I’ve been hearing more and more on the subject of Jesus being black. According to scripture, was Jesus black?
Matthew 1:1 states, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Hebrews 7:14 states, “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda.” The Lord Jesus said in John 4:22, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” These verses all make it plain that the ethnicity of the Lord Jesus was Jewish. Therefore, his skin color most likely would have been olive or some shade of brown. His skin color was not white or black. However, we are not specifically told in the Scriptures the color of His skin.
Isaiah 53:2 speaks of the outward appearance of the Lord Jesus. This verse says, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” Therefore, He was not attractive to look at from a human standpoint. However, for those of us who have come to know Him as our Savior, He is “altogether lovely” (Song of Solomon 5:16).
May the Lord give us a desire to look at people the way He looks at them. He loves them all and expresses His desire for them in 1 Timothy 2:4. “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Let us not be concerned about a person’s race or ethnicity when we share the gospel. As we read in 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” May the Lord help us to be colorblind in the sense of loving and sharing Christ with all people, regardless of their skin color. (257.3) (DJ)