How Tall Was Jesus?
The true height of Jesus is unknown. There is no physical description of him in the Bible, and conflicting accounts of his general appearance are found in different locations in the Bible.
The only physical description of Jesus that has ever been found is in a copy of a letter from a Roman consul named Lentulus to the Roman Emperor Tiberius, written in the 12th year of Tiberius’ reign. In it, Jesus is described as having fair, wavy hair; black eyebrows; blue eyes; a long nose and a short, blond beard. Lentulus described Jesus as having tanned skin and no trace of anger in his expression. The authenticity of the letter has been questioned since its discovery.
Another source for a description of Jesus is the Shroud of Turin. Also disputed, the shroud has the likeness of a man imprinted on it, which is commonly believed to be Jesus. Based on an analysis of the image, the man shown was in the range of 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 1 inch. Most scholars agree on a height of 6 feet. The history of the shroud can be accurately traced back to the city of Edessa in 544 A.D. The locations of the shroud prior to this are more difficult to trace, which puts the authenticity in question.
