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From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Dear Rev. Graham: There are so many pictures of Jesus and they all have a similar look. How could anyone even hundreds of years ago have known what He looked like? All we have are His words, right? — I.P.

Dear L.P.: The words of Jesus that are found in the pages of the Bible tell us who Jesus is and what He is like. This is more important than what He looks like because His words are life! Artists throughout the centuries have tried to imagine what He must have looked like, but the truth is, we don’t know. God knew that if we had an accurate portrait of Jesus in human form, we would be tempted to worship the picture instead of Jesus Himself.
But someday we will know what the risen Christ looks like, for someday we’ll enter into His very presence forever. For Christians, the Bible says, “We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2, KJV). What a marvelous promise this is.
We must have our minds and hearts focused on the sacrifice He made for us on the cross, and hold in our hearts the gift of His wonderful grace; to bow to Him with our eyes fixed upon the nail prints in His hands, giving Him praise and glory for overcoming death and the grave so that we can live with Him for eternity.
When we look at Jesus, we should see the light of His glory. This comes through knowledge of Him by reading and studying His Word, for He is the Word of truth. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)