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.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

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 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 canon
linked to: New Testament
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

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (16)

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

Saint Anne mentionedIn Protoevangelium of James
Maximus the Confessor majorWork Life of the Virgin (attributed)
subject linked to: St. Maximus the Confessor
linked to: Protoevangelium of James
Saint Joachim mentionedIn Protoevangelium of James
Sant’Anna appearsIn apocryphal Gospel of James
subject linked to: Sant’Anna (Italian)
linked to: Protoevangelium of James
The Marriage of the Virgin basedOn Protoevangelium of James
Apocryphal New Testament writings includeWork Protoevangelium of James
Infancy Gospel of Thomas relatedWork Protoevangelium of James
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew basedOn Protoevangelium of James
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew relatedWork Protoevangelium of James
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew relatedWork Gospel of James
linked to: Protoevangelium of James
Anne mentionedIn Protoevangelium of James
The Presentation of the Virgin Mary basedOn apocryphal Protoevangelium of James
linked to: Protoevangelium of James
Birth of the Virgin Mary linkedTo apocryphal Protoevangelium of James
linked to: Protoevangelium of James
Anna appearsIn Protoevangelium of James