As you can see it is mocking Jesus. In fact, the picture is called the Alexamenos Graffiti and it may date to as early as the year 200.
An inscription next to it said, "Alexamenos worships his god."
Yet I find this picture very comforting and encouraging. First, Jesus said we would be persecuted in this world and that this world would never accept us. It seems only fitting then that the oldest picture of Jesus ever found would fit His own prophecy about Himself.
And secondly, whoever made this graffiti is long gone. I hope he became a Christian, but that faith once mocked in the Roman Empire is still going strong 1800+ years later. And that God Alexamenos worshipped is still changing lives today.
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