The African Ancestors of Jesus

[Humble Disciple]

The concept of "race" didn't exist in ancient history like it does today. Inter-racial marriage was practiced throughout the Bible, including the genealogy of Jesus.

Matthew 1:1-14 - The genealogy of Jesus, in which four Afro-Asiatic women are included: Rahab, Tamar, Ruth, and Bathsheba.
https://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/blacks-in-biblical-antiquity

It makes sense that King Solomon would become romantically involved with the Queen of Sheba, given that his mother, Bathsheba, was a black woman.

The Queen of Sheba. She ruled a kingdom that included territory in both Arabia and Africa. When she visited Solomon, she was accorded the dignity and status of a head of state (1 Kings 10:1-13)...
Matthew 12:42 - The Queen of the South, meaning "the Queen of Sheba" (parallel reference in Luke 11:31; compare 1 Kings 10:1-10 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-9).
https://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/blacks-in-biblical-antiquity

Song of Solomon 1:4
I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

The Solomonic dynasty (Amharic: ሰሎሞናዊው ሥርወ መንግሥት Sälomonawīwi širiwä menigišiti), also known as the House of Solomon, was a dynasty of the Ethiopian Empire formed in the thirteenth century. Its members claim lineal descent from the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Tradition asserts that the queen gave birth to Menelik I after her biblically described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem.[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomonic_dynasty

The Bible's only descriptions of Jesus' skin color are in Daniel 10:6 and Revelation 1:15.

Daniel 10:6
...and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

Revelation 1:15
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

The African presence in the Bible is not limited to the Old Testament. Indeed many Jews of the first century lived in regions where Africans intermingled freely with other racial and ethnic types. We too easily forget today that miscegenation or interracial marriage was an explicit part of Alexander the Great's policy; he wanted all subjects to have Greek blood flowing through their veins! Of course there was no notion of the modern idea of "race" during that time, but suffice it to say that the ancients had no problem with Black people nor did the Greeks and Romans consider them to be inferior.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we find the quotation from Hosea 11:1 which reads, "out of Egypt I called my son." The passage is part of the notorious "Flight into Egypt" that describes the way in which Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt to hide the one that King Herod feared would displace him. Assuming that we can lend some historical credence to this report, it is difficult imagining, if the holy family were indeed persons who looked like typical "Europeans," that they could effectively "hide" in Africa. One must remember and take most seriously the fact that Egypt has always been and remains part of Africa. Her indigenous people are noticeably different from the European types, notwithstanding the Hellenistic cultural incursions, beginning in earnest just over 300 B.C. In fact, it has only been in recent centuries that the Egyptians and other North Americans have been officially racially classified as "Caucasian." Nevertheless, for thousands of years, Africans have migrated out of biblical Ethiopia and Egypt and have passed through Palestine en route to the Fertile Crescent or Mesopotamia. Thus, the term Afro-Asiatic emerged, and it is a fitting description of persons from Abraham to Jesus and his disciples.

For the most part by modern standards of ethnicity, first-century Jews could be considered Afro-Asiatics. This is to say that Jesus, his family, his disciples and, doubtless, most of the fellow Jews he encountered in his public ministry, were persons of color.
https://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/blacks-in-biblical-antiquity

 

[Marooncat79]

Great pics of the ladies there

Olan Mills?

NM

 

[JonC]

"Black is beautiful" comes from the Bible.

Jesus was ethnically Jewish (not Black, as evidenced in Scripture's use of Black as a skin color apart from the Hebrews) and not White (as He was Jewish). But most of the paintings of Christ today seem to be Black or White.

Ruth and Oprah were not Black (or White). I am not sure where the idea came from they were Black. Ruth was from Moab (they were decendents of Lot).

Rehab was a Canaanite. The first known Canaanites were Ghassulians (fair skin, blue eyes). But by the time of Raham the term came to apply to people living in the area regardless of race (there is no Cannanite race).

We can assume Tamar was a Cannanite, but Scripture does not indicate her race. There is no way of knowing her race.

What about Bathsheba? Was she Black? There is no evidence she was (she was a Gilonite, and could just as well be ethnically Jewish). Her husband, Uriah was a Hittite....but Bathsheba was not.

It is interesting to me how some (not the OP, but in general) identifies with skin color.

Recently I say a discussion about Cleopatra (who was not Black but Greek (of Macedonian ancestry).

I don't get the race thing. People are too superficial. I guess the response to "White washing" is "Black washing".

On the point of intermarriage, the principle applied to Israel (nationally) and today to Christianity.

Is mixed race marriages controversial today?

Why do people (regardless of race) seek to reinvent history within their own racial identity?

 

[AustinC]

Jesus had no genetic code from any sinful human. Like Adam, God made new flesh for Jesus and incarnated Jesus into Mary. It is fruitless and pointless to speculate on the skin color of Jesus. He is the I Am in human flesh.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Jesus had no genetic code from any sinful human. Like Adam, God made new flesh for Jesus and incarnated Jesus into Mary. It is fruitless and pointless to speculate on the skin color of Jesus.

I have never heard this particular view. What is the scriptural foundation for it?

So you are essentially saying He was NOT the son of Mary, He just used her womb as an incubator?

If this is true, how is Jesus from the line of David?

You are also saying that Jesus (humanity 2.0) is adopted into humanity 1.0, not OF humanity 1.0.

If Jesus did not share our humanity in every respect, how can Hebrews 2:17-18 boldly state that He can help us in times of temptation? How can we hold anyone accountable to the standards of Christ if God could not even inhabit our flesh and make it holy?

I did a little searching on this view and discovered it has a Mennonite foundation. Here is a critique of it.

 

[Humble Disciple]

 

[Yeshua1]

Jesus had no genetic code from any sinful human. Like Adam, God made new flesh for Jesus and incarnated Jesus into Mary. It is fruitless and pointless to speculate on the skin color of Jesus. He is the I Am in human flesh.

He would have looked like the average Jewish male of his time!

 

[canadyjd]

Jesus had no genetic code from any sinful human. Like Adam, God made new flesh for Jesus and incarnated Jesus into Mary. It is fruitless and pointless to speculate on the skin color of Jesus. He is the I Am in human flesh.

That is an interesting belief. I might start a thread, if you don’t mind?

peace to you

 

[canadyjd]

I have never heard this particular view. What is the scriptural foundation for it?

So you are essentially saying He was NOT the son of Mary, He just used her womb as an incubator?

If this is true, how is Jesus from the line of David?

You are also saying that Jesus (humanity 2.0) is adopted into humanity 1.0, not OF humanity 1.0.

If Jesus did not share our humanity in every respect, how can Hebrews 2:17-18 boldly state that He can help us in times of temptation? How can we hold anyone accountable to the standards of Christ if God could not even inhabit our flesh and make it holy?

I did a little searching on this view and discovered it has a Mennonite foundation. Here is a critique of it.

I read the link. Interesting. I’m going to start another thread so we don’t derail this one. Hope to see you there.

peace to you

 

[AustinC]

I have never heard this particular view. What is the scriptural foundation for it?

So you are essentially saying He was NOT the son of Mary, He just used her womb as an incubator?

If this is true, how is Jesus from the line of David?

You are also saying that Jesus (humanity 2.0) is adopted into humanity 1.0, not OF humanity 1.0.

If Jesus did not share our humanity in every respect, how can Hebrews 2:17-18 boldly state that He can help us in times of temptation? How can we hold anyone accountable to the standards of Christ if God could not even inhabit our flesh and make it holy?

I did a little searching on this view and discovered it has a Mennonite foundation. Here is a critique of it.

I am saying that Jesus is the 2nd Adam. The 1st Adam was formed by God, perfect in every way. The 2nd Adam was formed by God, perfect in every way. God was incarnated in Mary's womb by the Holy Spirit. By human standards Jesus comes from the line of David to fulfill scripture, but Jesus was perfect in every way, thus he could not have the corrupted nature of either Joseph or Mary.

 

[JonC]

Ironically being like "burnished bronze heated in a furnace", if referencing skin tone, would be White (the metal turns to a bright white).

But it is an error, IMHO, to think this a description of race or skin color rather than highlighting that brilliance (the glory) in imagery.

Anyway, I just found it interesting that you equate "burnished bronze (or brass)" with the color black when it is literally the opposite (a bright white) and most likely referencing the glory of Christ.

If a skin tone, perhaps "bronze"....(e.g. a Semitic appearance....Jewish)....would fit better.....or White (if keeping the furnace part). But I doubt the passage is speaking of anything so superficial.

 

[tyndale1946]

Ironically being like "burnished bronze heated in a furnace", if referencing skin tone, would be White (the metal turns to a bright white).

But it is an error, IMHO, to think this a description of race or skin color rather than highlighting that brilliance (the glory) in imagery.

Anyway, I just found it interesting that you equate "burnished bronze (or brass)" with the color black when it is literally the opposite (a bright white) and most likely referencing the glory of Christ.

If a skin tone, perhaps "bronze"....(e.g. a Semitic appearance....Jewish)....would fit better.....or White (if keeping the furnace part). But I doubt the passage is speaking of anything so superficial.

What color is LOVE?... Brother Glen

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Jesus had no genetic code from any sinful human. Like Adam, God made new flesh for Jesus and incarnated Jesus into Mary. It is fruitless and pointless to speculate on the skin color of Jesus. He is the I Am in human flesh.

I heard that he had male pattern baldness so he covered it up with all this nonsense about skin color. Of course that don’t mean he was a skin head!

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

What color is LOVE?... Brother Glen

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Ahh Glen, ya beat me to it! Good work brother.

 

[tyndale1946]

Ahh Glen, ya beat me to it! Good work brother.

Well Steve, you don't look to happy about it (its the avatar)... I could say that LOVE is the color of the rainbow but even now that has been corrupted... The color of LOVE IS GOD!... God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God The Holy Spirit... What color is light?... I hear Heaven is very colorful, so I guess God is too!... Brother Glen

 

[JonC]

What color is LOVE?... Brother Glen

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Love is tie dye....like the Grateful Dead.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Well Steve, you don't look to happy about it (its the avatar)... I could say that LOVE is the color of the rainbow but even now that has been corrupted... The color of LOVE IS GOD!... God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God The Holy Spirit... What color is light?... I hear Heaven is very colorful, so I guess God is too!... Brother Glen

Well Glen, looks can deceive and I’ve got lots to be thankful for. I got a feeling I’m going to make heaven a lot sooner then I expected... and that’s OK by me. I’m a believer and God is my Father and Jesus is my Lord and Savior. There is peace in all of that

 

[Humble Disciple]

According to the one drop rule that was enforced during the Jim Crow era, anyone with even a drop of African ancestry was denied access to public accomodations. This would have included Jesus if He were around in the segregationist south, including in churches that claimed to worship Him.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

According to the one drop rule that was enforced during the Jim Crow era, anyone with even a drop of African ancestry was denied access to public accomodations. This would have included Jesus if He were around in the segregationist south, including in churches that claimed to worship Him.

Most of my Italian family have dark skin, I do not. So are you suggesting that they have Black African blood there in the blood line?

 

[Baptist Believer]

Most of my Italian family have dark skin…

Italians were not necessarily considered to be white. It wasn’t that long ago.