knowledge about the makeup of the people in the middle east at time. A palestinian jewish man living in Galilee in the 1st century would most likely be dark hair, skin, eyes, not so pointed nose (as often depicted now), etc.

Historians, forensic scientists who have done facial reconstruction on skulls in the area, etc, agree Jesus very doubtfully was caucasian looking. Prob looked more like a thinner DJ Kahlid (the rapper).:) Def not looking like Brad Pitt:)

You could say with most things, "There's no way to really know." We obviously have no portrait of him and the Bible doesn't say what he looked like. So most go with the most probable.

Iirc, from what I've read, beginning in the 1500's and then especially in 1800's, some people started working very hard to make Jesus white, for various reasons. Like white people wanting their kids to convert to Christianity and thinking their kids would better identify with someone that looks like them. That's just one reason. Other reasons weren't so great.

People have been trying to set the record straight for 55 years but with little results. Still have images of children all over the world (china, africa, brazil, etc), sitting on the lap of a white Jesus.

Same thing happened a couple thousand years ago as buddhism spread beyond south asia and into china...the face of the buddha began to in sculptures appear more east asian than south asian. People like others to look like them. (And if they have the means/power, they will codify that for their benefit.)