An Introduction to the New Testament and the Origins of Christianity

During the early centuries of Christianity, numerous works about Jesus circulated besides the four Gospels that the church eventually canonized. These apocryphal (non-canonical) works developed particular aspects of the Jesus portrayed in the canonical Gospels, such as his birth or death. The Infancy Gospels of James and Thomas and the Gospel of Peter will serve here as examples of this literature.

INFANCY GOSPELS

“Infancy Gospels” focus on the birth or childhood of Jesus. Since the canonical Gospels say little about Jesus as a child, these works satisfied the curiosity that Christians had about that part of Jesus' life.

The Infancy Gospel of James

The Infancy Gospel (or Protevangelium) of James was written under the pseudonym of “James,” probably referring to the brother of Jesus. Some scholars date it as early as the second century. It takes elements from the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke and combines them with other traditions not found in these Gospels, especially stories about the birth and childhood of Mary.

In this Gospel, Jesus is not the only one with a miraculous birth: Mary too is born from a virgin. Her mother Anna conceives without the assistance of Joachim, Anna's husband. Between the ages of three and twelve, Mary lives in the Temple, supernaturally fed by an angel. When the priests seek a husband for her, Joseph, an old widower with sons, is miraculously designated as her guardian when a dove comes out of his staff and settles on his head.