have looked given the
scientific information we’ve got,” said Lorraine Heggessey,
controller of BBC1. “That’s what people from that area of the world
looked like at that time.”
Now,
combine that information with Isaiah 53:1-2.
What if Jesus, based on what 21st century American
call attractive, was very unattractive to look at?
Can
you identify with and follow that Jesus? The
one who didn’t look too hot, and who “caved” when push came to
shove and let the corrupt civil and religious leaders both execute him
without even a fight?
But
there’s more to the story isn’t there?
Take
just a few more incredibly worthwhile minute of your time to read the
read and meditate on the rest of story found in Isaiah 53.
Do you find him to be weak or strong, delusional or sane,
commanding your attention or losing your respect? What does it mean to
you that you are (or perhaps aren’t) a follower of this man?
I
find it pretty amazing that Isaiah wrote this description of Jesus 700
years before he was born.
“He
was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet
it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
7 He
was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.[b]
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.[c]
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.[b]
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.[c]
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But
it was the Lord’s
good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.” Isaiah 53:3-12
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.” Isaiah 53:3-12
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