What Color Was Jesus?

thoughts by Charles P. Schmitt, founding pastor

It is only natural for people of different colors to believe that Jesus looked like them. Our love for Jesus would naturally want Him to be as much like us as possible. Africans picture him with dark skin and black hair; Europeans have pictured Him as blond and blue eyed. A sister in our midst recently made a statement about Jesus being awoman. In her love for Him, I think, she wanted Jesus to be just like her. But who exactly was Jesus?

Jesus, first of all, was a man, a bonafide 100% man. He loved to refer to Himself as “the son of man.” He was proud of His gender (“son”) and proud of His earthiness (“man”). The son of man, Jesus, was also Semitic. He was neither African nor European—but halfway between them. He was not as dark as Africans, nor was He as light as Europeans. And so in Him both races find their identity!

However, in His resurrection and ascension and exaltation to the highest pinnacle of the universe, Jesus has taken on a new dimension. “The God of our fathers has glorified His servant Jesus” (Acts 3:13). And in that glorification, Jesus now “fills the whole universe” with Himself (Ephesians 4:10).

In several of his writings Paul expands on this issue of the “glorified” Jesus. He tells the Galatians that “all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ,” and that IN HIM, in the glorified Jesus, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28). Paul likewise writes to the Colossians that in this “new self” that is ours in Christ Jesus, “there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, BUT CHRIST IS ALL AND IS IN ALL.” The Amplified translates this—“Christ is … everything and everywhere, to all men, without distinction of person.” The Message states, “from now on everyone is defined by Christ; everyone is included in Christ” (Colossians 3:11). The life of Christ within us lifts us above all human definitions and descriptions and discriminations and differences. Because of Jesus everything external about us ceases to define us. The only thing that defines us is His life within us. And so a man or a woman is not judged by their gender or by the color of their skin, but by the character of Christ’s life within them!

And this understanding gives us a grand definition of what it means to be a multicultural, multiracial church! Peter celebrates this church in these words, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, God’s own purchased special people …” (1 Peter 2-9, Amplified). We together are that one new race! Paul calls this God’s “eternal purpose” and welcomes us into that glorious purpose!

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