The debate about the physical physique of Jesus has often been a controversial one, as the Bible does not clearly state anything regarding it. However, theologians and scholars have dug deep to come up with an estimate of some of Jesus’s physiques. One question that has often been asked is, how much did Jesus weigh?
The weight of Jesus is estimated to be anywhere between 100-130 pounds. He is estimated to have had a lean, strong body physique with no fat. He was strong enough to walk for 100 miles from Galilee to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, according to John 10:22.
Throughout the Bible, much is said about Jesus and what Jesus said and did, but not what he looked like. The Old Testament describes people like Saul as taller than anyone else and Goliath as mightier than anyone. Still, it has very little to say about the physical appearance of Jesus. This article tries to answer a few questions about his estimated weight. Read on!
How much did Jesus weigh when he was born?
Whereas the Bible in the gospels has no information concerning the birth weight of Jesus, scholars estimate baby Jesus to have been 7 pounds at birth. This is based on the statistics of Jewish children born around the same time as Jesus. During the time of his birth, information surrounding birth soon was not often talked about. Hence the authors of the Bible avoided it knowingly. However, according to historical studies, the average birth weight for children during that era was 6-7 pounds.
How much, on average, did children weigh during Jesus time?
Unlike the modern world that era we live in, where every small detail surrounding a child’s birth, like the birth weight, is essential, it was not so in the ancient days. Any detail surrounding a child’s birth was not discussed and was chosen to be forgotten; this is why most of Jesus’ childhood is vague, with rarely anything written about it until he was fourteen. However, Studies show that children born between 4BC – 6 BC weighed 5.5-10 pounds on average, depending on their parents and general genetics. Since people in this era ate healthy food, they delivered healthy children with rare cases of low birth weight.
How much, on average, did adult male weigh during Jesus time?
During the time of Jesus, an average man had a lean body with a strong physique. They were not necessarily fat but were strong enough to carry out tiresome tasks and walk for long as there were hardly any means of transport available. The average height of a Jewish Man was ‘5-5.2’ feet then. Judging by this, they would have weighed anywhere between 100 pounds to 130 pounds on average.
During this time, the common types of work included fishing, carpentry, and masonry for an average man, all of which needed a lot of physical strength. Hence, these men were strong due to engaging in such daily activities. A meal of an average man was mostly bread and fish on occasion. Hence fish was their constant source of protein. From their daily diet, it was hardly possible to grow fat; hence many Jewish men maintained slender bodies.
Can Jesus estimate height tell us how much he weighed?
For the longest time, people have often wondered about the physical physique of Jesus, was he tall, or was he short? Let’s get right into it. Judging from Jesus’ estimated height, which is 5-5.2 feet tall, we can determine his average weight then. Jewish men during the time of Jesus were not fat, so he is said not to have been fat. Scholars have often associated Jesus’s physical physique with lean muscle and Fitness. This is because he generally worked as a carpenter apprentice for the youthful part of his life and only started his ministry when he was 30 years of age. Additionally, he is always seen as a very active man who was always walking miles to teach the gospel, perform miracles and celebrate feasts like the Passover.
We can use Jesus estimated height and age to calculate his weight using the BMI method, where the formula is BMI= kgs/m². Using this formula, with 5’2 feet as the height and 30 years as his average age, Jesus’ approximate weight would be 122 pounds.
Though Jesus’ weight is not known for sure, his estimated weight in his days would be 122 pounds, which would fit right in the context of the day and the daily activities that he tackled in his daily life, like walking long distances and eating only bread and fish.
How else can we estimate Jesus’ height?
Whereas there is no evidence of Jesus’ exact weight during his days, several theories have been used to estimate his weight in the day. Many different factors in life can determine one’s weight. Which factors do you think influenced the weight of Jesus in his days? Let’s get right into it!
Jesus is said to have been active, constantly traveling up to 200 miles from Galilee to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast, for Hanukkah (John 10:22), and an additional time for an unnamed festival (John 5:11). He traveled this journey on foot. To be able to walk such long distances without strain, it goes without saying that he must have been fit.
Also, Jesus had been a carpenter’s apprentice for most of his life. This means that he had to be physically fit to have been able to carry wood boulders around for craft.
Also, the Bible mostly mentions Jesus eating only bread and fish on occasion. Seeing that most of his disciples were fishermen, fish was a typical dish of his. Jesus did not live an affluent lifestyle. Hence, he only ate food the average person ate daily, mostly bread and fish. If this was his daily diet, then the possibility of him being fat was limited.
From the above theories, it is evident to t Jesus weighed an average weight of the Jewish men of his time, anywhere from 100 pounds to 130 pounds.
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As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
