That which is visible on the outside may reveal the true person, but is sometimes misleading. Judging by it and boasting in it are typical of sinful humanity. God sees the inner reality.
Outward appearance can reveal the truth
Spiritually
Matthew 7:16–20 parallel Luke 6:43–45 See also Matthew 5:16, Matthew 12:33–37; John 15:8; James 2:17–18
By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Emotionally
Proverbs 15:13 See also 1 Samuel 1:16–18; Proverbs 17:22; Ecclesiastes 8:1; Daniel 5:5–6; Mark 10:22
A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance, but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit.
Outward appearance can be deceptive
Matthew 23:25–28 See also Isaiah 29:13, Isaiah 53:2–3; Matthew 7:15; Luke 11:39–41; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; Colossians 2:23; Hebrews 13:2
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
While people may judge by outward appearance, God does not
People take note of outward appearance
John 7:23–24 See also Luke 16:14–15; John 8:15; 2 Corinthians 10:7; James 2:1–4; Revelation 3:17
If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with Me for making the whole man well on the Sabbath? Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
God looks at the heart
1 Samuel 16:6–7 See also 1 Kings 8:39 parallel 2 Chronicles 6:30; Psalm 139:1–2; Proverbs 16:2, Proverbs 21:2; Isaiah 11:3–5; Luke 16:15; Galatians 2:6; Revelation 2:23
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
The folly of boasting in outward appearance
Luke 20:45–47 See also Matthew 6:2, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 6:16; 2 Corinthians 5:12; Galatians 6:12
In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples, “Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
What is unseen is more important than outward appearance
2 Corinthians 4:16–18 See also Psalm 51:6, Psalm 147:10–11; Romans 2:28–29
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Beautiful physical appearance
Examples of the problems and opportunities caused by beautiful outward appearance
Genesis 12:11–15 Sarah's beauty led to Abraham's folly; Genesis 39:6–7 Joseph's handsome appearance led to his being tempted by Potiphar's wife; 1 Samuel 9:2, 1 Samuel 16:12, 1 Samuel 25:3; 2 Samuel 11:2–3 Bathsheba's beauty tempted David; 2 Samuel 14:25–26; Esther 1:10–11, Esther 2:7 Esther's beauty was an opportunity for God.
The cultivation of inner beauty encouraged
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.