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The Protoevangelium of James: Greek and English Texts
The Gospel of James, also known as the Infancy Gospel of James, the Book of James, and the Protoevangelium of James, is an apocryphal gospel probably written about AD 145, which expands backward in time the infancy stories contained in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and presents a narrative concerning the birth and upbringing of Mary herself. It is the oldest source to assert the virginity of Mary not only prior to, but during (and after) the birth of Jesus.
60 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 3, 2026
Very quick read, and even quicker if you read none or little of the commentary.
Awesome that this book has the Greek text in the back (heading says, "Byzantine Greek Text Codex C (Paris 1454, 10th CE)"). The commentary is also quite nice to have.
Though interesting, I have to say that this comes off as bad ancient fan fiction. Mary's father is told he can't make an offering because he has no kids? Since when does a church refuse offerings, especially double from a wealthy man? No food or drink for 40 days? I guess he ate and drank after sunset each night, because he didn't die. (Even the story about Jesus fasting intimates he drank water, because the devil tempted him with bread, not water.)
Mom puts 6 month old Mary on the ground and she walked 7 steps? (For those who don't know, it is at 6 months that babies learn to sit, unpropped. To say one walked is very unrealistic fan fiction.) Then the mom snatches her up and declares Mary won't walk on the earth until she goes to the temple? One wonders if Mary was allowed to walk on a floor, or if she was imprisoned.
On her first birthday, a great feast was made in her honor. The guests were priests, scribes, elders, and, "all the people of Israel." So, we are to believe that these men went to a feast in honor of a female child? In that era? And the chief priests blessed a girl baby?
Oh, and at age 3, she "danced with her feet" on the 3rd step of the altar - so I guess her mother did allow her to walk after all? Would they allow any children to be put down on a step of an altar? All the house of Israel loved her?
Mary, living in a very mysogynistic culture was given to the temple at age 3, and when she was 12 (nearly old enough to start having menstrual periods) they married her off to an old man with kids?
Oh, wait. An angel told them to do the equvalent of "the prince is giving a ball" and the sign fell on Joseph. Joseph objected, saying, "I'm an old man and she's a young girl. I am no PDF file!" Oh, wait, scratch that 2nd sentence. He was afraid of being laughed at, not of being a pervert. Then the priests essentially told him God would kill him if he didn't marry a girl his granddaughter's age, so he took her to his house, then left until she was 16. Returned when she was pregnant and looked about to pop. The priests were mortified, saying Joseph had committed a grievous sin by secretly marrying the girl they told him to marry, with a death penalty if he refused.
Joseph's adult son (at least 13 years old and the future apostle James, according to the commentary) led the ass Mary rode to Bethlehem (remember Mary is 16, possibly 17, at this point). Oh, there is no inn in this story. They find a cave in the desert, and we find that two of Joseph's sons are there, not one. And there's a weird conversation with a midwife (Joseph is out looking for one).
There's a bright light. When it leaves, there is newborn Jesus.
And the midwife didn't believe Mary is a virgin, so checks her private parts - so I guess the light at the birth gave birth to Jesus, not Mary. Oh, and Mary's private parts burned the midwife's hand.
Zachariah gets killed at daybreak by Herod's soldiers next to the altar, but there is no body and his blood had turned to stone?
Ancient text found and translated: 5 stars.
Bad fan fiction from ancient times: 2 stars
Commentary/explanations 5 stars.
Averages out to 4 stars
Awesome that this book has the Greek text in the back (heading says, "Byzantine Greek Text Codex C (Paris 1454, 10th CE)"). The commentary is also quite nice to have.
Though interesting, I have to say that this comes off as bad ancient fan fiction. Mary's father is told he can't make an offering because he has no kids? Since when does a church refuse offerings, especially double from a wealthy man? No food or drink for 40 days? I guess he ate and drank after sunset each night, because he didn't die. (Even the story about Jesus fasting intimates he drank water, because the devil tempted him with bread, not water.)
Mom puts 6 month old Mary on the ground and she walked 7 steps? (For those who don't know, it is at 6 months that babies learn to sit, unpropped. To say one walked is very unrealistic fan fiction.) Then the mom snatches her up and declares Mary won't walk on the earth until she goes to the temple? One wonders if Mary was allowed to walk on a floor, or if she was imprisoned.
On her first birthday, a great feast was made in her honor. The guests were priests, scribes, elders, and, "all the people of Israel." So, we are to believe that these men went to a feast in honor of a female child? In that era? And the chief priests blessed a girl baby?
Oh, and at age 3, she "danced with her feet" on the 3rd step of the altar - so I guess her mother did allow her to walk after all? Would they allow any children to be put down on a step of an altar? All the house of Israel loved her?
Mary, living in a very mysogynistic culture was given to the temple at age 3, and when she was 12 (nearly old enough to start having menstrual periods) they married her off to an old man with kids?
Oh, wait. An angel told them to do the equvalent of "the prince is giving a ball" and the sign fell on Joseph. Joseph objected, saying, "I'm an old man and she's a young girl. I am no PDF file!" Oh, wait, scratch that 2nd sentence. He was afraid of being laughed at, not of being a pervert. Then the priests essentially told him God would kill him if he didn't marry a girl his granddaughter's age, so he took her to his house, then left until she was 16. Returned when she was pregnant and looked about to pop. The priests were mortified, saying Joseph had committed a grievous sin by secretly marrying the girl they told him to marry, with a death penalty if he refused.
Joseph's adult son (at least 13 years old and the future apostle James, according to the commentary) led the ass Mary rode to Bethlehem (remember Mary is 16, possibly 17, at this point). Oh, there is no inn in this story. They find a cave in the desert, and we find that two of Joseph's sons are there, not one. And there's a weird conversation with a midwife (Joseph is out looking for one).
There's a bright light. When it leaves, there is newborn Jesus.
And the midwife didn't believe Mary is a virgin, so checks her private parts - so I guess the light at the birth gave birth to Jesus, not Mary. Oh, and Mary's private parts burned the midwife's hand.
Zachariah gets killed at daybreak by Herod's soldiers next to the altar, but there is no body and his blood had turned to stone?
Ancient text found and translated: 5 stars.
Bad fan fiction from ancient times: 2 stars
Commentary/explanations 5 stars.
Averages out to 4 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2025
An excellent theological reflection on the life of the Theotokos from the early Church
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews