Did Jesus Have a Beard?

Early depiction of Jesus Christ with a beard, Catacomb of Commodilla, 4th century. Credit: Public domain

When we deliberation of salient men from the past Near East, it is communal to deliberation of them arsenic having beards. However, determination is simply a schoolhouse of thought that Jesus Christ, the laminitis of Christianity, did not person a beard. We adjacent spot this thought successful immoderate past sources. What is the ground for this idea, and what does the grounds truly show?

Early depictions of Jesus without a beard

One of the superior reasons wherefore immoderate radical deliberation Jesus did not person a beard is due to the fact that of aboriginal depictions of him. One illustration is simply a depiction connected the Antioch Chalice. This is an past chalice or, possibly, lasting lamp dating to the sixth century.

On this chalice, determination are depictions of galore people. Among different important people, it appears to amusement Jesus himself. Notably, Jesus is not shown with a beard. Although obscurity adjacent contemporary, this is inactive earlier than the immense bulk of medieval Christian artwork.

Prior to the aboriginal 3rd century, images of Christian scenes are recovered connected the walls of catacombs. Many of these amusement Jesus himself. One illustration is simply a country depicting the resurrection of Lazarus. The risen Lazarus is seen coming retired of his tomb with Jesus lasting successful beforehand of it with his manus outstretched.

These aboriginal depictions ever amusement Jesus arsenic beardless. Essentially, helium looks similar a Roman. It is not until the precocious 3rd period that we statesman to spot Jesus with a beard.

Earlier evidence

It is casual to spot wherefore the viewpoint that Jesus did not person a beard is truthful appealing. It is straight supported by the earliest depictions of him. Nonetheless, there is earlier grounds that we tin use, conscionable not successful the signifier of existent depictions.

The gospels themselves supply an relationship of Jesus’ beingness that dates from agelong earlier adjacent the earliest of those catacomb depictions. A fragment of the Gospel of John from the mid-second period successful Egypt proves that it had already been written earlier past astatine the latest. Additionally, each grounds shows that John was the last gospel to beryllium written.

Therefore, the grounds from the 4 gospels themselves is acold weightier than the grounds from adjacent the earliest of the catacomb depictions. So, what does the grounds from those modern oregon near-contemporary accounts uncover astir Jesus’ appearance?

Jewish law

One important origin to carnivore successful caput is that it was really Jewish instrumentality for men to support a respectable beard. In the Mosaic Law, we find the pursuing command:

“You indispensable not shave the hairsbreadth connected the broadside of your caput oregon disfigure the edges of your beard.” – Leviticus 19:27.

Of course, this does not mean that the Jews were not allowed to chopped their beards astatine all. Other Biblical texts amusement that it was mean to be to one’s beard. They did not permission them unkempt. Nonetheless, they were not to shave their beard entirely, nor ‘disfigure’ it.

The Jews inactive followed the Mosaic Law successful the clip of Jesus. Some groups, successful fact, were adjacent stricter astir it than the Jews had primitively been erstwhile they archetypal received the Law. Therefore, we tin beryllium assured that this instrumentality astir beards was inactive relevant.

Jesus followed the instrumentality astir having a beard

If Jesus followed the Mosaic Law, past helium evidently indispensable person had a beard. Is determination immoderate grounds concerning Jesus’ views connected the Mosaic Law? There surely is. Jesus spoke astir the Law connected a fig of occasions. During his celebrated Sermon connected the Mount, Jesus said the following:

“Do not deliberation I came to destruct the Law oregon the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill.” – Matthew 5:17

Later, successful 1 of his letters, the Apostle Paul described Jesus arsenic being “under law.” That is, Jesus was obedient to the Mosaic Law. Therefore, based connected this aboriginal evidence, we tin beryllium definite that Jesus highly respected the Law and followed it successful each its details.

With this being the case, Jesus evidently would person obeyed the instrumentality astir not shaving one’s beard. If helium had shaved his beard, past his opposers would person criticized him for it. On respective occasions, the Pharisees, a strict Jewish spiritual group, criticized Jesus for perceived violations of the Law.

Yet, determination is nary grounds that anyone ever criticized Jesus for not having a beard. This, again, supports the decision that helium did so person one.