TextSearch

To some, ‘was Jesus white?’ is a stupid question, right up there with ‘do birds fly?’ and ‘is grass green?’ But to others it is vitally important.

Was Jesus white? | Issues | NexGen Premier NexGen uses cookies Read our cookie policy. OK Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Site name Site name Mast navigationRegisterSign In Search our site Search our site Search Menu Close menu Home About Parenting Reviews Stories Growing faith Topics NexGenPro Back to parent navigation item NexGenPro About NexGen Pro Subscribe to NexGenPro Resources Leadership Safeguarding Practical help Faith Hot topics Our writers Resources Calendar Donate More from navigation itemsHomeAboutParenting7 ways to bring ‘God-like’ order to your home8 ways to teach your children to pray (and leave them skills that will last a lifetime)How to actually compare your child with other Christian childrenHow I survived as a Christian at universityReviewsMy favourite picture books and how I use them to talk about faithDumb Money: probably a dumb choice of film for most Christian teensThe Creator - who’s the real villain, AI or human ambition?How is love for your family like a ‘superpower’? Watch Blue Beetle and find outStoriesBob Hartman imagines the queue to chat with JesusHoly Trinity Brompton’s new vicar, Archie Coates is grateful for the start his parents gave himGemma Hunt on God leading her to TV‘I teach young people to manage money because I was in debt’Growing faithHow little known feasts in the book of Leviticus can bless your family this autumn10 Bible verses every Christian parent should knowAs less than half believe Jesus died, this teens’ survey suggests the church has a real task to both educate and evangelise6 tips for you to be the best possible Christian parentTopicsHow can Christian parents help their children navigate their sexual desire wisely?My child has a friend who is ‘non-binary’. What should I do as a Christian?The Holy Spirit and nicotine don’t go together. An ex-smoker on increasing the legal age of cigarette purchaseGod is with us in every season and that includes as your children grow upNexGenProAbout NexGen ProSubscribe to NexGenProResourcesLeadershipSafeguardingPractical helpFaithHot topicsOur writersResources CalendarWhen a volunteer isn’t cutting ItWhy the children’s work in your church is the one Jesus has his eye onWhy self-promotion is not compatible with promoting JesusDonate Was Jesus white? By Sarah Lumgair2 min read Save article Please Sign in to your account to use this feature To some, ‘was Jesus white?’ is a stupid question, right up there with ‘do birds fly?’ and ‘is grass green?’ But to others it is vitally important. Why is Jesus always white? Well, in the West, yes. I’m Pakistani and I still see him as white. But what would he have looked like? To some, ‘was Jesus white?’ is a stupid question, right up there with ‘do birds fly?’ and ‘is grass green?’ But to others it is vitally important. In fact, no other point in history has seen more books published on what Jesus looked like. Was he white? Was he black? Who was he? Who is he? On one level, we should not be surprised that Jesus’ question “Who do people say that I am?” (Mark 8:27) has taken such a superficial turn. The colour of a person’s skin is just that: superficial. However, we are living in superficial times, with a person’s value often defined by their Face - book profile and Twitter comments. That said, there are deeper issues at stake, like racial discrimination. The slavery of Africans on the basis of skin colour, and the struggle for black people to gain equal rights has prompted some to ask: who does Jesus represent? Does a white Jesus only represent white people? Does Jesus under - stand suffering? Is Jesus for me? Colour has become more than mere colour. The debate is also about identity. This is relatively new. Historian Bernard Lewis noticed that immediately after the death of Muhammad, descriptions of people in Islamic writings became narrowed to mainly ‘black’, ‘red’ and ‘white’. esus is largely described as white and red. Muhammad is described as a “white man” and there is a warning that: “Anyone who says that the Prophet was black should be killed.” This is so different from biblical descrip - tions, which generally relate to a person’s nation and tribe. We know Jesus was a Jewish man, born and raised in the Middle East. His colour, however is not mentioned at all! Isaiah, a man whose God-inspired writ - ings pointed to Jesus, stated: “He had no dignity or beauty to make us take notice of him. There was nothing attractive about him…” (Isaiah 53:2). What Jesus looked like was never important in the Bible. Isaiah goes on to say: “He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil men. He took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven” (Isaiah 53:12). The focus in the Bible is always on who Jesus is and what he came to do. The God of the universe, who keeps the world spinning and our hearts beating, is the source of everything we need and can satisfy our deep desires for belonging and purpose; for feeling right on the inside. Only with God can we know true love regardless of appearance, yet our disrespect, both for God and each other, is a barrier. Jesus is the link between us and God. He saves us by taking the punishment for our disrespect and making us acceptable to God. Jesus is crucial to everyone because he can represent everyone. It’s no wonder that this good news has attracted and inspired millions of people around the world; not just those of one particular colour. We can see this clearly in early Christian art. In Ethiopian depictions Jesus resem - bles an Ethiopian. In Syriac art he looks like a Syrian. In Indian art Jesus seems to be Indian. In Chinese paintings he looks Chinese. And in European art Jesus resem - bles the majority of the population: white European. It follows that if you grow up in a place where European culture plays a significant role you are likely to see pictures of a white Jesus. But my Ethiopian friend grew up thinking Jesus was black! I don’t think God really minds either way. What God cares deeply about is that we understand something of his profound love for us and our intrinsic need for him. That’s the heart of the Christian message and it applies to all of us, whatever our colour.Sarah LumgairSarah Lumgair is a volunteer youth worker, researcher, teacher and apologetics speaker. From her engagements at Speakers Corner and Christian/Muslim dialogues, she has developed a passion to equip Christians to confidently engage with Islam.View full Profile TopicsAwkward QuestionsblackJesuswhite Save article Please Sign in to your account to use this feature Related articles Article Why didn’t God answer my prayer? 5 December 2023 05:35 By Robin Barfield Do you have some prayer quandries you want to ask God about? Article Why is there so much pain in the world? Why doesn’t God stop it? 7 November 2023 02:53 By Kate Orson What’s the toughest question on suffering you have had to answer?  Article Jesus says we can live forever. But how do we explain this to a child? 1 November 2023 02:05 By Andy Peck Does the idea of eternity thrill you? Load more articles Most popularWhat does the Bible say about dinosaurs?Elemental may look like a sweet film, but has ‘elements’ that make this is a ‘no’ for Christian kids3 reasons to read The Chronicles of Narnia with your childrenNegative Stereotypes of Young PeopleWill my Muslim friend go to hell?Top five children’s worship songs you need to knowMaintaining sexual intimacy after having childrenBluey may be popular but my child’s behaviour has gone downhill. As a Christian parent what should I do?‘Naked in front of the class!’: That was me, and here’s why the C4 series ‘Naked Education’ is not welcomeWhy did God put the snake in the garden?LatestHelping your children understand the Bible’s big storyFamous online? Helping your child navigate the allure of social mediaWhen ‘why don’t you listen?’ actually applies to parentsTake care of your kids! how to develop safeguarding in your churchBeing a steward of resources for Children’s and Youth MinistryGet yourselves a silent disco headsets – the multi-faceted ministry toolMore tools to help the Bible ‘stick’ in your life and those you serveHikaru: Name above all names - helping non-churched grasp the good newsYouth for Christ says Gen Z are more likely to evangelise as rates rise of young people turning to JesusMaking sure the winter season has bright days Advertise with UsDonateJobs at PremierAbout UsPrivacy Policy Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Subscribe on our Instagram Subscribe to Premier NexGenPro Topics A-ZWriters A-Z© 2024 NexGen > Premier consists of Premier Christian Media Trust registered as a charity (no. 287610) and as a company limited by guarantee (no. 01743091) with two fully-owned trading subsidiaries: Premier Christian Communications Ltd (no. 02816074) and Christian Communication Partnership Ltd (no. 03422292). All three companies are registered in England & Wales with a registered office address of Unit 6 April Court, Sybron Way, Crowborough, TN6 3DZ. Site powered by Webvision Cloud -->