Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!lll-winken!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: johnw@stew.ssl.berkeley.edu (John Warren) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Jesus' physical appearance Message-ID: Date: 23 Jun 91 04:13:25 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Space Science Labs Lines: 39 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article mejicovs@eniac.seas.upenn.edu writes: >In article schiller@src.sony.co.jp (Christoph SCHILLER) writes: >>[ >>I recenly found a book in which it was stated that there is an >>old tradition that Jesus was born with a bad leg, had >>curved shoulders and was in general of ugly appearance. >> >>Does anybody have any information on this tradition ? >>More details, more references, etc? >> >>What are the theological arguments for and against it? > >It's actually necessary if he is at all to be considered the Jewish >Messiah (which I don't believe). >[part of Isaiah 53 follows:] > >not so fair in appearance... >acquainted with pains and diseases... >despised of men... Why is it necessary for him to have been ugly all his life? Didn't the passover lamb have to be spotless? If I had just been punched in the face several times by Roman soldiers, given 40 lashes with a cat-of-nine-tails (or whatever they called that kind of whip with metallic shards on the ends), and had a crown of very sharp thorns on my head, I would also not be so fair in appearance, acquainted with pains, at least. And by the time Jesus went through this treatment he had become very despised. Luke (around chap. 3 or 4) says that Jesus grew mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. I can't see that God, who is perfect, would become anything less than the perfect specimen of humanity when he 'pitched his tent in human flesh' (Jn chap. 1). Doesn't mean that he couldn't get hurt, starve, asphyxiate on a cross, though. - John Warren _________________ Not that any of this is of more than tertiary importance to my faith. . .