Historians and scholars have always debated about the possibility of Jesus being bearless throughout his lifetime. Although there is no strong evidence to prove that Jesus was bearless, there are many ancient artifacts and ancient ruins that suggest that he might have been a clean-shaven man.
The most important evidence is an ancient mosaic found in the ruins of a 4th-century church located in Israel. The mosaic depicts a man with long hair and a short beard. This mosaic is believed to be a representation of Jesus. But some historians argue that the mosaic was made when beardlessness was common and the artist could have chosen to depict Jesus without a beard for this reason.
Another painting from the 3rd century was discovered in a Roman catacomb which showed Jesus with long hair and a short beard too. In addition to these pieces of art, there also exists some texts that suggest that Jesus was beardless. One of the most notable among them is the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas. In this gospel, Jesus says something along the lines of "you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring which I have measured out." That dialogue by Jesus is interpreted as Jesus being beardless, as the phrase "bubbling spring" is also used as a metaphor for youth.
Takeaway
While there is no strong evidence to suggest that Jesus was beardless, there are several ancient artifacts and sacred texts that suggest this may have been the case. However, more research is needed to confirm this theory, and in the end, it all depends on individual interpretation.
Comments / 93