Most conquerors like to look the part. They wear their finest uniform decorated with medals of honor. The band plays, and everybody bows. It’s a spectacle to behold!
One of the problems people had with Jesus’ claim to deity was that He didn’t look the part. Isaiah put it this way, in Isaiah 53:2: “…He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”
Now Isaiah was not saying that Jesus was ugly. Psalm 45:2, in speaking of the Messiah says, “Thou art fairer than the sons of men.” What Isaiah was saying was that Jesus didn’t look like a deliverer. He wore the simple clothes of a peasant – not the latest fashions like the Pharisees. He didn’t make an impression with stately form or majesty. He didn’t try to compete with Caesar, or Pilate, or Caiaphas. Just look at Him, Isaiah is saying – He’s humble and poor and unattractive.
The word “majesty” here is a Hebrew word that means “elevation, pride, highness, splendor, glory.” And with this word is the word “no” or “not.” This was not what He was like. No splendor, no glory – nothing to attract us to Him.
Do you remember the story of the ugly duckling? He wasn’t cute like the other ducks. He was ugly and awkward – he didn’t fit in. So he was rejected, isolated, shunned as an outcast; yet at the end of the story everything is different. Here is where true nature is seen. The majestic swan – so stately, so beautiful, so graceful – the envy of every duck! So it was with our Lord. At the beginning of the story He’s a humble carpenter; at the end of the story He’s the “King of kings.” He’s majestic!
Say – do you know the end of the story? Jesus rides out of heaven in victory on a white horse. Now that’s impressive!