Art...

"Art must create a specific emotional link between artist and audience, one that 'infects' the viewer." - Tolstoy

Some of my favorite paintings:

Girl with a Pearl Earring - Vermeer

Starry Night Over the Rhone - Van Gogh

 The Luncheon of the Boating Party - Renoir

 La Moulin de la Galette - Renoir

 The Head of Christ - A Series - Rembrandt

 From the Lake - O'Keefe

 Study of a Figure Outdoors (Facing Left) - Monet

 The Kiss of Judas - Caravaggio

 Doubting Thomas - Caravaggio

They come in Threes...

[9:1] And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” [The Transfiguration] [2] And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, [3] and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. [4] And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. [5] And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [6] For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. [7] And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” [8] And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. [9] And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. [10] So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. [11] And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” [12] And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? [13] But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.” (Mark 9:1-13 ESV) Also see Matthew 17:1-8 and Luke 9:28-36 for their writings on the Transfiguration.

Jesus said that some of them listening to Him would not taste death until after they see the kingdom of God?  Well, three of them got to see the kingdom very shortly thereafter, and yes, before they died. Peter, James and John were witnesses to the Transfiguration. They saw Jesus in His glory, along with two of His kingdom, Moses and Elijah. Then in verse 11, the disciples want to know why the scribes say that Elijah must come before God's people are taken up to heaven? This question comes from these Old Testament verses, [4] “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. [5] “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. [6] And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6 ESV) Jesus tells them that Elijah HAS already come again, and Luke explains this here, [16] And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, [17] and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1:16; Luke 1:17 ESV) Jesus and Luke are talking about John the Baptist, being in the spirit and power of Elijah come back to earth to prepare the way for Jesus as Messiah. After the verses noted above from Malachi in the Old Testament, there is a 400 year silence from God, and then the New Testament begins with Matthew.  Awesome!!

After studying this, my mind wanders back to the appearance of three to Abraham, in an earlier Bible study that I did: http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2010/12/abraham-saw-three.html.

I'm sitting here, scratching my head in wonder...what do you think?

What did Jesus look like?

Above is the image of Jesus that I grew up with. My Mom's picture of Jesus was hung on her living room wall (and now it hangs on mine), impressed into my mind from a very young age. The portrait is known as The Head of Christ or The Sallman Head. It was painted by an American artist, Warner Sallman, who gave Jesus long flowing-light colored hair, a light complexion, and blue eyes. Although it is a calming, soothing portrait, I don't think this is how Jesus looked.

Some people believe the Shroud of Turin (above) is the image of Christ mysteriously imposed onto His burial shroud. It will never be verified that this is the actual shroud, nor does carbon dating of the material equate to the time-period of Jesus. The man shown in the image has long, shoulder length hair. His forehead is scarred from the crown of thorns worn at crucifixion, and blood drippings are left from the wounds.

The Christ Pantocrator icon of St. Catherine's Monastery in Sinai is most certainly based on the Shroud of Turin.

These overlays of the Shroud with the Christ Pantocrator affirm the depiction of what the artist thinks the man on the Shroud looked like in life. This is the Eastern Orthodox Christian view of Christ.


I believe Jesus looked closer to this portrait by Rembrandt, but he probably would've wore more close cropped hair (Rembrandt was a student of Caravaggio's works, see the 'Doubting Thomas' Jesus below this portrait, they are very similar in looks):

or, by far my favorite, maybe like Caravaggio's 'Doubting Thomas' Jesus, with the Jewish curls on the side of his head:

or maybe just like this:

Jesus was Jewish and of middle-eastern descent. He grew up in rugged territory and walked under the hot sun everywhere he went. He was a carpenter by trade, he worked hard, and he probably had a sturdy physique due to that line of work. Since he was middle-eastern it is a good bet that he would have had darker skin and most likely dark, curly hair. He probably did not have long hair, as Paul the Apostle writes, [14] Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, [15] but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:14-15 ESV) The prophet Isaiah said this about Jesus, the Messiah to come, he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2 ESV) So, Jesus was an ordinary looking, every day Jewish guy...as far as looks go. It was His character that was Divinely wonderful, it was His very being and essence that shined. When a person looked at Him, what did they see? Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7 ESV)

No one knows what Jesus physically looked like when he was on the earth. There is little reference to his looks in the Bible. The beauty of Jesus is his Word and Hope, one passage being, [16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. [21] But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21 ESV)

He came into this world to testify to the Truth, John 18:37. What hope have you? Self is not the answer...I know the broken self.

Go Steelers!!!

That was a bad luck wish.  Actually, I want the Pack to win!

Part 2: Their fringes are long and their phylacteries are big - Jesus...

In Part 1 of this study, it was learned what phylacteries were, http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2011/01/their-fringes-are-long.html.

What are the fringes that Jesus spoke of in the verse below?:
[5] They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, (Matthew 23:5 ESV)


Fringes were tassels woven with blue cord that hung from the four corners of a Jewish man's outer garment. These were worn as reminders to follow God's commandments and to stay holy in the Word. The idea for these tassels are found in the following Bible verses:

[37] The LORD said to Moses, [38] “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. [39] And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. [40] So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. [41] I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.” (Numbers 15:37-41 ESV)

[12] “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself. (Deuteronomy 22:12 ESV)

Even today, fringes are worn by the observant Orthodox Jewish man. The Jewish name for the fringes is 'Tzitzit'.

Tzitzit or Fringes on the prayer shawl of a Jewish man.


The point of Jesus' criticism of the Pharisee's "long fringes" was that they were more obvious in long length on their garments, so that everyone could see how holy and observant they were. Everything about the Pharisees was in showing others how religious they were, in very bold and highly visible ways. We know that Jesus wore "fringes" based on the following verses, [20] And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, [21] for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” (Matthew 9:20-21 ESV) and this verse, She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. (Luke 8:44 ESV)

Mind-your-head-Jim: Its Never Been About Me - Gal 2:20

This is good stuff from a friend's blog, I felt the need to share it.

Mind-your-head-Jim: Its Never Been About Me - Gal 2:20: "In our Home Friendship Group last week we talked about being a disciple of Christ. And as the facilitator observed even though one might thi..."

Part 1: Their fringes are long and their phylacteries big - Jesus...

[23:1] Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, [2] “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, [3] so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. [4] They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. [5] They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, [6] and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [7] and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. [8] But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. [9] And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. [10] Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. [11] The greatest among you shall be your servant. (Matthew 23:1-11 ESV)


I love to break down Scripture. There is so much being said in the above selection from Matthew. In verse 5 Jesus talks about phylacteries and fringes. What exactly is he talking about?

In the following verses we learn about phylacteries.
And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:9 ESV)

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 

(Deuteronomy 6:8 ESV)

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 

(Deuteronomy 11:18 ESV)

The above three references, I think, are actually about how you should live your life as evidence that you follow the Lord. That your life, and how you live it will become evident to other people. In an earlier study I talked about the inner change of the heart, the hidden change inside of you that only God can see. That this inner-change is actually very important in that the initial hidden change begins your road to Heaven. Then when you grow in your Christian life, the way that you live your life will be evident to others. What you read in the Bible, what you learn from Christ, what you put in your heart, your Christian values will become evident to others. This is a natural growth when becoming Christian, and then living in Christ, by Christ, thru Christ, for Christ. But the Jewish tradition with phylacteries was a sign for others to know that you follow the God of the Holy Scriptures, and a reminder to the wearer about the above verses. Phylacteries were small leather cases that contained scripture written on small pieces of parchment. The leather cases were worn on the Pharisees' left arm and on their forehead to show literal obeying of the above three Bible verses. Even today, some Orthodox Jews wear them, mainly during prayer time. Did Jesus wear them? Well, He was the ultimate Jew, so He may have. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that He did. When He chastised the Pharisees in Matt 23:5, He says that they wore "broad" (or big) phylacteries, for all to see. Jesus may have worn a small, traditional version, who knows?

The above picture shows a Jewish man wearing phylacteries on his head, and his left upper-arm.

More on this study later...