NEWLY Discovered Letter of Lentulus Describes How Jesus Was Really Like!

The image of Jesus that we often see in churches today is strikingly different from what he might have actually looked like.

For centuries, various depictions of Jesus have captivated our imaginations, from the serene portrayal of him as a baby in the humble manger to the majestic representation of him as a sovereign king in heaven.

But what if there were a long-lost manuscript that could shatter our existing perceptions and offer a fresh perspective on his life? Join us as we delve into the newly discovered letter of Lentulus that describes what Jesus was really like.

Throughout history, especially in Western cultures, Jesus Christ has often been imagined as a bearded, fair-skinned man with long, wavy light brown or blonde hair and frequently blue eyes.

One of the earliest and most renowned images of Jesus was the Divine Mercy image, which gained widespread recognition among Roman Catholics and Anglicans.

This powerful depiction reportedly appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska in Poland in 1931 during a vision.

According to her diary, Jesus instructed her to paint an image based on what she had seen.

The Divine Mercy image shows Jesus with his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand touching his heart.

From his heart, two vibrant rays of light emerge—one red and one white—symbolizing the grace of Divine Mercy extended to the world, particularly through the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist.

Many versions of this image have since been created, but during her vision, Jesus emphasized to Faustina that the physical painting was not the most important aspect.

He reassured her that “not in the beauty of the color or the brush, but in my grace lies the greatness of this image.”

Another significant portrayal of Jesus is the “Head of Christ” by Warner Sallman.

This painting shows Jesus from the shoulders up, gazing thoughtfully.

Sallman claimed that he was inspired to create this image after a profound vision he had one night in January 1924.

This painting has special meaning in the Coptic Orthodox Church, notably marked by a miracle involving a 12-year-old boy diagnosed with cancer who allegedly saw tears in Jesus’s eyes in the painting.

This miracle was later confirmed by a doctor, further enhancing the painting’s significance.

Steven Prothro, author of American Jesus, explains that Sallman’s “Head of Christ” revolutionized the way Americans view Jesus, turning him into a national symbol that people of all backgrounds can recognize instantly.

According to Prothro, this image became the most widely known religious picture in the world, surpassing even Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.

The popularity of Sallman’s work sparked both personal devotion and scholarly interest.

During a study supported by the Lilly Endowment, art historian David Morgan collected over 500 personal reactions to Sallman’s image, revealing that many people felt it accurately depicted what Jesus looked like.

Early depictions of Jesus were largely inspired by people’s visions, dreams, and various theories.

Artists and thinkers drew from these mystical experiences to create their images of him.

However, the only physical description of Jesus that we have comes from a letter written by a Roman governor named Publius Lentulus to Emperor Tiberius.

Writing letters was a common way for people to communicate, and many of these letters have survived over time.

For instance, Pontius Pilate, the governor of the area we now call Israel/Palestine, frequently sent letters to Caesar in Rome.

He even had a view of Jesus from his balcony on several occasions.

Remarkably, we also have a fascinating letter from Gamaliel, the high priest who once taught the Apostle Paul and later became a follower of Jesus after his resurrection.

The intriguing letter from Lentulus about Jesus is preserved in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and it was found in a monastery along with other ancient documents.

This letter, dated to the 12th year of Tiberius’s reign, describes Jesus as having a distinguished and lively appearance.

Lentulus notes that Jesus had slightly wavy hair, black eyebrows that arched strongly, and deep penetrating blue eyes.

His hair was an unusual shade, starting as a light color like an unripe hazelnut and changing to dark glossy curls that fell gracefully over his shoulders.

His nose was long, and his beard was almost blonde but not very long.

Jesus’s neck was slightly bent, conveying an expression of kindness and humility rather than bitterness.

His face was tanned, resembling the color of ripe corn, and was well-balanced, conveying a sense of gravity and wisdom combined with sweetness and goodness.

Lentulus’s letter offers a vivid account of Jesus, describing his extraordinary teachings, miracles, and the profound impact he had on those around him.

He portrays Jesus as a profoundly influential figure, revered as the Prophet of Truth by non-Jews and honored as the Son of God by his followers.

According to Lentulus, Jesus had the remarkable ability to bring people back to life and heal various ailments.

He was of average height and had a pleasing appearance that commanded both love and respect.

This description from Lentulus provides a rare glimpse into how Jesus might have appeared and the impact he had on those around him.

It is fascinating to consider how different this portrayal is from the typical images of Jesus we see today.

The letter not only captures his physical characteristics but also emphasizes his profound spiritual presence and the deep impression he made on people.

The Bible does not give us much detail about Jesus’s physical appearance, primarily focusing on his teachings and actions.

The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell us that Jesus was a Jewish man born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth during the first century.

He began his ministry around the age of 30, yet the Gospels do not provide specific details about his looks, except to suggest that he was not particularly distinctive in appearance.

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot had to identify him for the soldiers, suggesting that Jesus and his disciples looked quite similar.

The Gospels, alongside ancient texts, offer a few clues about what Jesus might have worn.

He likely dressed in a simple wool tunic that was undyed, leaving his lower legs exposed, and perhaps wore a loin cloth underneath with a cloak or mantle on top to keep warm.

Given that clothes were expensive, Jesus likely repaired his garments frequently, leading to a worn appearance over time.

Some scholars look to Revelation 1:14-15 for hints about Jesus’s appearance, suggesting he might have had darker skin and woolly hair.

This passage describes Jesus’s hair as white like wool or snow, his eyes as flames of fire, and his feet as burnished bronze.

Over time, artistic depictions of Jesus have evolved.

Early Christian art often portrayed him as a youthful, beardless figure, reflecting purity and his role as the Good Shepherd.

One of the oldest known images of Jesus, dating back about 200 years after his death, was discovered in the catacombs of Santa Domitilla in Rome.

This artwork shows Jesus as a young man with short hair, beardless, and carrying a lamb on his shoulders.

In 2018, another ancient image of Jesus was uncovered in a ruined church in southern Israel, depicting him with short curly hair, a common style in the Eastern Byzantine Empire during that period.

As time progressed, representations of Jesus began to shift.

From the 4th century onward, artists started depicting Jesus with long hair and a beard, inspired by Greek and Roman gods like Zeus.

During this time, Jesus was often shown in a long tunic, seated on a throne, and sometimes artists even added a halo around his head to emphasize his divine nature.

However, it’s essential to recognize that not all images of Jesus followed this Western style; different cultures depict him in ways that reflect their own people, adapting his appearance to fit local features.

The evolution of Jesus’s portrayal raises intriguing questions about how our understanding of historical figures is shaped by cultural and artistic influences.

The images we see in art or read about in texts may not always be true reflections of the past.

By discussing various perspectives and examining old writings, we can gain a deeper and more accurate picture of historical figures, enriching our understanding of history.

In examining the authenticity of Lentulus’s letter, we must consider several compelling arguments.

Experts suggest that the letter might be a later creation, blending biblical figures or those closely connected to them.

Historical records from the 15th century rarely mention Lentulus as the supposed Roman governor of Judea, suggesting that this title might have been added based on interpretations from other manuscripts.

It’s possible that Lentulus was simply a Roman official visiting Jerusalem or Judea at that time.

Roman records do list several Lentuli who were consuls around the time of Jesus’s ministry, making it plausible that a consul could have written a letter to the Senate.

Therefore, the authenticity of this letter deserves thorough investigation.

The letter of Lentulus offers a detailed description of Jesus that aligns with biblical accounts, but verifying its authenticity requires supporting evidence outside of the Bible.

For example, Abgar of Edessa, an early Christian king, wrote a letter to Jesus calling him a good physician and asking for healing.

Jesus’s reply indicates he would send a disciple instead, matching the healing abilities described by Lentulus.

Moreover, Pontius Pilate’s letters to Tiberius Caesar describe Jesus as strict, devout, and a proclaimer of truth, reinforcing the image of Jesus as a prophet who speaks with authority.

These historical letters support Lentulus’s description and suggest that he might have had direct knowledge of Christ.

Finally, we should also consider how early church art depicts Jesus.

Despite the historical ban on such representations, various artworks have attempted to capture Jesus’s image, comparing the letter of Lentulus with these early artistic depictions might offer additional insights into how Jesus was perceived both historically and culturally.

Significant changes took place in Christianity after the New Testament period ended, as the original apostles passed away and only a small group of dedicated Christians remained.

Over time, Christianity began to evolve in ways that were quite different from the early church described in the book of Acts.

Instead of trying to create a realistic portrait of Jesus, the early church used images of symbolic representations.

The most common depiction was of Jesus as the Good Shepherd holding a lamb, which historians find challenging to confirm as true representations of Jesus, as they often resemble pagan art that used the shepherd symbol to represent kindness.

While many people are familiar with Western depictions of Jesus, often shown as a white man, other cultures present him in different ways, such as black, Arab, or Hispanic.

This raises the intriguing question: what did Jesus really look like?

To tackle this mystery, forensic anthropology—a field that uses techniques similar to those used in criminal investigations—has begun to provide some answers.

British scientists working with Israeli archaeologists have managed to create what they believe is the most accurate representation of Jesus’s face.

Forensic anthropology blends cultural and archaeological data with physical and biological sciences to study human populations.

Experts in this field must understand genetics, human growth and development, and draw on knowledge from primatology, paleoanthropology, and human osteology.

Richard Neave, a pioneer in this field, recognized that forensic anthropology could help uncover what Jesus looked like.

With 20 years of experience reconstructing the faces of historical figures, Neave was well-equipped for the task.

Matthew’s description of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane suggested he had typical Semitic features for someone from Galilee at that time.

To begin, Neave and his team obtained skulls from the region near Jerusalem where Jesus lived.

Israeli archaeologists had already discovered these Semitic skulls and shared them with Neave.

Using computed tomography scans, Neave created detailed X-ray images of the skulls.

Specialists then used computer programs to analyze the thickness of facial tissues and digitally reconstruct the muscles and skin over a Semitic skull, verifying this digital reconstruction with anthropological knowledge.

The final result included the nose, lips, and eyelids modeled according to the muscle shapes underneath.

However, two crucial aspects of Jesus’s appearance couldn’t be determined just from studying his skull: his hair and skin color.

To explore these features, Neave and his team turned to ancient drawings from the first century discovered at archaeological sites that predate the Bible.

These drawings hinted that Jesus had dark eyes and, in keeping with Jewish customs, wore a beard.

While many religious artworks portray him with long hair, most biblical scholars believe Jesus actually had short curly hair.

This view differs from the Shroud of Turin, often regarded as a genuine image of Jesus, which depicts him with long hair.

Critics point to a passage in the book of First Corinthians, where the Apostle Paul disapproves of men with long hair, raising questions about whether Paul would have made this statement if Jesus had long hair.

For Neave and his team, the answer seemed straightforward: Jesus probably had short hair consistent with the style of men during his time.

Archaeological studies suggest that the average Semitic man of Jesus’s era was about 5’3″ tall and weighed around 110 pounds (50 kg).

Given that Jesus worked as a carpenter until he was 30, it’s likely he was stronger and more physically fit than the typical Western image suggests.

His face was probably weathered from working outdoors, which might have made him look older than he actually was.

For those accustomed to traditional portraits of Jesus, Neave’s lab’s depiction of a dark-skinned, robust Middle Eastern man offers a fresh perspective.

In her 2018 book, What Did Jesus Look Like?, Joan Taylor combined archaeological finds, historical texts, and ancient Egyptian art to suggest that Jesus likely had brown eyes, dark brown to black hair, and olive-brown skin, reflecting the typical appearance of people from Judea and Egypt at that time.

Taylor estimates that Jesus may have been about 5’4″ tall, which was the average height for men in his era.

Although many people now believe that these more recent images with darker hair, skin, and eyes might be more accurate, Neave emphasizes that we can never know for certain what Jesus actually looked like.

So, what did Jewish Galileans look like 2,000 years ago? Neave questions whether they would have had blue eyes and blonde hair.

In a dim corner of the Vatican archives, historians unearthed an ancient letter sealed in dark wax, dated around 30 AD.

This letter from a Roman official, the newly discovered letter of Lentulus, describes astonishing details about the man from Nazareth.

Lentulus wrote that this figure, whom many call a prophet, is nothing short of a divine enigma.

His appearance defies earthly norms: his skin is a shade of gold, radiant and almost glowing, his hair is a startling shade of white, and his eyes are an eerie, hypnotic violet.

Lentulus described unnerving miracles; he cures the blind with a mere whisper, and his presence alone calms storms.

His voice, though gentle, resonates with a power that seems to distort reality, making it feel as though the heavens themselves bend to his will.

Those who have seen him claim he can alter time with a mere glance.

The letter concluded with a chilling note about the unrest his presence incites, suggesting that this man, whose powers defy natural laws, poses a profound threat to the Roman order.

In conclusion, the letter of Lentulus invites us to reflect on how much of what we know about Jesus is grounded in historical truth.

It challenges us to consider the evolving depictions of Jesus throughout history and how they have shaped our understanding of him.

As we explore these ancient clues and modern reconstructions, we gain a richer, more nuanced view of the man who changed the world.