Page 3 - What Was Christ Really Like - FINAL 04012020

amazed at His God-given wisdom, knowledge and understanding? John 7:14-17; Matthew 13:54.
2. Did the prophet Isaiah, writing hundreds of years before Christ came to earth, say that He would be especially handsome? Isaiah 53:2. Did Judas have to use a special sign to point out Jesus to His enemies? Matthew 26:48-50.
Jesus Christ was of quite ordinary appearance. He looked like any other average Jew in His community. He did not stand out in a crowd.
3. How can we know that Jesus did not have long hair? 1 Corinthians 11:14.
The apostle Paul knew what Christ looked like because he had seen Him (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8). Paul would not have said that it is a shame or dishonor for a man to have long hair if Christ’s hair had been long! Also, having long hair was part of a Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:1-21), which Christ was not under.
4. Did Jesus have an occupation that demanded much physical exertion and strength? Mark 6:3.
Jesus was a carpenter by trade. He worked with heavy stones and timbers for much of His life before beginning His 3 1⁄2-year ministry at age 30. His hands must have been calloused and His muscles strong. As there were no electric tools back then, sawing and drilling were done by hand. This was hard work!
5. What other clues are there that Christ was a physically strong and healthy man? Mark 15:15; Matthew 4:1-11.
A physically weak person could not have survived the Roman scourge – a horribly severe beating during which pieces of flesh were ripped from the body – and then experience the excruciating pain of crucifixion. Nor could a weak person have fasted for 40 days before going on to win the most decisive spiritual battle of all time!
6. Was Jesus a leader of strong and rugged men? Luke 5:8-11. What did He nickname two of His disciples, giving us a clue to their personality? Mark 3:17.
Jesus was a real man – a rugged outdoorsman who could lead other equally rugged and masculine men like Peter, a strong, hardworking commercial fisherman.
7. Did Jesus have a powerful voice that could be heard by multitudes of people? Matthew 15:10.
8. Was Christ capable of expressing a wide range of emotions, including anger? John 2:13-17; Mark 11:15-17. Did He boldly thunder out in anger and righteous indignation when denouncing the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees? Read and summarize Matthew 23:13-33.
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