The idea that the docetics changed Jesus’ appearance and that he was not actually crucified stems from the belief that Jesus was polymorphic. Similarly, Origen (b. 184/185 – d. 253/254) argues in Contra Celsum that Jesus can appear in more than one form.

There are also examples in the Canon Gospels where Jesus changed his appearance. In Mark 16, Jesus appears to his disciples in another form (en hetera morphē/ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ). Similarly, in Matthew 17 he changes his appearance. In the apocryphal Gospel of Philip (2-3 .yy) Jesus says “the great to the great, the little to the little; He briefly mentions that he looks like an angel to angels and like a human to people and that he can change form:

The apocryphal Acts also uses the term polúmorphos (πολύμορφος) “many forms” for Jesus twice.

In the canon, in John 20:14-15, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, but she does not realize that it is Jesus and thinks that it is the gardener. In Acts of Peter (2nd century) Jesus appears in three male forms simultaneously: old man, young man and boy:

In Apocalypse of Peter, Peter sees three Christ figures while observing the crucifixion. Here, Jesus is seen as both the person laughing on the tree, the person talking to Peter, and the person with nails driven into his hands and feet. Jesus says that the one laughing on the tree is the living Jesus.