# Do most Christians literally think Jesus was a tall white guy with blue eyes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 17, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460 "2010-10-17T17:56:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/122 "2010-10-22T12:36:54Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> My redheaded youth pastor used to quote some scripture about David having a ruddy appearance, and claimed that meant he was a redhead.
> 
> Then again, he used it as proof that God had a thing for redheads 😉

According to Jewish tradition, David was indeed a ginger - with pretty eyes, no less.

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**Author:** ![falcotron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3ab097/32.png) [@falcotron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/falcotron)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-most-christians-literally-think-jesus-was-a-tall-white-guy-with-blue-eyes/557460/123 "2010-10-23T02:53:16Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> According to Jewish tradition, David was indeed a ginger - with pretty eyes, no less.

That’s not just Jewish tradition; that’s the Bible, 1 Samuel 16.

As usual, there’s a lot of leeway for translation here. The first bit of the description has, as I said earlier, been read as everything from red-haired to tan-skinned. But the rest of the sentence either says he has a handsome face with pleasing eyes, or a handsome face that’s pleasing to the eyes.

For example, here’s the YLT version: “And he sendeth, and bringeth him in, and he [is] ruddy, **with beauty of eyes, and of good appearance** ; and Jehovah saith, `Rise, anoint him, for this [is] he.'”

On the other hand, the KJV says: “And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] **withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to**. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he.”

Various Bible commentaries (both Jewish and Christian) get into the meaning of this; see [http://www.godrules.net/para/1sam/parallel1sam16-12.htm](http://www.godrules.net/para/1sam/parallel1sam16-12.htm) for some examples.

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