The African Ancestors of Jesus

[Earth Wind and Fire]

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

And that’s the stupid Jim Crow nonsense that pervaded the South.

 

[JonC]

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.

In a way, that is what happened. That said, it is an error to pretend Jesus was of African heritage. His lineage is fairly well documented in the Bible (He was Jewish).

Think of it this way, if Jesus were an American today our culture would be demanding He renounce His "White privilege" (even though there is no evidence of White or Black ancestry).

There is a reason Jesus was ethnically Jewish. Scripture goes in detail establishing this. There are no "non-Hebrew" ancestors listed in Mary's line (or Joseph's, for that matter). God chose a people because they were the weakest to demonstrate His glory.

The question to ask is why some feel the need to create a "Jesus myth" that incorporates their racial identity (wheather White or Black). I have seen this mentality with the KKK in the late 70's (insisting Jesus was White and not Jewish) and more recently (over the past couple of decades) with some Black groups. I understand the desire to incorporate Christ into a cultural group with which one identifies - BUT this is wrong. It is backwards. Rather than changing Christ into our racial group we are changed into His (into a chosen race of believers).

List the non-Hebrew ancestors of Mary if you don't believe me. There are none.

This would not be important except for two things -

1. A White or Black ancestor of Christ would invalidate Scripture (it would add to Scripture and make Christinity a contemporary "Christiam myth").

2. A non-Hebrew ancestory would compromise the a major OT theme regarding a "chosen race" through which a broader people would be grafted in as branches were discarded.

 

[canadyjd]

…..There are no "non-Hebrew" ancestors listed in Mary's line (or Joseph's, for that matter)…,,

List the non-Hebrew ancestors of Mary if you don't believe me. There are none.

Rehab the Harlot and Ruth are both non-Hebrew and in the genealogy of Jesus. One traces His geology all the way to Adam, before there was a Hebrew people.

peace to you

 

[Humble Disciple]

Daniel 10:6
…his arms and legs had the color of burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech was like the noise of a multitude.

Revelation 1:15
His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

The historical, Biblical Jesus, with "burnished bronze" skin, whose foremothers were Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, loves you.

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

 

[JonC]

Rehab the Harlot and Ruth are both non-Hebrew and in the genealogy of Jesus. One traces His geology all the way to Adam, before there was a Hebrew people.

peace to you

I agree ancestory goes past Abraham. But with the Hebrew people the lineage is typically to Abraham and points to a specific people (descendents of Abraham through Jacob).

Ruth was from Moab (they a descendent of Lot).

Rehab was a Canaanite (there is no Cannanite race).

They were not Hebrews, however ethnically they were Semitic (they were the same race....i.e , skin color....but not of the same nationality...i.e., not descendents of Jacob).

 

[JonC]

Daniel 10:6
…his arms and legs had the color of burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech was like the noise of a multitude.

Revelation 1:15
His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

The historical, Biblical Jesus, with "burnished bronze" skin, whose foremothers were Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, loves you.

"Burnished bronze" (or "brass") "when it has been refined in a furnace" (Rev. 1:15) is bright. Burnished bronze refers to the state of the metal (polished). In the furnace it is bright white. It is a refining process used in making bronzed (often religious) items.

The passage is referring to God's glory, not His racial identity.

In the 70's I saw the KKK take the same method of interpretation to make Jesus White. Racial appropriation is never a good thing.

 

[JonC]

I do not mean to sound "anti" here, and hope I don't. I know there are good people caught up in racism and-or racial identity issues (whether White, Black, or Purple).

It is natural for people to identify and even unite through things they have in common (for the lost - cultural identity, economic states, race, etc., and for the Christian, Christ).

And I realize there is still the World in us (the "old man). But we need to be in the process of killing this "old man" rather than embracing him.

This thread brings to mind racism of the past where racist groups were anti-Semitic, presented Christ as a White man, and Black people under the curse of Cain. It was ignorant, foolish, and really racist - the "old man" (sin) alive and well in the hearts of otherwise decent people (and often, Christians).

Now I see this exact same ignorant foolishness, really racism, springing up in racial identity politics which interprets everything (including the ancient past) through the superficial lens of race.

The difference between White washing and Black washing is black and white. So is the similarly. Literally - they are the same sin.

 

[JonC]

The "Burnished bronze" is a reference, BTW, to the Temple (pots, ect.), referring to material and refining.

Here is an example:



What we refer to as the color "burnished bronze" is antiqued bronze. But in Scripture "burnished bronze" was a polished refined bronze....very much like polished brass (which is a fairly close material).

Those who have seen polished bronze candle holders know what I am talking about here. In color we'd say white if in the furnace and gold once polished.

 

[canadyjd]

Daniel 10:6
…his arms and legs had the color of burnished bronze, and the sound of his speech was like the noise of a multitude.

Revelation 1:15
His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

The historical, Biblical Jesus, with "burnished bronze" skin, whose foremothers were Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, loves you.

Those references were of Jesus glorified. I’ve heard people argue that in Rev His hair was “white, like wool” meant His hair was short and curly like a black man’s hair. The context is purity and wisdom (white hair) with “wool” simply a comparison of how white it was.

The same with the reference to burnished bronze refined in the furnace. It is a reference to purity or strength…. to Christ glory not His race.

If scripture intended to focus on race as you are, it would have mentioned an area in Africa.

peace to you

 

[George Antonios]

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.



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 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.

Mercy.

 

[Reynolds]

"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?

There you go, using facts again. Facts spoil good rhetoric.

 

[JonC]

There you go, using facts again. Facts spoil good rhetoric.

Facts??? We don't need no stinking facts!

 

[kyredneck]

Rehab

Rehab

...is where you go to get well. Did they have those back then?

Joshua 2:1

 

[canadyjd]

...is where you go to get well. Did they have those back then?

Joshua 2:1

Lol, I wouldn’t know anything about that. I suspect my auto correct spell check made the change and I didn’t notice.

peace to you

 

[Squire Robertsson]

As the OP is now perma-banned, this thread is now closed.