Rome, Feb. 23—The oldest description of Jesus Christ has been discovered in an old Latin text in the Vatican library, which has been revised under the supervision of Pope Pius XI.
It is a police report under Pro-Consul Publius Lentulus, who, it is stated, was the predecessor of Pontius Pilate. The police description of Jesus Christ is as follows:
“He has long fair hair falling in curls on the shoulders. They are parted in the middle. Christ wears the double-pointed beard which is fairer than the hair. His eyes are light blue and wear a kind expression; but at time they flash under the stress of temper.
“He is of normal build and stands erect. His voice is soft. He was never seen to laugh, but people often saw him cry. His hands are very well kept.
“He is called Jesus, son of Mary. His friends also call him the Son of God.”
From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Saturday, Feb. 23, 1924
A couple of problems with this report. Pontius Pilate was governor of the Roman province of Judaea from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for presiding over the trial of Jesus and ultimately ordering his crucifixion. But this report says the police report was prepared for Pontius Pilate’s predecessor. Since Jesus’ crucifixion occurred at Passover in 30 or 33, three to six years into Pilate’s reign, the physical description of Jesus would have been written before Jesus began preaching and had apostles. It raises questions. Why did the police write this report on a carpenter? Why did the carpenter, who hadn’t begun his ministry, have followers? Did Jesus have followers who called him the Son of God before he began his ministry? Were his hands “very well kept” when he was working as a carpenter?
Here is a more recent translation of the Letter of Lenticus, from an article called “The Letter of Lentucul Describing Christ” by Cora E. Lutz, published in the Yale University Library Gazette, 1975. Again it raises questions. Who were Jesus’ disciples before the disciples in the Bible? He was already called son of God and was raising the dead and healing the sick before he began his ministry, which occurred the last three years of his life?
“Lentulus, the Governor of the Jerusalemites to the Roman Senate and People, greetings. There has appeared in our times, and there still lives, a man of great power (virtue), called Jesus Christ. The people call him prophet of truth; his disciples, son of God. He raises the dead,and heals infirmities. He is a man of medium size (statura procerus, mediocris et spectabilis); he has a venerable aspect, and his beholders can both fear and love him. His hair is of the colour of the ripe hazel-nut, straight down to the ears, but below the ears wavy and curled, with a bluish and bright reflection, flowing over his shoulders. It is parted in two on the top of the head, after the pattern of the Nazarenes. His brow is smooth and very cheerful with a face without wrinkle or spot, embellished by a slightly reddish complexion. His nose and mouth are faultless. His beard is abundant, of the colour of his hair, not long, but divided at the chin. His aspect is simple and mature, his eyes are blue-gray and bright. He is terrible in his reprimands, sweet and amiable in his admonitions, cheerful without loss of gravity. He was never known to laugh, but often to weep. His stature is straight, his hands and arms beautiful to behold. His conversation is grave, infrequent, and modest. He is the most beautiful among the children of men.”
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