Interesting concept but not one of Gibran's best. This book is a short collection of stories of various people who encountered Jesus during his time on earth.

Love is a sacred mystery. To those who love, it remains forever wordless;
But to those who do not love, it may be but a heartless jest.

My third time reading this precious book left me emotionally wrecked yet again.

Often it seems to me that He was but a dream dreamed by countless men and women at the same time in a sleep deeper than sleep and a dawn more serene than all dawns.

In this book, with his uniquely lyrical style, Gibran portrays Christ from different people’s perspective; people who knew him and loved him and those who knew him and despised him; people who followed him and those who betrayed him.

One man longed for a kingdom in which he was to be a prince.
Another man desired a kingdom in which all men shall be princes.

We see Jesus through the eyes of his mother, his maternal grandmother, Peter, James, John, Judas , Mary Magdalen...

Then His eyes opened wide to the sky, and He said: “Father, why hast Thou forsaken us?”
And then He said in compassion, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

...and we see him with the eyes of a cobbler in Jerusalem, a Greek apothecary, a man from Lebanon, a rich merchant, a Persian philosopher, Pontius Pilatus and his wife and many other real and fictional characters.

Master, Master of our lonely hours, Here and there, betwixt the cradle and the coffin, I meet your silent brothers, The free men, unshackled, Sons of your mother earth and space. They are like the birds of the sky, And like the lilies of the field. They live your life and think your thoughts, And they echo your song. But they are empty–handed, And they are not crucified with the great crucifixion. And therein is their pain. The world crucifies them every day, But only in little ways. The sky is not shaken, And the earth travails not with her dead. They are crucified and there is none to witness their agony. They turn their face to right and left And find not one to promise them a station in his kingdom. Yet they would be crucified again and yet again, That your God may be their God, And your Father their Father.

I have read this book many times over the last 20 years--sometimes just certain passages. It is good for ME. It opens a door of understanding Jesus--His Words, His Deeds and why He was here. I was introduced to Khalil Gibran in college (a very long time ago) through his book The Prophet. He was like a Guru to me then and his words of inspiration have remained with me--as well as the well worn book.

Not bad - the premise is to write (muse on and turn into words) what many people might have thought about Jesus. All his Biblically named friends, as well as antagonists (Annas the high priest, Barabbas, etc) and some thoughts from 10, 20, 30 years later - Mary Magdalene, and even Kahlil, describing himself as "a man from Lebanon 19 centuries later."

79 essays in all, from those on the margins, to those with status and power, those who interacted with Jesus, to those who saw changes in friends of theirs who interacted with Him. One mother was not happy that Jesus was the reason her only son turned into an itinerant wanderer; Mary, Jesus' mother had her own musings.

I don't know how many times I've read this book. Maybe more than 10 times since the first time I read it in 2008, when I was still in college. Still, the book keeps me amazed until now. The words are beautifully crafted and it has strong power to depict My Lord, Jesus, from many views: beggar, His disciple, The Pharisees, a young shepherd, prostitute, His grandma, a bride, and many others.

I always cry when reading story of Rafka, the bride from Kana, where Jesus did his first miracle: changing water into wine. Also the story of young shepherd who was very sad because one of his sheeps was lost. Jesus asked him, when He knew it, He searched for the sheep for a while. Then Jesus made the shepherd smile and speechless when He brought back the sheep. I just can clearly imagine the shepherd and his sheep staring at Jesus, speechless.

Well, even most of the stories are fiction, I still suggest you to read it. I hope you feel the way I do. God bless you ^_^

I found it as beautifully written as I’ve come to expect from Gibran, delivered in prose that carries the grace of poetry. The work is presented as reminiscences of Jesus from those who knew him, with reflections offered in the months or years after his disappearance. Those contributing are many familiar Biblical personages — the disciples, the various Marys, minor characters in the New Testament like Simeon and Joseph of Arimathea, as well as invented ones — Greek traders, Syrian farmers, etc. Their opinions on Jesus vary widely: while most speak of him with awe and love, there are others who still scoff and spit. Beauty prevails, though. When Gibran has Jesus or the disciples speak, their language is drawn from the New Testament but given a certain Gibranian flair. Those familiar with Gibran will recognize his poetic style, interpreting and bringing the beauty of many Gospel stories all the more to mind. I’m going to follow this post with a few quotes; more are available if you follow me on Goodreads. I loved it and was reminded of why Gibran has stayed so close to my mind in the fourteen years I’ve known of him.

ada syair yang begitu menyentuhku didalam buku ini...
syair yang ngungkapin sama persis bagaimana saat aku menemukanNYA

It may seem presumptuous for someone from the 20th century to write about the life of Jesus in this manner, but Gibran pulled it off brilliantly. I actually bring this book to church, and read it alongside the scriptures for inspiration! Jesus: The Son of Man gives readers a very personal look at the Savior, and a very affecting one.

ეს წიგნი უფრო პოეზიაა ვიდრე პროზა. ჯიბრან ხალილ ჯიბრანმა ძალიან საინტერესო ხერხი აირჩია იმ ამბის მოსაყოლად, რომელიც არაერთხელ მოგვისმენია და მან ეს ყველაზე კარგად შეძლო. ჩემთვის გასაოცარი იყო თარგმანიც, განსაკუთრებით ვედრებების, ლოცვების და ბოლო თავისა. ამ უკანა��კნელმა (ლიბანელმა კაცმა ცხრამეტი საუკუნის შემდეგ) კი მაიძულა ამ ტექსტისთვის მეხუთე ვარსკვლავიც დამემატებინა, ისე კი ვფიქრობ ოთხი ეკუთვნის.

"და უფალმა ყველა შეგვიწყალოს"

Currently reading it. Gibran is extremely captivating and this is unlike anything I've read.

Jesus the Son of Man, Kahlil Gibran
عنوانها: مسیح فرزند انسان (مسیح از نگاه دیگران)؛ مسیحا؛ عیسا پسر انسان؛ نویسنده: جبران خلیل جبران؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: بیست و سوم ژوئیه سال 2003 میلادی
عنوان اصلی: یسوع بن الانسان؛ نویسنده: جبران خلیل جبران؛ قاهره، دارالشرق، 1378، در 255 ص؛
کتاب هفتاد و هفت بخش است و هر بخش دربردارنده ی مطالبی از زبان دوستان، دشمنان و کسانی که عیسی(ع) را دیده یا می‌شناسند. جبران بی هیچ تعصبی خاطرات آنها را با واژه های زیبا و درخشنده بیان کرده است
عنوان: مسیح فرزند انسان (مسیح از نگاه دیگران)؛ نویسنده: جبران خلیل جبران؛ مترجم: سیمین پناهی فرد؛ تهران، نیک فرجام، 1382؛ در 256 ص؛ چاپ دوم 1385؛ چاپ سوم 1386؛ شابک: 9789649627748؛ چاپ پنجم 1387؛ چاپ هفتم 1388؛ عنوان دیگر: عیسی پسر انسان و بالهای شکسته؛ چاپ دیگر: تهران، آسو، 1394؛ در 296 ص؛ شابک: 9786007228548؛ موضوع: داستان عیسی مسیح در نگاه دیگران - قرن 20 م
عنوان: مسیح فرزند انسان؛ مترجم: مسعود انصاری؛ تهران، جامی، 1382؛ در 231 ص؛ چاپ دیگر: تهران، جامی، 1384؛ در 190 ص؛ شابک: 9645620082؛
عنوان: مسیح فرزند انسان (مسیح از نگاه دیگران)؛ نویسنده: جبران خلیل جبران؛ مترجم: مهدی سرحدی؛ تهران، کلیدر، 1383؛ در 144 ص؛
عنوان: مسیح فرزند انسان؛ مترجم: سهیلا زمانی؛ تهران، سپر ادب، 1384؛ در 280 ص؛ شابک: 9649627855؛
عنوان: مسیحا؛ مترجم: مسیحا برزگر؛ تهران، ذهن آویز، 1387؛ در 304 ص؛ شابک: 9786005219517؛
مترجم: مرضیه صادقی زاده؛ تهران، آلوس، 1394؛ در 296 ص؛ شابک: 9786008129462؛
عنوان: عیسا پسر انسان؛ مترجم: رضا ابوترابی؛ مشهد، آیین تربیت، سنبله، 1384؛ در 268 ص؛ شابک: 9643921166؛
کتاب هفتاد و هفت بخش است و هر بخش دربردارنده ی مطالبی از زبان دوستان، دشمنان و کسانی که عیسی(ع) را دیده یا می‌شناسند. جبران بی هیچ تعصبی خاطرات آنها را با واژه های زیبا و درخشنده بیان کرده است
ا. شربیانی

¿La verdad, la verdad, la verdad? No fue mi libro.

Y es que Jalil Gibrán no puede más que hacerme sentir como que estoy leyendo a un hippie dándose aires de profundidad espiritual insondable, cuando sólo hace conjeturas relativisas. Sí, no lo voy a juzgar duro sólo porque no me gusta su género, pero independientemente, su tono me suena a libro de autoayuda mal maquillado.

Lo que sí le reconozco, es la extensiva investigación que hizo y la desbordante imaginación poética para darle palabras a cada personaje del libro (aunque en sí, todos parecen el mismo personaje... bueno ya, ya, no lo voy a criticar de más), algunos relatos me gustaron, en específico, Poncio Pilato, Juan el Discípulo y el Hombre del Líbano. Claro, deja caer el sablazo contra los católicos en las últimas 2 páginas del libro, pero la verdad, eso ya me lo esperaba. Desde la página 20 o 30 noté que el tipo estaba más New Age que nada.

Siento una espiritualidad muy ligera cuando leo historia tras historia. Como si me sumergiera en una molesta neblina... hay gente que le gusta, pero a mi me irrita que no pueda ser o agua, o aire. Esa sí es una muy personal opinión. Fuera de eso, el punto de vista de cada personaje sobre Jesús va cargado de subjetividad, dándole el trono a quienes coronaron a Jesús de humano extraordinario, y encerrando en la locura poética a quienes lo ven como Dios. Y digo, eso le da substancia y credibilidad, porque a todos les puedes sacar un lado fuerte y uno flaco en su descripción de Jesús.

Ya para terminar, como católico, el libro me pareció débil (incluso para querer hacer su punto sobre el New Age sobre un Jesús "sólo humano"). Como lector, me aburrió mucho (tal vez por eso tardé 6 años en terminarlo). No es mi tipo de libro, pero debo reconocer la cuidadosa formulación reflexiva de Gibran que no cualquiera se avienta. Esa variedad, ya le da de por sí valor agregado al libro. Es por eso que le doy tres estrellitas: no por que no me guste significa que no haya sido bueno en algo.

Gracias.