Protoevangelium of James

E26591

The Protoevangelium of James is a second-century apocryphal gospel that elaborates on the early life of the Virgin Mary and the birth of Jesus, significantly shaping later Christian traditions about Mary and her parents.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (2)


Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf apocryphal gospel
early Christian text
infancy gospel
acceptedIn apocryphal Christian literature
approximateDateWritten c. 150 CE
attributedTo James the Just
authorshipStatus pseudonymous
canonicalStatus non-canonical
category Apocryphal New Testament writings
surface form: New Testament apocrypha
chapters 25
containsMotif Mary raised in the Temple
casting of lots for Mary’s guardian
cave as birthplace of Jesus
trial by ordeal of Mary and Joseph
dateWritten 2nd century
elaborates betrothal of Mary to Joseph
birth of Jesus in a cave
childhood of Mary in the Temple
conception and birth of Mary
early life of Mary
midwife’s testimony to Mary’s virginity
virginal conception of Jesus
focusesOn Virgin Mary
birth of Jesus
parents of Mary
genre narrative prose
identifiesAs parents of Mary
influenced Christian traditions about Joachim and Anne
doctrines about the perpetual virginity of Mary
iconography of the Nativity
later Marian devotion
liturgical feasts of Mary’s conception and birth
introducesCharacter Anne
Joachim
language Koine Greek
notIncludedIn New Testament
surface form: New Testament canon
relatedWork Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
religiousTradition Christianity
setting Bethlehem
Jerusalem
Nazareth
survivesIn multiple Greek manuscripts
theologicalEmphasis divine plan for Jesus’ birth
miraculous intervention in Mary’s conception
purity of Mary
translatedInto Coptic
Ethiopic
Latin
Syriac

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Sant’Anna (Italian) appearsIn Protoevangelium of James
subject surface form: Sant’Anna
this entity surface form: apocryphal Gospel of James
The Marriage of the Virgin basedOn Protoevangelium of James
St. Maximus the Confessor majorWork Protoevangelium of James
subject surface form: Maximus the Confessor
this entity surface form: Life of the Virgin (attributed)
Saint Anne mentionedIn Protoevangelium of James
Saint Joachim mentionedIn Protoevangelium of James