Ask the Pastor: Physical descriptions of Zion and of Jesus
by the Rev. Walter Snyder
Religion Columnist
     Q: Can you give me a physical description of Zion?
     A: Zion is the mountain on which Jerusalem is built. As a mountain, it isn't much, not more
than a good-sized hill. Hosting the royal city of ancient Israel and the place of the Temple made it
figuratively tall among earth's mountains. This center of ancient Israel's religion and monarchy was
used by God in later prophetic and apocalyptic writings to stand for the new heavenly kingdom.
     If you want a description of the earthly Zion, the best thing would be to use an encyclopedia
or Bible dictionary. Look for "Jerusalem" as well as "Zion." If you desire a description of the heavenly
Zion, no one can do it justice. The inspired writers who glimpse it or who utter God's descriptions of
it speak in high-flying, poetic language that conceals more than it reveals. We will never have a true
description of Zion's glories until we are called home by Christ to live there forever.
     Q: It is the norm to portray Jesus as fair skinned and usually good looking by western
standards. Isn't it correct to think that Jesus most likely had dark skin similar to those who live
in the Middle East today? More important, I have a recollection of a verse somewhere that
while it doesn't say Jesus was ugly it says something that indicates that there was nothing about
his appearance that would cause us to be drawn to him. Can you tell me where the verse is and
are there other verses that provide any information about his appearance?
     A: Jesus being "blonde and blue" is a popular idea among northern Europeans and in some
parts of Italy and elsewhere where such features are the norms. Most cultures who practice Christian
religious art tend to make the Savior look somewhat like their own people. Yet, as you indicate, Jesus
probably was darker featured than most Western art depicts him. This is not only because of his
Israelite human ancestry (and some from Palestine are quite fair-skinned) but because he spent so
much of his time outdoors in preaching and teaching and traveling from one place to another.
     As a corresponding thought, he probably also was in better physical shape than most of our
art shows him. The years of nonstop travel under often rugged conditions would have most likely
resulted in a man who was lean but well-muscled, weathered and somewhat rugged looking.
     Isaiah 53:2--3 indicates that Messiah would not be particularly good looking by human
standards: "For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had
no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was
despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom
men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
     When we look back earlier in this passage of the Suffering Servant, we get the idea that while
he may have begun as an "ordinary Joe" in appearance, his natural features did not cause men to
"hide their faces" from him. The ugliness came through his torture, for, "He was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,
and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)"
     Isaiah appears to sum up the entire life, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, preaching of
his Gospel, and return in glory of Christ in 52:13--15: "Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be
exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him---his appearance was
so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men---so shall he
startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told
them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand." All of chapter 53
then expounds upon these verses, both as the Servant is punished for our sins and as he is raised in
glory because of his faithfully carrying out the will of the Lord. Amazingly, we have more of a
physical description of Jesus from Isaiah, who lived around seven hundred years before Christ was
born, than we do from all the books of the New Testament, including the four Gospels.
     To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send
email to askthepastor@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
     Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of
the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."