From fleshly appearance to spiritual appearance
From fleshly appearance to spiritual appearance
From fleshly appearance to spiritual appearance:
1 Samuel 16:
It is written: "the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.'" (1 Samuel 16:7).
Proverbs 31:
It is written: "CHARM MAY BE DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY VANITY, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:30).
Isaiah 52:
It is written about a prophecy later applied to JESUS: "For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. HE HAS NO FORM OR MAJESTY; and WHEN WE SEE HIM, THERE IS NO BEAUTY THAT WE SHOULD DESIRE HIM." (Isaiah 53:2).
Matthew 11:
It is written that "Jesus began to-speak (to) the crowds about JOHN [THE BAPTIST], “What did you go-out into the wilderness to-look (at)? (A) reed being-shaken by (the) wind? But WHAT DID-YOU-GO-OUT TO-SEE? (A) MAN HAVING-BEEN-DRESSED IN SOFT (GARMENTS)? Behold, the (ones) wearing the soft (garments) are in the houses (of) kings! BUT WHAT DID-YOU-GO-OUT TO-SEE? (A) PROPHET? YES, I-say (to) you, and more (than a) prophet." (Matthew 11:7-9).
Matthew 23:
Jesus said: "WOE (to) you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you-are-similar (to) burial-places having-been-whitewashed, which OUTSIDE APPEAR BEAUTIFUL, BUT INSIDE ARE-FULL (OF) BONES (OF) DEAD (ONES) AND ALL IMPURITY! "So also you OUTSIDE APPEAR RIGHTEOUS (TO) PEOPLE, BUT INSIDE YOU-ARE FULL (OF) HYPOCRISY AND LAWLESSNESS!" (Matthew 23:27-28).
Mark 12:
Jesus said: "BEWARE of the scribes, THE (ONES) DELIGHTING TO-WALK-AROUND IN ROBES, and (to receive) greetings in the marketplaces" (Mark 12:38).
John 7:
Jesus said: "DO NOT BE-JUDGING ACCORDING-TO APPEARANCE, BUT BE-JUDGING THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT”." (John 7:24).
2 Corinthians 4:
Paul wrote: "Therefore we-do not lose-heart. But even though OUR OUTER PERSON IS-BEING-DESTROYED, NEVERTHELESS OUR INNER (PERSON) IS-BEING-RENEWED day (in) and day (out)." (2 Corinthians 4:16).
2 Corinthians 5:
Paul wrote: "from now (on), WE-REGARD NO-ONE BASED-ON (THE) FLESH. Even though we-have-known Christ based-on (the) flesh, nevertheless now we no-longer are-knowing (Him thus). So-then if anyone (is) in Christ, (he is a) new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:16-17).
James 2:
James wrote: "if (a) gold-ringed man in shining clothing enters into your synagogue, and (a) poor (man) in filthy clothing also enters, and YOU-LOOK-UPON THE (ONE) WEARING THE SHINING CLOTHING AND SAY “YOU-BE-SITTING HERE HONORABLY”, and you say (to) the poor (man) “You stand there, or be-sitting under my footstool”, DID YOU NOT MAKE-DISTINCTIONS AMONG YOURSELVES AND BECOME JUDGES (WITH) EVIL THOUGHTS?" (James 2:2-4).
1 Peter 3:
Peter wrote: "LET IT NOT BE THE OUTWARD ADORNMEMT (CONSISTING OF A) BRAIDING (OF) HAIR AND (A) WEARING (OF) GOLD (THINGS) OR PUTTING-ON (OF) GARMENTS, BUT THE HIDDEN PERSON (OF) THE HEART IN THE INCORRUPTIBLE (OF) THE GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT, which is very-precious before God. For IN-THIS-MANNER formerly also the holy wives putting-hope into God WERE-ADORNING THEMSELVES" (1 Peter 3:3-5).
The fleshly appearance can be acknowledged in a positive way:
In the Bible, there are multiple descriptions of the fleshly/outward appearance of people, even in a positive way, as for example:
Genesis 39:6: "Joseph was BEAUTIFUL IN FORM and BEAUTIFUL OF APPEARANCE."
Esther 2:7: "the young woman was FAIR OF APPEARANCE and GOOD OF FORM."
1 Samuel 25:3: "she was a woman of good understanding and BEAUTIFUL OF APPEARANCE."
Esther 1:11: "[The king commanded] to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order TO SHOW HER BEAUTY TO THE PEOPLES AND THE PRINCES, FOR SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL OF APPEARANCE."
It can also include clothes explicitly:
Exodus 28:2: "you shall make holy GARMENTS for your brother Aaron, for glory and FOR BEAUTY."
Exodus 28:40: "For Aaron’s sons you shall make TUNICS, and you shall make SASHES for them, and you shall make HATS for them, for glory and FOR BEAUTY."
Conparative descriptions of fleshly appearance can be acknowledged:
In the Bible, comparative descriptions of the fleshly/outward appearance of people can be acknowledged, as for example:
Job 42:15: "in all the land there were NOT FOUND WOMEN AS BEAUTIFUL AS JOB'S DAUGHTERS"
Daniel 1:15: "And at the end of ten days he saw THEIR APPEARANCE TO BE BETTER AND FATTHER OF FLESH THAN ALL THE BOYS who were eating the king's food."
2 Samuel 14:25: "Now in all Israel THERE WAS NO ONE WHO WAS PRAISED SO MUCH AS ABSALOM FOR HIS BEAUTY; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him."
The fleshly appearance is not prioritized over the spiritual appearance:
In the Bible, the fleshly/outward appearance of people is not prioritized over the spiritual/inner appearance and reality of people.
For example: just before David was chosen by God, it was written about DAVID that "he was ruddy, WITH BEAUTIFUL EYES AND GOOD FORM. And the Lord said, Rise up, anoint him, for this is he" (1 Samuel 16:12). Yet several verses earlier the text mentioned specifically that this was not prioritized or even taken into account by God when for His choice, as the Lord has said before that: "MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.'" (1 Samuel 16:7). Indeed, it was written that "The Lord has sought out for Himself A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART" (1 Samuel 13:14) and so "He raised up DAVID to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, WHO WILL DO ALL MY WILL.’" (Acts 13:22).
Another example: It is described about the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 that "She makes bedcoverings for herself; HER CLOTHING IS FINE LINEN AND PURPLE" (Proverbs 31:22). Yet several verses later it is reminded that the fleshly/outward appearance can be deceitful in contrast to the spritiual/inner appearance, as it is written: "CHARM MAY BE DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY VANITY, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:30).
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