William Henry

JESUS WAS LIGHT AND NOT OF THIS WORLD

JESUS WAS LIGHT AND NOT OF THIS WORLD

There’s been a lot of talk lately saying Jesus was a black man and that images of a white European Jesus should be removed from churches as they are symbols of white supremacy. 

During a powerful June 25, 2020 interview with Martha McCallum, Black Lives Matter Greater New York chair, Hawk Newsom, said Jesus was black because the Bible says he had wooly hair and feet like bronze. 

At 4:42 he described Jesus as a black revolutionary. Martha appeared somewhat puzzled by his comment, as if she was trying to recall from Sunday school what the Bible says Jesus actually looked like.

Newsom didn’t say so, but it sounds like he was citing the Book of Revelation 1:14 in which John the Revelator had a vision of the ascended Christ in the heavenly realms: 

13and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. 14The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.…

This matches the description of the Ancient of Days in the Book of Daniel (7:9), As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

Moreover, Daniel 10:6 says his body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.

Anyone is perfectly entitled to interpret these accounts in any way one wishes. 

However, when I read John and Daniel it sounds more like they are describing a close encounter with a being of light in an extraterrestrial domain than a physical encounter with an earthly human (black, white, red, yellow, olive, or whatever color skin). Their accounts match many others of the angels and Christ as a luminous humanoid beings, often wrapped in a rainbow light. The rainbow denotes their ascended state of being, as does the clothing as white as snow. The whiteness symbolizes a state of purity, not a human racial identification.

It is interesting to note that Native Americans have legends of the visit of the Pale One, a healer and prophet who matches Jesus.  In He Walked the AmericasL. Taylor Hansen gathered the oral histories of native groups all over the Americas and islands that tell about a white God that taught them to love one another, had marks in His hands, had the power to move mountains, and organized twelve disciples. The Healer was a pale-skinned man with a beard and robe who came from the ocean. 

If this Healer was Jesus (the marks on His hands infer a post-resurrection appearance) then it is likely he was not in a flesh and blood body. He was a light being (who could phase between his material and immaterial body). He was glowing and emitting pure light. This is important as it identifies Jesus as a member of a race of otherwordly perfect light beings described in the Gnostic texts and elsewhere.

Jesus states his otherworldly place of origins directly in John 8:23: “You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.”

Previously, in John 10:1-7, Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” When Jesus is saying he is the door of the sheep, he is indicating he is the door of the sheepfold, the protected area with a gate (the higher dimensions).

This raises an important point. If we focus on the color of Jesus’s earthly skin (as a Middle Eastern Jew he probably had olive skin), rather than his origins and the nature of his celestial flesh, do we risk missing the point of why he came?  And where his is leading us?

His mission was to show us the Way to transform human civilization to one based on righteousness and love, and to transcend the limitations of the flesh by transforming our precious human bodies into beings of light. This will bring about the birth of a New Humanity.

The creation of a New Humanity is the leap our culture is attempting to make at this time. I, for one, am eager for the global conversation to begin about how we all become sovereign beings of light. It is the only Way forward.

As an art historian I have extensively studied the images of Jesus, both in his earthly and heavenly states.

There is no doubt among art historians about what Jesus looked like. The first icon of Christ, the Shroud of Turin, clearly shows his face. It is matched by the second oldest icon of Christ (below, left). Discovered in 1962 at St. Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai, Egypt, it was likely made before the 5th century AD. This icon, and the Shroud, are the basis for the face found on hundreds of paintings. 

The Sinai icon (left) shows the same face as the Shroud of Turin, the burial cloth of Jesus.

 

A third icon, the Transfiguration, clearly portrays Jesus with dark skin.


Transfiguration icon, 15th century.

The point of this icon is not to stress Jesus’s middle Eastern appearance. Rather, it was to point to an ability all humans possess. That is, to transfigure or change our form from earthly flesh to celestial flesh, from impure to pure, from mass to light.

Following in the path of the Black Lives Matter movement, on June 27, 2020 Justin Welby,  the archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England, said the west in general needed to question the prevailing mindset that depicted Christ as a white man in traditional Christian imagery. He noted that several statues at Canterbury and Westminster Cathedral will have to come down.

While I am all for accuracy and authenticity in historic portrayals, I am deeply concerned about the trajectory of these events. It is hard to imagine the beautiful churches and cathedrals of England and Europe stripped of their “white” Jesus imagery. However, we are on a slippery slope that could see this happen.

Will Korean Christians be told to destroy their images of Jesus as Korean? What about the Chinese interpretations? Is this just the beginning? Where will the destruction of sacred imagery stop?

As advocates of the power of sacred art, Clare and I are working on an initiative to bring about awareness of how art unites rather than divides us. We will soon have news about how you can participate, too.

William Henry is a Nashville-based author, investigative mythologist, and TV presenter. He is an internationally recognized authority on human spiritual potential, transformation and ascension

13 Comments

  1. Kathleen 4 years ago

    Yes I believe that we are collectively being pushed to focus on the package rather than the content. We are all bickering over the envelope while disregarding the message it contains. This unfortunately is feeding the flames of division , rather than the light of unity. It appears that we must have this dichotomy, like a boil brought to the surface, where it cannot escape examination, to be finally lanced and healed. It appears that these times require for the things that have been simmering and festering to be brought into the light of day where that can no longer be ignored but have to be faced and healed. This will not be an easy or pretty process but a necessary step in our ability to ascend from dark ignorance to the light of awareness.

  2. peter mascari 4 years ago

    Amen to that (no pun intended).
    William you always help me see things a bit more clearly through your glasses of perception. I am grateful. Thank you for sharing your “Daily Bread” with us…

  3. Paula DeCoito 4 years ago

    This conflict over images is what happens when we base our identity on our material form and ignore or neglect our essence, our substance, our soul, and the very Universal Vital Life Force within us that animates our form and uses it for Its Mission here in the material realm. The current narrative underlying the culture war and struggle for justice in America , while necessary and long overdue, needs to be expanded to include a spiritual perspective – a spiritual perspective of the role of culture, economics and social justice for the evolution of humanity on Earth (and beyond…). In the absence of a spiritual perspective of social change, where the focus is on the upward evolution of human consciousness with love, knowledge and discipline as primary values, we shall be left with a materialistic culture focused mainly on equal access to material prosperity and personal consumption of that prosperity. In this materialistic scenario, it is to be expected that the idea of “God” will be cast into material form. Then the dialogue begins: What should be the colour (and gender) of the image of God, his children, and the messengers he sent to Earth. The answer given by those with the most material power will prevail. The war continues… Images created by one identity group are torn down and replaced by those of another identity group with more power, and on and on it goes. This cycle of conflict, violence and waste will not stop until human beings identify themselves differently. Human beings are spiritual beings in material form. Spirit, to the best of our understanding, has no colour, no gender, no age. Spirit has consciousness, awareness, and the ability to create using matter. From this spiritual perspective, there is no need to portray God in material form. However, if we do so, the emphasis should be on the use of images and techniques to further our evolution as spiritual beings. At the same time, we should look upon the images of God that we have created to date – black, white or whatever – as a reflection of our level of spiritual consciousness at particular times in our history. We do not destroy the artwork that our children created in their kindergarten years. We keep and treasure them, while acknowledging that our children are growing and will create differently in the future as they evolve and mature. Humanity is evolving as spiritual beings. Right now we are focused on our material forms (like children playing with their dolls). Tomorrow, we shall focus on our spiritual essence/identity and govern ourselves accordingly. Then, the art we create will reflect our focus on the spiritual evolution of humanity, a focus that has no space or time for skin colour.

  4. Carol 4 years ago

    William, such a great article. THEN, there is this. 

    FRAGMENT OF THE BOOK OF NOAH
    1. And after some days my son Methuselah took a wife for his son Lamech, and she became

    p. 151

    pregnant by him and bore a son. 2. And his body was white as snow and red as the blooming of a rose, and the hair of his head †and his long locks were white as wool, and his eyes beautiful†. And when he opened his eyes, he lighted up the whole house like the sun, and the whole house was very bright. 3. And thereupon he arose in the hands of the midwife, opened his mouth, and †conversed with† the Lord of righteousness. 4. And his father Lamech was afraid of him and fled, and came to his father Methuselah. 5. And he said unto him: ‘I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, and resembling the sons of the God of heaven; and his nature is different and he is not like us, and his eyes are as the rays of the sun, and his countenance is glorious. 

    18. And now make known to thy son Lamech that he who has been born is in truth his son, and call his name Noah; for he shall be left to you, and he and his sons shall be saved from the destruction, which shall come upon the earth on account of all the sin and all the unrighteousness, which shall be consummated on the earth in his days. 19. And after that there shall be still more unrighteousness than that which was  first consummated on the earth; for I know the mysteries of the holy ones; for He, the Lord, has showed me and informed me, and I have read (them) in the heavenly tablets.

    https://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/boe110.htm

  5. Trese 4 years ago

    I’m just glad that I know the real truth and don’t have to debate. Soon, everyone will understand.

  6. Genesis777 4 years ago

    Here we go again with the Black Jesus lie.
    Revelation 1:14 His “head and hairs” white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
    On what planet does a black man have a white head?
    It says his HEAD and his hair are white as snow – A black man has a black head.
    Revelation 1:15 – And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace;
    Strongs G5474- Brass- chalkolibanon
    Outline of biblical use: In the implied meaning of whiteness.
    If his head is white as snow wouldn’t his feet match, I think so.
    White, White Hair, Blue Eyes as a flame of fire.
    He is described just like Noah – even using the same wording.
    NOAH: And his body was white as snow and red as the blooming of a rose and 
    the hair of his head and his long locks were white as wool, and his eyes beautiful.

    This nonsense that Jesus was black is getting really old. He was a direct descendant of King David.
    God made a promise to King David that one of his descendants from Judah would sit on his throne
    until the day Christ himself returns and takes it.
    Queen Elizabeth is from Judah and sits on David’s Throne – Does she look black to you?
    Psalm 89:4
    The LORD said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him:
    ‘I will establish your seed forever, and build up your throne to all generations.
    “Our present Queen, Queen Elizabeth, is a direct descendant of King David of the Old Testament.
    The Royal College of Heralds in Britain accepts this direct line of descent from King David to Queen Elizabeth II as factual.

    King David and his son Solomon are both described in scripture as being white.
    Why no one knows this just proves that no one bothers to read the book.
    1 Samuel 17:42 – And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him:
    for he was but a youth and ruddy and of a fair countenance.

    Fair means white.
    Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary
    FAIR, adjective – Clear; free from spots; free from a dark hue; white; as a fair skin; a fair complexion. hence
    Just as his son King Solomon is also described.
    Solomon 5:10 – My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand.

    Goliath hated David because he was white. Just as the whole world today hates the
    Israelites who are the white western European people. Contrary to popular belief they are not lost.
    EVERYONE lied to them. The churches all LIE to them and tell them you are just gentiles which means nations.
    Just as God said, judgement begins with the churches because they all lied to his people
    and tell them those people in the middle east are the Israelites when they are Rev 2:9, and 3:9.
    They are from Japeth not the biblical lineage of Shem – Gen 10:3
    I can tell you exactly who the blacks descend from but they would be highly offended so I won’t.
    You can read 1 John 3:12 & Matthew 13:36-40 and figure it out though.

    • Ljubo 3 years ago

      Yes it is white and It is metapfor for Soul,Sun sing wich pasing with 12 others companians(planets).Even Avatars are planets in eastenJotish Astrology.There are other name for soul az Dragon pearl,Zohar,Mercaba,Chi,Shiva,Atma…and meny more.It is 5th element and it is on top of the Om simbol,also az sing of star,sun and fire.If you look Om simbol you will recornise other elements small c(turned to other side) is earth,big C (turned to other side)is earth,all around is water 0,part wich looks like moon is air, and star on the top is fire*!
      Proces of life are discribed in Bible is proces of Soul and how to even not loose it exualy not to be reincarneted again in pain .There is lot of more metafors in Bible…
      That is Dhama path,ataining with light,chi and resolt is Rainbow body,Nirvana.

  7. Larry Edward Lowe 4 years ago

    Hi Mr. William Henry. We Met and took a picture, some years ago in Phoenix AZ. At a New Age conference with Linda M. H. And others. Good commentary all around but missing the pure point. Spirit and Soul are causing the Human consciousness to correct it self in order to evolve. Understanding the fact that what is called the Middle East by Euro-centric political forces is within walking distance from the continent of Africa, and so is Europe it’s all the same place. Icons and statute of the Ancient Black Goddess and Son are all over the northern continent (Europe ) long before the political intrigue and social warfare of Rome even existed. What color is a Jew ? or an American, or a Human Being or a flower. The natural balance, and harmonious activities of our collective dimension must be corrected, before any positive personal or group Divine Spiritual Evolution . The 15 century is a long time after the fact to make a painting, but the people in the area are still there, the question is overstating the obvious, that most people In that area of the world at that time-were more dark than lighter skin . Did you know that Black / dark skin people populate the entire world. Ancient stone carvings of Black Savior’s long before the advent of Rome’s political Christianity and Greece’s corruption, remember the Pythagorean’s school, and Hermès, all come from the Ancients in Africa. All humans have access to the Christ (Oil), no matter their skin color, but the deadly racist, political negativity must be corrected properly and soon. The ship of equality is taking on water( false ego) and could sink. Equal Justice for All…have a Blessed day…RasLowe

    • Jen 4 years ago

      Dolores Cannon says Jesus and John the Evangelist, his cousin were natural redheads. John was in fact flaming…

  8. pat 4 years ago

    Love all these comments. Whats interesting too is your mention of the American Natives, it sounds as if they accepted the Pale One they were not perturbed by the skin colour, suggesting they were secure in themselves and confident in their culture.
    I think a trick has been missed with the statue situation, from an historical point of view it would be better to add a plaque giving a full picture of their lives, good and bad, instead of sweeping them under the carpet. We are ALL light and dark.

    with love

  9. Kelly 4 years ago

    Thank you William for all of your work-
    Are you really arguing over different artists renditions or perceptions of their paintings?
    I think it makes sense that people living closer to the equator would naturally become darker as adaptation to that fact, no?
    Last check we were the Human Race, all of us children of a Loving God which means we are brothers and sisters and should start behaving as so because we need eachother to beat the Evil of this world who got us working against eachother by intentionally lying to us with fearful ideas; when we need only to fear them, needing eachother so they do not succeed with their Evil plans…Wake up, we are divine energetic beings and need nothing but ourselves and eachother and to heal our home and we shall be enjoying Heaven on Earth…until Acension. Every lifetime has recorded Gods messengers sent to ensure we have faith, yet here we are acting in fear and hate when actually we all just want peace and Love, yet we are falling fast away from that- No time to Waste!
    Teamwork and faith … Common sense- This is Not who we are- The answeres you seek are within,

  10. Anna Grey 3 years ago

    Thank you for this post! Do you agree that android and ios app development services i have become very popular. That is because by 2020 phones have become an integral part of our lives (the same with apps). We read, socialize, play and even doing sports via mobile applications. App trends change rather fast. And so far, as you may already mention, the most popular apps are: fitness apps, music apps and of course apps for communication.

  11. Eloh 3 years ago

    William, no one ever wants to touch the racial subject, I will. Truth is truth and truth will set you free. You say that Jesus was a Jewish man. This is a very BIG error on your part. Jesus was NOT a jew (khazar) He is a White Man and the Holy Bible states as such. The black man is a pre-adamite/ pre man in Genesis 1. Et Yadam/the man, the Adam, was placed in Genesis 2 much later. Jesus is the adam. Many lifetimes before perfection. He attained “perfection” being perfect as the Father requires of his children via many lifetimes here. The “silver cord” takes the “spirit” from the dead soul, which is the body, back to whence it came. The spirit was “breathed” into the adam NOTE: “spirit” is electromagnetism within the body; this was not done with the pre-adamites because they were “created” beings. The adam and his progeny (White Western Man) were “formed” as stated. Adamites (man) Genesis 1 and Et Yadam The Man ( Genesis 2) are a world apart. “There was no man to till the ground” Gen. 2:5 what about those men in Gen 1 to till??? I will leave my comments now and may you ponder and find the real truth as to who is who in this world and may you teach that truth so many have fallen short of.

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