The same reason why Jesus is always portrayed as a white guy?
Ah. Ignorance, then. Makes sense.
Not really as Egypt today is different to Egypt of 2000 years ago. It really isn't that hard to find images and descriptions of the egyptains, even cleopatra is described as fair [though she appears to be a minority amongst more bronzed fellows who were never quite displaced by nubian or greek immigrants]. The jesus beard seems right, some copper seems amiss on his skin but its a minor cosmetic difference; of his dubious historical accounts nothing suggests he was nubian. Though now that I think about it, half of Jesus's genes are from God so... The muslims at least are practical on not trying too hard to depict their prophets, as it leads one to certain doubts that cosmically miss the point with enough force to break this universe.
Seems surreal using classical history and genetics to talk about social critiques lain at art of religious scenes as depicted through the story of Russian history and the philosophy of Christian Orthodoxy.
In all seriousness, the artist will make Jesus look like their people wherever they are because its more familiar and helps spread the message. One only has to look to remnants of chinese christianity that have survived emperors, khans and chairmen to see Jesus looking decidedly Chinese, and I once brought the Japanese depiction where Jesus had a brother and fled from Jerusalem to Japan to the WTF thread because Christianity is as adaptable as Buddhism in this regards to altering its cosmetic features to settlle in with the locals... But it will stil inspire shock and amusement in those certain of what they take for granted as familiar.
YouTube seems utterly convinced I want to watch Onision (I think that's who it is anyway. Channel is called 'speaks') as well as the associated gang of dyed-hair-black-wear-it-kind-of-long-and-straggly-make-shitty-jokes-hurhuraren'tIcool channels.
Onision is one amongst genuinely morally reprehensible people. We're talking things like faking suicidal intentions to his 'emotional trainwrecking' for money by exploiting the emotional trainwreck of his gf (who may or may not be in on it, I forgot). He also uses his force of fangirls to wreck critics, which seems saintly to his normal behaviour.