The Life of Jesus
 |
Description
Book Introduction
Shusaku Endo, a representative writer of Catholic literature,
Speaking of the Sad Jesus
A revised edition of "The Life of Jesus" by Shusaku Endo, a representative Japanese novelist, has been published.
Shusaku Endo is a writer who deeply explores themes such as religion, life, death, and salvation.
In particular, as his literary journey began with the Catholic faith, he left behind many works on Christian themes.
The recently revised and published "The Life of Jesus" is the novel that best allows one to experience Endo Shusakuman's image of God, the "maternal God."
In this work, he portrays the life of Jesus through theological knowledge, deep faith, and creative imagination.
Additionally, the content of the Bible was explained through the historical context, adding further depth.
In this revised edition, the sentences have been refined to better convey the unique writing style of Endo Shusaku, and the text has been revised to reflect the new translation of the Bible from 2005.
The Life of Jesus vividly recreates the life of Jesus, a man from two thousand years ago, allowing us to experience him as a living, breathing human being.
This allows readers to empathize more deeply with the character of Jesus and think about the meaning of his teachings.
It also adds interest by deeply illuminating the figure of Jesus in theological and historical terms, while adding the author's imagination.
Speaking of the Sad Jesus
A revised edition of "The Life of Jesus" by Shusaku Endo, a representative Japanese novelist, has been published.
Shusaku Endo is a writer who deeply explores themes such as religion, life, death, and salvation.
In particular, as his literary journey began with the Catholic faith, he left behind many works on Christian themes.
The recently revised and published "The Life of Jesus" is the novel that best allows one to experience Endo Shusakuman's image of God, the "maternal God."
In this work, he portrays the life of Jesus through theological knowledge, deep faith, and creative imagination.
Additionally, the content of the Bible was explained through the historical context, adding further depth.
In this revised edition, the sentences have been refined to better convey the unique writing style of Endo Shusaku, and the text has been revised to reflect the new translation of the Bible from 2005.
The Life of Jesus vividly recreates the life of Jesus, a man from two thousand years ago, allowing us to experience him as a living, breathing human being.
This allows readers to empathize more deeply with the character of Jesus and think about the meaning of his teachings.
It also adds interest by deeply illuminating the figure of Jesus in theological and historical terms, while adding the author's imagination.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Leaving Nazareth 9
25 near the Dead Sea
The Dangerous Early Years 41
Spring in Galilee 59
Spies 79
The Son of Man has no place to lay his head. 99
The Helpless Jesus 113
Judas, the Poor Man 127
Jerusalem, Jerusalem 147
Night of Arrest 163
People Who Judge 185
Lord, I Leave You in My Hands 205
Riddle 223
Author's Note 252
Translator's Note 254
Americas 258
25 near the Dead Sea
The Dangerous Early Years 41
Spring in Galilee 59
Spies 79
The Son of Man has no place to lay his head. 99
The Helpless Jesus 113
Judas, the Poor Man 127
Jerusalem, Jerusalem 147
Night of Arrest 163
People Who Judge 185
Lord, I Leave You in My Hands 205
Riddle 223
Author's Note 252
Translator's Note 254
Americas 258
Detailed image
Into the book
Looking at the still, deathly still Dead Sea and the Judean Desert, Jesus must have been reminded of the mild spring of Galilee.
Does God exist solely to be angry and punish such people? Could it be that God exists to show love to those who lead miserable lives? If the Qumran community and the community of John the Baptist, upon seeing the desolate Dead Sea and the barren mountains, envisioned a God of wrath, Jesus envisioned a God who was the exact opposite.
God is love itself, who knows the sorrow and pain of human beings… … .
---From "Near the Dead Sea"
This Sea of Galilee, where Jesus spoke of the God of love, is quite different from the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea, where not a single tree or blade of grass stands.
Although the people's lives are poor and miserable, the scenery here is gentle and beautiful.
Gentle hills where flocks graze, tall eucalyptus trees casting shadows on the lake, the wind blowing through the forest.
The fields are full of yellow chrysanthemums and red poppies, and on the other side of the lake, fishing boats float on the surface.
Life is so pitiful, yet nature is so beautiful.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
“I will give you rest.”
From these words of Jesus, we imagine him standing on the shore of a lake with his arms outstretched.
The cry is carried by the wind that blows across the lake and reaches the poor villages and hamlets near the lakeside.
When old people, women, the lame, and the blind heard the sound, they came out of the dark house and listened to his voice.
---From "Spring in Galilee"
What Jesus cared about were those who were weeping in miserable circumstances, the sick and the disabled who lived in the dilapidated huts of poor villages and settlements.
Jesus felt pain when he saw them, and he felt compassion and love.
Humans are usually attracted to beautiful and attractive things, but turn away from ugly and dirty things.
But in Jesus' case it was the opposite.
He felt love for prostitutes and lepers, who were despised by the people.
The unfortunate people who appear in the 'miracle story', their suffering weighs heavily on Jesus' thin shoulders.
He must have prayed like this at that time.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
He offered this verse of the Psalm that he would soon recite from the cross, and he prayed countless times for the miserable people of Galilee.
---From "The Spies"
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
His voice spread across the gentle hills where sheep grazed and the forests that shadowed the lake.
The branches of the trees in the forest rustled in the breeze, red poppies were in full bloom on the lakeside, and a small boat was floating on the calm, sun-drenched waves.
The crowd was in an uproar.
They never dreamed that Jesus would say such a surprising thing in response to their expected cries.
In the case of Judaism, the rabbinic tradition that has influenced them up to now, the concept of love has never been ignored.
But it did not foster faith by making it the highest value.
Never before have the 'poor in spirit', the 'meek', the 'weeping', and the 'good' been held in such high esteem.
---From "The Spies"
He was keenly aware of how much this thirty-three piece price would bring shame to Jesus' life.
At the same time, he knew that his soul was being sold for a mere penny.
He thought his own vile deeds were of such a low degree, and accepted the money which the high priest had contemptuously offered him.
The distorted expression and self-deprecation of Judas, who received the money, are vividly felt.
The Gospel description of the thirty pieces of silver is imbued with Judas' suffering, self-torture, and loneliness.
The next day, Judas thought about Jesus being rejected by the people and being insulted and humiliated.
Meanwhile, he thought about himself as a traitor, forever abandoned by people and subjected to insults and humiliation.
It is impossible to know how keenly he felt the mysterious connection between the betrayed and the traitor at this time.
But once you encounter Jesus, you will never forget him.
---From "Night of Arrest"
“Father, forgive them.
They don't know what they're doing.”
These were the words that flowed from the parched lips of Jesus.
Looking at these words, we see that Jesus is desperately trying to defend those who lack love.
To paraphrase Jesus' words, “It is not that they do not have love.
“It’s just that I’m not good at expressing my love, and I still don’t really know what love is.”
---From "Lord, I Leave You in Your Hands"
They recalled the face and appearance of their living teacher.
Very tired and sunken eyes, a look of sadness in them.
And in those smiling eyes, an innocent light lingers.
A man who could do nothing, a man who was powerless in this world, a man who was thin and unattractive, he simply did not turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
And he stayed silently beside the crying women and the lonely old man.
Although he did not perform any miracles, a love much deeper than miracles overflowed from his blank eyes.
He never uttered a single word of resentment toward those who had abandoned him or betrayed him.
He was a 'man of sorrows', and he prayed only for the salvation of his disciples.
That was all there was to Jesus' life.
It was as simple and clear as a single letter written on a white piece of paper.
It was so simple and clear that no one knew it, and no one could know it.
Does God exist solely to be angry and punish such people? Could it be that God exists to show love to those who lead miserable lives? If the Qumran community and the community of John the Baptist, upon seeing the desolate Dead Sea and the barren mountains, envisioned a God of wrath, Jesus envisioned a God who was the exact opposite.
God is love itself, who knows the sorrow and pain of human beings… … .
---From "Near the Dead Sea"
This Sea of Galilee, where Jesus spoke of the God of love, is quite different from the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea, where not a single tree or blade of grass stands.
Although the people's lives are poor and miserable, the scenery here is gentle and beautiful.
Gentle hills where flocks graze, tall eucalyptus trees casting shadows on the lake, the wind blowing through the forest.
The fields are full of yellow chrysanthemums and red poppies, and on the other side of the lake, fishing boats float on the surface.
Life is so pitiful, yet nature is so beautiful.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
“I will give you rest.”
From these words of Jesus, we imagine him standing on the shore of a lake with his arms outstretched.
The cry is carried by the wind that blows across the lake and reaches the poor villages and hamlets near the lakeside.
When old people, women, the lame, and the blind heard the sound, they came out of the dark house and listened to his voice.
---From "Spring in Galilee"
What Jesus cared about were those who were weeping in miserable circumstances, the sick and the disabled who lived in the dilapidated huts of poor villages and settlements.
Jesus felt pain when he saw them, and he felt compassion and love.
Humans are usually attracted to beautiful and attractive things, but turn away from ugly and dirty things.
But in Jesus' case it was the opposite.
He felt love for prostitutes and lepers, who were despised by the people.
The unfortunate people who appear in the 'miracle story', their suffering weighs heavily on Jesus' thin shoulders.
He must have prayed like this at that time.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
He offered this verse of the Psalm that he would soon recite from the cross, and he prayed countless times for the miserable people of Galilee.
---From "The Spies"
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
His voice spread across the gentle hills where sheep grazed and the forests that shadowed the lake.
The branches of the trees in the forest rustled in the breeze, red poppies were in full bloom on the lakeside, and a small boat was floating on the calm, sun-drenched waves.
The crowd was in an uproar.
They never dreamed that Jesus would say such a surprising thing in response to their expected cries.
In the case of Judaism, the rabbinic tradition that has influenced them up to now, the concept of love has never been ignored.
But it did not foster faith by making it the highest value.
Never before have the 'poor in spirit', the 'meek', the 'weeping', and the 'good' been held in such high esteem.
---From "The Spies"
He was keenly aware of how much this thirty-three piece price would bring shame to Jesus' life.
At the same time, he knew that his soul was being sold for a mere penny.
He thought his own vile deeds were of such a low degree, and accepted the money which the high priest had contemptuously offered him.
The distorted expression and self-deprecation of Judas, who received the money, are vividly felt.
The Gospel description of the thirty pieces of silver is imbued with Judas' suffering, self-torture, and loneliness.
The next day, Judas thought about Jesus being rejected by the people and being insulted and humiliated.
Meanwhile, he thought about himself as a traitor, forever abandoned by people and subjected to insults and humiliation.
It is impossible to know how keenly he felt the mysterious connection between the betrayed and the traitor at this time.
But once you encounter Jesus, you will never forget him.
---From "Night of Arrest"
“Father, forgive them.
They don't know what they're doing.”
These were the words that flowed from the parched lips of Jesus.
Looking at these words, we see that Jesus is desperately trying to defend those who lack love.
To paraphrase Jesus' words, “It is not that they do not have love.
“It’s just that I’m not good at expressing my love, and I still don’t really know what love is.”
---From "Lord, I Leave You in Your Hands"
They recalled the face and appearance of their living teacher.
Very tired and sunken eyes, a look of sadness in them.
And in those smiling eyes, an innocent light lingers.
A man who could do nothing, a man who was powerless in this world, a man who was thin and unattractive, he simply did not turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
And he stayed silently beside the crying women and the lonely old man.
Although he did not perform any miracles, a love much deeper than miracles overflowed from his blank eyes.
He never uttered a single word of resentment toward those who had abandoned him or betrayed him.
He was a 'man of sorrows', and he prayed only for the salvation of his disciples.
That was all there was to Jesus' life.
It was as simple and clear as a single letter written on a white piece of paper.
It was so simple and clear that no one knew it, and no one could know it.
---From "The Mystery"
Publisher's Review
A portrait of a man who longed to find the true God.
The novel begins with Jesus leaving his hometown of Nazareth.
He was baptized by John the Baptist and entered the ascetic community of the Eneses.
Added to this is the fictional imagination that Jesus stayed with the Qumran community and discovered his calling through 40 days of fasting and prayer.
After going through this period, Jesus finally finds his own 'God of love'.
Jesus wants to make known to people the ‘God of love’ by being with his like-minded disciples.
But people only hope that he will perform a miracle and save them from their painful reality.
Jesus also knew that the 'love' he spoke of was powerless in reality.
Even the disciples do not understand such a teacher.
In this gap, Jesus was lonely.
But despite these accusations and misunderstandings, he silently stayed by the side of the sick, the poor, and the marginalized.
And I want to be a friend, comforting their sadness and pain.
The novel features two biblical figures, a sinful woman and a woman who suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years, and movingly portrays these aspects of Jesus.
From whom did the woman hear about Jesus? Why did she decide to seek him out? She likely had no idea who he was, but she likely sensed an indescribable "gentleness" in his presence.
A woman who had become accustomed to her own misery and self-contempt instinctively sensed what a gentle heart was.
… … From the woman’s tears, Jesus knew everything.
I also understood how much this woman had been despised by others and how she had been left to brood over her own misery alone.
Those tears were enough.
It was enough for God to accept him with pleasure.
― From the text
This 'love' of Jesus, which seemed helpless in reality, later became the power that transformed the cowardly disciples into apostles.
The love that Jesus spoke of was more powerful than any power or glory in the world.
Jesus, the most talked-about figure in human history, has become an eternal mystery.
Therefore, the theme of this novel can be said to be love, not the miracles performed by Jesus.
And furthermore, it shows that Jesus' love was more amazing than any miracle he performed.
“We have never seen his face or heard his voice.”
Tracing the life of Jesus, one of the most enigmatic figures in human history, from various angles.
This novel deeply illuminates the life of a single person, Jesus, through biblical and historical backgrounds, while also adding imagination by utilizing the novel genre.
So, the story of Jesus, a young man living an ordinary life in Nazareth, his public life with like-minded disciples, the conspiracy of the Jewish Council and Herod Antipas, and his death on the cross are all described like a drama.
So, despite the seemingly dry and indifferent depiction of Jesus' life, it is portrayed in an engaging way.
The content was enriched through various attempts, such as keeping the text of the Bible intact while expressing it differently to fit the situation in the novel.
It is also interesting to approach Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus, from a new perspective.
In the novel, Judas holds a critical view of the 'love' Jesus speaks of, but he is portrayed as the only one who understood the sincerity of his teacher, which the other disciples did not understand until the end.
This unique feature of this book allows readers to get closer to the person and life of Jesus, allowing them to experience the maternal figure of Christ who embraces human sorrow and pain.
This can be said to be the author's intention to highlight the figure of a 'companion' who wanted to be a friend to the poor and unfortunate.
By doing so, it beautifully portrays the human figure of Jesus, who was weak and unattractive, but purer and more noble than anyone else.
“This Jesus has become ‘my Jesus.’”
I hope everyone can find their own Jesus.
You don't have to be a Westerner to know Jesus.
Even as Japanese people, we can know that Jesus exists.
As I read the Bible and explored Christianity, I discovered an image of Jesus that even Japanese people could relate to.
And that Jesus became my Jesus.
I wanted to highlight that kind of Jesus in this book.
That is the theme of this book.
… … I have only approached one aspect of Jesus’ human life.
However, if the image of Jesus that I, a Japanese person, mentioned could provide even a little bit of realism and understanding to readers who had no connection to Christianity, I feel that this work was not in vain.
― From the text
Shusaku Endo confesses that through this work he discovered his own Jesus, and that through it he was able to get closer to the figure of Jesus.
Likewise, if someone were to ask us, "What is Jesus to you?" how would we answer? We might say he's a comforting friend, or we might say he's a fearful figure, or we might say we're not sure.
This book does not stop at simply sketching out the historical Jesus or the Jesus depicted in the Bible.
Furthermore, it leads readers to find their own Jesus.
This is also what Endo Shusaku ultimately sought to find in his literary world.
So, this book allows believers to rediscover their own faith and religion.
Even for non-believers, the image of Jesus, who harbored pure ideals and struggled with them, will help many find the ultimate goal of life they longed for.
By not remaining confined to the limitations of being a religious work, but illuminating the person and life of Jesus from various perspectives, I expect that not only Catholics but also those interested in Christianity and the person of Jesus will find this book an interesting read.
Additionally, as it is a work that condenses the works of Shusaku Endo, you will be able to gain an in-depth understanding of his world of art.
The novel begins with Jesus leaving his hometown of Nazareth.
He was baptized by John the Baptist and entered the ascetic community of the Eneses.
Added to this is the fictional imagination that Jesus stayed with the Qumran community and discovered his calling through 40 days of fasting and prayer.
After going through this period, Jesus finally finds his own 'God of love'.
Jesus wants to make known to people the ‘God of love’ by being with his like-minded disciples.
But people only hope that he will perform a miracle and save them from their painful reality.
Jesus also knew that the 'love' he spoke of was powerless in reality.
Even the disciples do not understand such a teacher.
In this gap, Jesus was lonely.
But despite these accusations and misunderstandings, he silently stayed by the side of the sick, the poor, and the marginalized.
And I want to be a friend, comforting their sadness and pain.
The novel features two biblical figures, a sinful woman and a woman who suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years, and movingly portrays these aspects of Jesus.
From whom did the woman hear about Jesus? Why did she decide to seek him out? She likely had no idea who he was, but she likely sensed an indescribable "gentleness" in his presence.
A woman who had become accustomed to her own misery and self-contempt instinctively sensed what a gentle heart was.
… … From the woman’s tears, Jesus knew everything.
I also understood how much this woman had been despised by others and how she had been left to brood over her own misery alone.
Those tears were enough.
It was enough for God to accept him with pleasure.
― From the text
This 'love' of Jesus, which seemed helpless in reality, later became the power that transformed the cowardly disciples into apostles.
The love that Jesus spoke of was more powerful than any power or glory in the world.
Jesus, the most talked-about figure in human history, has become an eternal mystery.
Therefore, the theme of this novel can be said to be love, not the miracles performed by Jesus.
And furthermore, it shows that Jesus' love was more amazing than any miracle he performed.
“We have never seen his face or heard his voice.”
Tracing the life of Jesus, one of the most enigmatic figures in human history, from various angles.
This novel deeply illuminates the life of a single person, Jesus, through biblical and historical backgrounds, while also adding imagination by utilizing the novel genre.
So, the story of Jesus, a young man living an ordinary life in Nazareth, his public life with like-minded disciples, the conspiracy of the Jewish Council and Herod Antipas, and his death on the cross are all described like a drama.
So, despite the seemingly dry and indifferent depiction of Jesus' life, it is portrayed in an engaging way.
The content was enriched through various attempts, such as keeping the text of the Bible intact while expressing it differently to fit the situation in the novel.
It is also interesting to approach Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus, from a new perspective.
In the novel, Judas holds a critical view of the 'love' Jesus speaks of, but he is portrayed as the only one who understood the sincerity of his teacher, which the other disciples did not understand until the end.
This unique feature of this book allows readers to get closer to the person and life of Jesus, allowing them to experience the maternal figure of Christ who embraces human sorrow and pain.
This can be said to be the author's intention to highlight the figure of a 'companion' who wanted to be a friend to the poor and unfortunate.
By doing so, it beautifully portrays the human figure of Jesus, who was weak and unattractive, but purer and more noble than anyone else.
“This Jesus has become ‘my Jesus.’”
I hope everyone can find their own Jesus.
You don't have to be a Westerner to know Jesus.
Even as Japanese people, we can know that Jesus exists.
As I read the Bible and explored Christianity, I discovered an image of Jesus that even Japanese people could relate to.
And that Jesus became my Jesus.
I wanted to highlight that kind of Jesus in this book.
That is the theme of this book.
… … I have only approached one aspect of Jesus’ human life.
However, if the image of Jesus that I, a Japanese person, mentioned could provide even a little bit of realism and understanding to readers who had no connection to Christianity, I feel that this work was not in vain.
― From the text
Shusaku Endo confesses that through this work he discovered his own Jesus, and that through it he was able to get closer to the figure of Jesus.
Likewise, if someone were to ask us, "What is Jesus to you?" how would we answer? We might say he's a comforting friend, or we might say he's a fearful figure, or we might say we're not sure.
This book does not stop at simply sketching out the historical Jesus or the Jesus depicted in the Bible.
Furthermore, it leads readers to find their own Jesus.
This is also what Endo Shusaku ultimately sought to find in his literary world.
So, this book allows believers to rediscover their own faith and religion.
Even for non-believers, the image of Jesus, who harbored pure ideals and struggled with them, will help many find the ultimate goal of life they longed for.
By not remaining confined to the limitations of being a religious work, but illuminating the person and life of Jesus from various perspectives, I expect that not only Catholics but also those interested in Christianity and the person of Jesus will find this book an interesting read.
Additionally, as it is a work that condenses the works of Shusaku Endo, you will be able to gain an in-depth understanding of his world of art.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Publication date: June 29, 2021
- Page count, weight, size: 268 pages | 338g | 140*205*20mm
- ISBN13: 9788932117799
- ISBN10: 8932117799
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