The Outward Appearance of Jesus
by Doy Moyer
Jesus “had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). Elsewhere, we have discussed the true beauty of Jesus, but here we are going to consider another facet of what the appearance of Jesus implies for our standing with God. If it is not the physical appearance that draws us to Christ, then what does this tell us about the emphasis we might place on physical appearances in our own time?
While the body given by God is not to be abused, physical beauty does not draw people to Christ. As a corollary thought, our physical beauty or appearance does not draw God to us. The Lord promises to draw near to those who draw near to Him (James 4:8). In this case, the drawing near is connected to cleansing and purification, not of the physical body, but of the heart (cf. Hebrews 10:22). This coincides with Peter’s point that baptism is not about the removal of dirt from the body, but an appeal to God for good conscience through Christ’s resurrection (I Peter 3:21). Scripture continually stresses the need to purify the heart, regardless of the outward circumstances.
Recall also what God said to Samuel when he went to the house of Jesse to anoint the next king. Samuel saw the sons of Jesse, thinking perhaps that Eliab was the one to be anointed, until God said, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). David would be God’s choice.
We can also connect the description of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. She creates beauty in her home, but she knows that “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). The apostle Peter provides a similar perspective. The woman trying to win her husband to the Lord is told, “Do not let your adorning be external — the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear — but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (I Peter 3:3-4). The inward beauty, not the outward adornment, draws God's attention. None of this says we should try to look sloppy or not take care of our bodies. After all, our bodies belong to God (I Corinthians 6:19). We are saying that inner beauty is what God really wants.
Jesus came into the world, perhaps looking ordinary, but with a divine mission to spread His message to all nations. This was God’s plan from the beginning, expressed in the promise made to Abram that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Israel was to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6), Jesus came as the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5), and that same mission is given to His disciples (Matthew 5:14-16; 28:18-20). The result is that people from “every tribe and language and people and nation” are redeemed, ransomed by His blood (Revelation 5:9-10). The city of God is illuminated by the light of God so that the nations walk by that light and bring their glory and honor into it (Revelation 21:22-27). This encompasses all varieties of outer appearances.
The physical appearance of Jesus, regardless of how He is often depicted, can remind us that salvation does not depend on outward appearance or strength. God is not pointing to one group because of looks and choosing them over others. Humans make unnecessary outward distinctions, and this is to our detriment. Human pride and sin divide, segregate, and seek to elevate one ethnicity over another. Christians, of all people, ought to know better because our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). God shows no partiality, “but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:35). The color of skin or the language spoken are not God’s deciding factors in salvation. Our geographical location or nationality is not what draws God to us or us to Him; barriers need to come down for God’s people (cf. Ephesians 2:11-22; Acts 17:26). We must not favor some because of looks, impressive clothing, or material wealth. James 2 reminds us that such partiality is a sin. By showing partiality, we diminish the power of the cross.
How Jesus looked physically is irrelevant to His message. This is consistent with God’s pattern of stressing the heart over the outer appearance (cf. John 7:24). Though Jesus was Jewish in the flesh, His mission encompassed the Gentiles so that all, both Jew and Gentile, may be reconciled to God (Romans 1:16-17; II Corinthians 5:16-21). That includes you, me, neighbors, and all nations. Redemption is for all.
