“Jesus: His Life in Verses from the King James Holy Bible”
by Gennady Spirin.
Marshall Cavendish Children, Tarrytown, New York, 2010, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Lent is a season in which we think and meditate on the life of Our Divine Savior. It is fitting that we do so; all human existence finds its true meaning in the life of Jesus Christ. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.
The Sacred Scriptures tell us about the life of our marvelous Redeemer. The Russian-born artist Gennady Spirin has drawn 12 pictures to accompany passages from the Holy Gospels. The name of this book is “Jesus: His Life in Verses from the King James Holy Bible.”
It is only fitting that Spirin starts at the beginning with the Angel Gabriel asking the Blessed Virgin if she would become the mother of God. As the Angel Gabriel extends a pure white lily toward Mary, she answers much to the happiness of mankind: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word.” (Lk 1:26-38)
Next comes an elaborate double-page illustration of the Nativity. On one page we see the Three Wise Men journeying to Bethlehem and on the other we see the Blessed Mother holding the Holy Infant in swaddling clothes. Appropriately, St. Joseph humbly and lovingly worships the newborn King of the Jews.
In the third picture, the artist portrays Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist. As Jesus emerges from the water, a Dove descends on Him and we hear the magnificent words: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mt 3:13-17)
Spirin then creates a double-page illustration of the 40 days of fasting in the desert and the temptations of Our Lord by the evil one. Each picture focuses on one of the temptations. In the first, we see Jesus being tempted by Satan to turn nearby stones into bread. His famous reply to the tempter is that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
After this the evil one tries to tempt Our Lord through vanity and fame by having Him throw Himself off of the Temple. The holy angels will catch Jesus lest He “dash thy foot against a stone.” And the final temptation is that of showing Jesus all the wealth and power in the world with the statement: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Our Lord’s answer is crushing: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Mt 4:1-11)
Spirin continues with this majestic approach to the life of Jesus with numerous other paintings and quotations from the Bible.
How does the artist draw the Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration, the Last Supper and the Passion? There is simply too much to tell in such a short review as this. I encourage you to go to the library and check out this marvelous book, “Jesus: His Life in Verses from the King James Holy Bible” by Gennady Spirin.
This book is best shared by two older readers or an adult and a child. Spirin draws in the Russian iconographic style which may seem somewhat formal to some Americans. Because of this, an adult can help the child connect the text and the pictures. Because of its esteemed place in the English language, many authors will take their biblical quotes from the King James Bible. Spirin draws on this tradition.
I hope you get a chance to share this beautiful book with the younger members of your family. It is powerful and passionate. I love it. Enjoy!
