Words and gestures: a typical day in the life of Jesus

Régis Burnet “Una giornata della vita di Gesù” [A Day in the Life of Jesus] Queriniana 2023

A beautiful idea sustains the book by French exegete Regis Burnet, namely that of placing the events, words and experience of Jesus of Nazareth within the 12 hours that marked the Jewish solar day. The approach is narrative, as can be expected, and the approach rather simple, but the contents are highly qualified and open, on each of the aspects treated, with very up-to-date and refined references.

Burnet sets Jesus in motion and thus we see him sit in Simon’s house at the first vigil of the night, cross the lake and quell the storm at the third vigil, teach the Our Father at the third hour, perform miracles at the sixth and tell parables at the ninth; and finally, proclaim the Beatitudes at the tenth hour and meet someone at the twelfth hour, after sunset. Each passage of the gospel is also an opportunity to talk about the food Jesus ate, the clothes he wore, the care of his body, his friendship and parental relationships. An amusing consideration: from the discovery of skulls in 1st century burial grounds in Egypt, the author suggests that perhaps Jesus had dark skin, short or somewhat thick hair, perhaps curly, and a very short beard. However, I ask myself, how are we to rid ourselves of the centuries-old image of a blond, blue-eyed Jesus with a coppery colored, flowing beard? 

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