White Jesus
Symbol of Control or Roman Revision
The Western image of Jesus developed into a white depiction. Was this motivated by white supremacy, or was it a result of the institutionalized Roman church?
History shows the latter. Let us examine Jesus and the ancient church to understand who he was. And what they meant when they reimagined him.
What Color was Jesus?
Western ease has made us forget that the ancient world was much different. They lacked our level of technology, which made some areas of life easier and others much harder. Each day consisted of demanding tasks that were crucial for survival. Whereas death seems a distant foe to us, it was a constant monster for the ancients, always lurking and ready to pounce. Third World countries still experience said reality.
Jesus and other Near Easterners experienced pervasive mortality in their jobs and homes. As a carpenter, he likely worked alongside his father Joseph on Jerusalem’s major landmarks and religious sites to earn a living for his family. This involved extensive daily travel and hard labor.
Excessive sun exposure affected his complexion. To many people's surprise, Jesus was likely closer to black than white. The dry, relentless heat of Israel would have tanned his skin to a level common among Middle Easterners and desert-dwelling Hispanics.
What was Jesus’s Nationality?
The claim that Jesus was a white European people in Europe devised to control other races and nationalities is false. Diversity was everywhere and in everything. The Greco-Roman world’s global nature is undeniable. The Roman Empire united Asia, Africa, and Europe, facilitated by improved roads and shipping.
Jesus was a Jew, which meant he was of Israelite heritage, not European. Records show neither Jesus nor Mary visited Europe. They would have had occasional contact with Europeans because Israel was smack in the middle of land and sea trade routes. Trade routes connected them to Persians, Indians, Africans, Chinese, and Slavs. Such connections even predate the Greco-Roman era, regardless of what some historians might suggest.
Israel/Canaan was always a cultural milieu of immense proportions. Hittites, Canaanites, Egyptians, Mesopotamians (Babylonians and Assyrians), Philistines (sea people, likely from Greece), and many other ethnicities all converged within the land of Israel throughout history. These people also interbred with each other, leading to mixed races. Israel, similar to every other land, lacked a single dominant race.
And while Jesus was Jewish, he never only associated with Jews. He welcomed, conversed with, and healed afflictions for anyone willing to approach him with faith.
How Did Jesus Behave?
As the Son of God in human flesh, Jesus enacted the relational equality of the Godhead. In every instance, we see Jesus reaching out to the lowly and marginalized and criticizing the religious and royal elite.
Despite his absolute authority, he served them, humbling himself and teaching his disciples that the greatest love is self-sacrifice. The teachings of Paul, emphasizing the unity of all people in God’s family, helped liberate slaves and lead to the abolition of slavery. Christianity countered many instances of racist ideology and continues to do so.
Without Christianity, the entire world would remain stuck in tribalism and groupthink. Some areas still face these challenges, with a resurgence in the West. In such contexts, human value is determined by social status and position.
The most extreme forms are socialism and communism. The decline of Christianity in public life and abandoning its moral principles have led to widespread suffering and despair. Innocent lives are trapped in the crossfire. Just ask the Russian citizens who suffered under the Soviets. Or refugees who escaped Mao’s China.
Tribalism and groupthink, not Christianity, harbor evil supremacy. Following Jesus’ teachings, Christianity opposes those ideologies and trends. No one ever weaponized Jesus as a white supremacist. At least, not anyone in the church.
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What’s Up with the White Jesus?
Constantine is the culprit behind the white Jesus. The Roman emperor who in in the early 300s established Christianity as the official religion of the empire.
Before battling his uncle, he received a vision to place crosses on the shields of his army for victory. Upon victory, he credited Christ and commissioned images of a white European Jesus in Roman military garb to symbolize God’s bestowal of ultimate power upon Rome.
Constantine wasn’t pure Christian. But after years of persecution, Christians saw his ascension as divine intervention and a promise of relief, though he continued to practice many religions and philosophies. So they adopted his image of Christ as the standard.
The image of the white Jesus did not originate as a tool to oppress non-white races. People embraced it as a symbol of rescue from oppression.
The decision to embrace it met trouble. The white Jesus later became central to the Crusades, a catastrophic event that continues to harm the church’s reputation. While justified in saving the Holy Land, the collateral damage caused by the Crusades left a significant distaste for the church in the mouths of outsiders.
But associating Jesus with white supremacy, used to demean other races, began during the 18th and 19th-century slave trade. It peaked with the Nazis’ persecution of Jews during World War II. Countless real Christians gave their lives to stand against Hitler and his regime to protect Jews.
These extreme, yet significant, moments don’t define the usual state, despite a lengthy history. Historically, the image of a white Jesus has been used to spread the Gospel since the church considered Jesus the Son of God. Sure, the church experienced centuries-long schisms fighting heresies around Jesus’ status and behavior being challenged in his absence. But the truth of their unity as one people, founded on faith rather than social standing, endured.
Conclusion
We should ignore any unfounded claims of misinformed men suggesting Jesus was a white supremacist. However, remember the arduous journey of the white Jesus and be able to explain its inaccuracy. We must teach our children about Jesus’ genuine message of global equality.
He started a revolution designed to restructure all creation and recover the eternal life lost upon humanity’s downfall. The God-man paved the way to reestablish our original image. Every human who will accept his sacrifice and follow him belongs to that revolution.
That promise goes beyond skin-color, ethnicity, and group affiliation. His children are the members of a new kingdom transcending nations and worlds. The everlasting kingdom promised to the Jews by Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jeremiah. One made open to all humans forevermore.
One day Jesus will return as Conqueror and King. And race will have no bearing on his conquest. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess him as Lord.