Jesus is not the property of any group or church: it is legitimate and necessary to socialise his story from the point of view of the shared background and knowledge of any person interested in him, independently of their religious stance. This historical study of Jesus, like others undertaken two centuries ago, questions Western cultural tradition, dogmatic formulations and the fundamental ideas of those who profess themselves followers of Jesus. His personality, his life and his message are indefatigable; in reality, it is impossible to define what is known about Jesus of Nazareth, but merely raising the subject proves fascinating.