# Why Did Jesus Look Different After Resurrection **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 20, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511 "2006-05-20T07:23:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/21 "2006-05-20T20:36:26Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Never mind _deaf_…Jesus was _green_?! :eek: > > 😃 No, if you’re talking about a king who dies and rises _and is green_, then you must mean Osiris. "And Isis searched amongst the reeds on the banks of the Nile, and searched in the soil at the bed of the Nile, and gathered together all the parts of Osiris. With potent charms, she knit his body together again. Then, Isis opened her body to her husband and thus restored him to life. Osiris had been changed by his sojourn into the realm of the dead. His skin was green as papyrus in spring. The Great Pharoah opened his eyes. His thoughts were not of love, but of vengance upon his treachorous brother. He put out his arms and burst the gilded coffin. He arose and said ‘Set bad! Osiris smash!’ But Set was crafty, and had set Jaffa to watch the river. These servants saw the resurrection and flew off in their death gliders to alert the System Lord of his brother’s return. Set was dismayed, but had made a second plan in preparation for just this occurence. ‘Bring forth the naquadria!’ he commanded" Unfortunately, the hieroglyphics were destroyed at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/22 "2006-05-20T20:44:49Z")
I thought they traditionaly ripped the beard and hair off the man being crusified. Anyone have a site for that? So…bald, no beard, supposed to be dead = Who are you? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/23 "2006-05-20T20:50:35Z")
**Mahaloth** I find it odd that they’d mention the scourging, having the crosspiece tied to his arms and being made to walk to the execution site, the vinegar, the spear in the side etc but leave out the hair pulling. If his hair was pulled out, his identity as a crucifixion victim would have been obvious. You don’t rip somnebody bald without leaving marks that make it clear this person has indeed had their hair pulled out. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/24 "2006-05-20T21:30:54Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > One of the things that always confused me is that Jesus looked like a different person after the resurrection. The person that first saw him did not even recognize him at first. Is there an explanation (in the Bible itself or by scholars) as to why he looked different? Perhaps it would be useful here to cite the passages that show the kind of thing you’re referring to. The gospels depict several appearances of the risen Christ; the only ones I know of that have someone not recognizing him are John 20:10-16 > [@The Bible (NIV)](#): > > Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. > They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” > “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” **At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.** > “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” > Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” > Jesus said to her, “Mary.” > She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). and Luke 24:13-32 > [@The Bible (NIV)](#): > > Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; **but they were kept from recognizing him.** > He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” > They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” > “What things?” he asked. > “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” > He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. > As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. > When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” The reason(s) that Jesus wasn’t recognized isn’t explained, but it isn’t necessarily implied that he looked any different. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/25 "2006-05-20T21:42:37Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > The fact that people didn’t recognize him doesn’t necessarily mean he looked different. He had just been entombed, and left for dead, so no one was expecting to see him walking around afterwards. > > A true story: When I was in graduate school, there was another student who took several classes that I was taking. We saw each other in class at least twice a week, and we interacted with each other regularly in classes, so we did know each other. > > At the same time, there was someone at my church who I also interacted with in the adult forums and during the meet-and-greet after the services. > > It was several weeks before either of us realized that the other was the same person in both class and church. We didn’t really _look_ different–the contexts were just so different that we didn’t recognize each other in the different contexts. > > Practically everyone has had a similar experience, where you run into someone you know (and that you even know well) in an unexpected place, and it takes a few minutes for you to realize that you know that person. I think the Bible is referring to that kind of experience. Wow, that’s funny. If something similar didn’t happen to me, I might not have believed it. But once I ran into my next-door neighbor (at the time) in the supermarket, and although he recognized me, I drew a 100 percent blank on him until he told me who he was. I was quite embarrassed. But not seeing him in the context of my apartment complex, there was ZERO recognition. No even a “hey, where do I know that guy from?” feeling. Nothing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/26 "2006-05-20T21:42:56Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Well, his name IS Jesus… Damn, you are quick. I should’ve known better than to think I could’ve scooped everyone on that! I’ll just add that maybe she was confused by the leaf blower. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/27 "2006-05-20T22:30:43Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Damn, you are quick. I should’ve known better than to think I could’ve scooped everyone on that! I’ll just add that maybe she was confused by the leaf blower. You do realize that all of you are going to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/28 "2006-05-20T23:12:29Z")
Okay, who actually said that he looked different? You are thinking in terms opf modern days, where famous people have their pictures in the papers, on TV etc. The more famous a person, the more recognisable he is. In those days, no such things existed. You may have heard of a person, but you probably wouldn’t recognise him if you saw him, apast from Ceasar who had his face on the coins. the travellers on the road that Jesus met had heard his message, were followers of his philosophy, and so on, but had never actually met him before. According to The Bard, Henry V walked among his troops the night before Agincourt without being recognised. You might as well ask why his appearence was so different. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/29 "2006-05-20T23:37:35Z")
So, you’re saying that the Apostles and Mary Magdalene had never before seen Jesus in person, just heard rumours of his teachings? Yeah, that could account for them not recognizing him. It does raise a few other questions, though… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/30 "2006-05-20T23:44:15Z")
And works by “the bard” can’t be taken for the historical accuracy anymore than _The da Vinci Code_ can be. Don’t underestimate the need for dramatic effect. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/31 "2006-05-20T23:49:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, you’re saying that the Apostles and Mary Magdalene had never before seen Jesus in person, just heard rumours of his teachings? Yeah, that could account for them not recognizing him. It does raise a few other questions, though… Our own Perfect Master has said that it may not have been Mary Magdalene, and that several different Mary’s may have been conflated. What comes before the passage in Luke? “Two of them” two of who exactly? It doesn’t say James and Thomas or any of the other nine (Judas having brung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible) Apostles. Re Shakespeaere #1 His works were intended as fiction #2 The convention that any disguise renders you unrecognizable runs through many of his works- King Lear, Measure For Measure, Much Ado About Nothing etc. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/32 "2006-05-20T23:55:51Z")
I made a slight error > [@](#): > > **And Unca Spake Unto Me Saying** > Now, Mary Magdalene–there’s a topic we can go to town on. For the benefit of you heathens, Mary Magdalene is one of only a handful of female figures in the New Testament. All that’s definitely stated about her in the Gospels is that (1) she and two other women watched as Jesus was crucified (Mark 15:40) and later as he was laid in the tomb (15:47); (2) she and the other women went to the tomb on the third day to anoint the body but instead found a young man who said that Christ was risen and that they should tell the others, at which point they fled in terror (16:1-8); and (3) subsequently Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, “out of whom he had cast seven devils,” and she told the others but they did not believe. [From This Sermon](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a980918.html) So, it **was** Mary Magdalene. But, we can only say for sure that she saw Jesus crucified, and buried. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/33 "2006-05-20T23:59:46Z")
**Thudlow Boink** seems to have the answer. In one case the mistake only lasted for a few seconds, which given that Mary was upset and not expecting Jesus to be alive and hanging out around his tomb, makes sense. The second case apparently has Jesus using his super Son-of-God powers to keep himself from being recognized. Also Jesus’s wounds were present in his resurrected form. Given this, and the fact that he died of exposure and shock from being crucified, I’d guess that he would look a bit more emancipated, etc. after his rising then he did back when he was alive. ---
**Author:** ![ambushed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@ambushed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambushed)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/34 "2006-05-21T02:27:42Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > He put out his arms and burst the gilded coffin. He arose and said ‘Set bad! Osiris smash!’ What do you know? Another potential member of SNL’s old Tonto, Frankenstein, and Tarzan team! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/35 "2006-05-21T04:10:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, you’re saying that the Apostles and Mary Magdalene had never before seen Jesus in person, just heard rumours of his teachings? Yeah, that could account for them not recognizing him. It does raise a few other questions, though… You can spare the sarcasm. Perhaps you would do we.ll to check out the actual text referred in the OP. > **[Bible Gateway passage: Luke 24 - Contemporary English Version](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024%20%3B&version=CEV)** > > Jesus Is Alive - Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, carrying the spices that they had prepared. When they found the stone rolled away from the entrance, they went in. But they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, and they... \*\*That same day two of Jesus’ disciples were going to the village of Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they were talking and thinking about what had happened, Jesus came near and started walking along beside them. But they did not know who he was. \*\* they were disciples, not apostles, followers of Jesus’ teachings, not close assosiates of his. At one time Jesus sent out seventy followers to spread his teachings. Lots of people heard his teachings secondhand. \*\* The two of them stood there looking sad and gloomy. Then the one named Cleopas asked Jesus, “Are you the only person from Jerusalem who didn’t know what was happening there these last few days?” \*\* Not Mary or an Apostle, after all. And all Jerusalem had heard of the events. Do you think every single person would recognise him? The fact that they didn’t know him is neither miraculous nor surprising. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/36 "2006-05-21T05:27:48Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Also Jesus’s wounds were present in his resurrected form. Given this, and the fact that he died of exposure and shock from being crucified, I’d guess that he would look a bit more **emancipated** , etc. after his rising then he did back when he was alive. (emphasis mine) I’m not trying to be snarky or an ass or anything, but are you sure this is the word you want to use? I’m trying to parse this, and all I can think of is Christ as a nudist, free from such earthly bonds as sandals and tunics. Jesus walking down the street, chatting with everyone he meets and spreading his word, all while completely oblivious to the fact that he’s naked as a jaybird. Do you mean emaciated, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/37 "2006-05-21T05:41:49Z")
> [@Miss Purl McKnittington](#): > > Jesus walking down the street, chatting with everyone he meets o/` Who’s walkin’ round the streets Sunday mo-orn, chatting with everybody he meets? Who’s naked as the day he was bo-orn? Everyone knows it’s Jesus! And Jesus has hands with holes! And Jesus can save your soul! And Jesus can make you fly above the clouds… above the clouds… o/` My sincerest apologies to Ruthann Friedman and The Association… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/38 "2006-05-21T06:08:12Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > You can spare the sarcasm. Perhaps you would do we.ll to check out the actual text referred in the OP. > > [http://tinyurl.com/lp6lt](http://tinyurl.com/lp6lt) > > \*\*That same day two of Jesus’ disciples were going to the village of Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. As they were talking and thinking about what had happened, Jesus came near and started walking along beside them. But they did not know who he was. \*\* > > they were disciples, not apostles, followers of Jesus’ teachings, not close assosiates of his. At one time Jesus sent out seventy followers to spread his teachings. Lots of people heard his teachings secondhand. > \*\* The two of them stood there looking sad and gloomy. Then the one named Cleopas asked Jesus, “Are you the only person from Jerusalem who didn’t know what was happening there these last few days?” \*\* > > Not Mary or an Apostle, after all. And all Jerusalem had heard of the events. Do you think every single person would recognise him? > > The fact that they didn’t know him is neither miraculous nor surprising. So why did theire eyes need to be “restrained from recognizing him” and why _did_ they recognize him after they broke bread? John says Mary Madalene didn’t recognize him either (and there’s no confusion about which Mary she was. John has Mary Magdalene going to the tomb alone). These stories have to be evaluated separately. They are different authors working without knowledge of each other and they may have have completely different reasons for using this device. I have an idea as to an allegorical possibility in Luke (breaking bread together activates a symbolic recognition of the presence of Christ…it’s a eucharistic event, not a literal one). What GJohn intended, I have no idea, but I do know that it was a common feature of Greek mythology to have gods walking among people without being recognized. John may have been trying to make some subtle theological point about Jesus’ divine identity not being immediately discernible to humans…or maybe not. Sometimes the evangelists were making points within a context that the original audience would understand but which has now been lost to us. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/39 "2006-05-21T15:57:35Z")
> [@Miss Purl McKnittington](#): > > I’m not trying to be snarky or an ass or anything, but are you sure this is the word you want to use? I’m trying to parse this, and all I can think of is Christ as a nudist, free from such earthly bonds as sandals and tunics. Jesus walking down the street, chatting with everyone he meets and spreading his word, all while completely oblivious to the fact that he’s naked as a jaybird. Do you mean emaciated, maybe? Well, Jesus _did_ say, “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And throw in thine underwear, too, while thou art at it.” (Not all manuscripts include that last sentence.) ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511/40 "2006-05-21T17:54:24Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Come on. Have _you_ ever tried getting flogged, crucified, entombed, and then _coming back from the dead_ days later, and kept your figure? > > It’s not easy work being a Messiah. Hehehe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-jesus-look-different-after-resurrection/357511.md?page=3)