Daily Thought for Holy Week – Monday

The Face of Christ

In preparation for Holy week and our services on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, I have been reading Isaiah 53 in several translations: NIV, ESV, KJV, NLT, CEV and the Message – and I am in awe of Christ again.

These prophetic words, written some 700 years before Christ’s incarnation will give you pause to reflect in humble adoration if you let them.

God’s plan of redemption through his suffering servant on display.

Here’s today's piece of the passage:

“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
 nothing to attract us to Him.” (53:2b NLT)

Had we been alive when Jesus walked the earth He would not stand out, physically, in a crowd.

Our culture is so preoccupied with beauty and attractiveness (sadly, this is even in the case in the church – just look at 95% of ‘Christian’ album covers).

Beyond leading to an unhealthy view of others, diminishing their value in the sight of God – it distorts our perceptions of God.

I think our view of salvation can be diminished when we “clean-up” Jesus & when we “clean-up” the cross (or coat it in gold and wear it around our necks!)

[aside: can you imagine how absurd it would look to have a little gold electric chair on a chain hanging around your neck? But I digress…]

I think the more we understand that He wasn't good looking, the more we can relate to his humanity.. Jesus - fully God, fully man. When we gussy Him up I think we lose some of that reality.

According to Revelation - Jesus still bears our scars

Thankfully, this passage in Isaiah is the only physical description we have of Christ in the Scriptures.

Honestly, when was the last time you saw a movie of the life of Christ, where the actor portraying Jesus was unattractive?

- The Passion of the Christ




– good looking guy






- The Jesus Film




– good looking guy






- Matthew




– good looking guy






- The Gospel of John




– good looking guy (it’s Desmond from LOST for Pete’s sake!)






- Jesus of Nazareth








– good looking guy (my wife and I disagree on this one, so I went with her opinion)



*NOTE: OK – Willem Dafoe (Last Temptation) ‘works’, but the film was awful (imo)












Now, I realize that film companies hire mostly on looks, second on talent… but you know who I’d like to see portray Jesus? Given the above passage from Isaiah?


















Steve Buscemi (Fargo, ConAir, Armageddon)

I tried to find an image online that wasn’t glamorous of Steve and had a hard time.

With all due respect to Mr. Buscemi, who is a very fine actor, he is just not your classic Hollywood definition of attractive. This makes him a great candidate for a film version of the life of Christ.

Actually most of the men here are a good starting place.

I’m so thankful Christ didn’t come as one of the ‘in’ crowd, but He came as described in Isaiah – a humble, suffering servant.

So please, this Holy Week, keep in mind that Jesus was not attractive physically; he didn’t seem kingly, but outward appearance has never mattered to God. And consider those around you who you might think have: "nothing beautiful or majestic about (their) appearance, nothing to attract us to (them)" - for these too bear the image of God - perhaps more than we realize.

This holy week – give God what He values most – your heart, your soul, your ‘inner man’.