If Jesus Had Been Korean: 20 Rare Paintings of the Life of Christ

Jesus was thoroughly Jewish. Even so, different cultures and ethnicities have often portrayed Jesus and others from the Bible as being from their group. Sometimes this is done to symbolize the fact that Jesus came for all the nations of the world.

Since Christianity for many centuries was based largely in Europe, these important characters of salvation history have often been depicted as white Europeans. Which is fine, but other cultures have also depicted them according to their own appearances.

[See also: 13 Beautiful Non-White Depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

[See also: 6 of the Oldest Images of Our Lord Jesus Christ]

Enter Korean artist Woonbo Kim Ki-chang. A Christian missionary during the Korean war suggested he paint biblical scenes with a Korean backdrop, and he painted about 30 within a year. “I was praying for the quick end of the Korean War and a unified peace, and soothed my painful mind with a paintbrush,” he later said.

Kim passed away in 2001, but his paintings were featured at a museum in Seoul in 2013.

We hope you enjoy these beautiful depictions of the life of Christ!

The Annunciation

The Nativity

The Adoration of the Magi

The Flight to Egypt

The baptism of Jesus

Jesus calls his first disciples

The feeding of the 5000

Jesus walks on water

Jesus and the woman caught in adultery

Woman washes Jesus’ feet with her tears

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem

Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemene

The Last Supper

Jesus’ trial before Pilate

Jesus is scourged at the pillar

Jesus carries his cross

The Crucifixion

Jesus’ body is taken to the tomb

The Resurrection

The Ascension

[See also: 8 of the Oldest Images of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

[See also: 6 Lesser-Known Depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary]