Final answer:
Jesus was represented as an earthly figure for various reasons, including the concept of the messiah in Jewish doctrine and the debate around his human and divine nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jesus was represented as an earthly figure for several reasons. One reason is that the concept of the messiah in Jewish doctrine was that the messiah would be an earthly figure who would liberate the Jews from oppression. While some Jews hoped that Jesus would be a revolutionary against Roman rule, others believed that Jesus was the messiah, but his liberation was spiritual in nature rather than political. Early Christians followed Paul's teachings and maintained that Jesus was indeed the messiah, offering spiritual salvation that superseded the old Covenant.
Additionally, the representation of Jesus as an earthly figure was also influenced by the discussion around his human and divine nature. While Jesus lived like a normal man, he performed miracles and claimed to be the son of God. This debate continued for centuries, with different Christian groups coming to different conclusions about Christ's divine and human natures.
The iconoclasts argued that God was beyond human ability to depict in images, and since Jesus was both human and divine, they believed artists could not portray him. On the other hand, the iconophiles believed that when Jesus was born as a human being, he allowed himself to be depicted, and icons were seen as proof of his physical existence.