How does Visions of Christ portray Jesus differently from traditional religious writing?

In Visions of Christ (Christus-Visionen), Rainer Maria Rilke departs from traditional religious writing by adopting a less reverential tone toward his subject. Rather than portraying Jesus as the divine incarnation of God, the poem-cycle meditates on him primarily as a human figure.1

This approach reflects a shift away from conventional theological depictions, focusing instead on the humanity of the figure. Rilke’s perspective during this period was influenced by the writings of Lou Andreas-Salomé, whose 1896 essay on Jesus expressed similar views and helped shape Rilke's own interpretation.1