The book known as the Gospel of James (also the Infancy Gospel of James or the Protoevangelium of James) was, in its time, well-known within Christendom. Scholars have determined it was originally composed in κοινη (koinē or “common”) Greek but it was widely trafficked, and translated into a number of languages early on, including Latin, Syriac, Coptic, and more.
It’s believed to have been written in the middle of the 2nd century; Clement of Alexandria knew of it, and he “flourished” (as historians say) starting c. 180 CE, so it must have existed by then.
Ostensibly this book is a narrative about Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it’s known as a “gospel,” but it has far more to say about his mother Mary than about him. Primarily it explains how it was that Jesus had brothers yet Mary was — and remained, for life — a virgin. The short answers are that Jesus’ brothers were actually half-brothers, that is, sons of Joseph by his earlier wives; and Mary and Joseph never consummated their marriage either before or after Jesus’ miraculous conception and birth.
The gospels of Matthew and Luke mention Jesus’ birth, but their accounts are brief, and they have precious little to say about his early life. The Gospel of James attempts to fill in this narrative hole, which was especially significant in the Greco-Roman world, wherein stories of great people often included tales of things they did in their childhoods that presaged their later careers. The Gospel of James also explains a great deal about what made Mary special, including her purity and holiness.
But note, the Gospel of James doesn’t include any outlandish stories about Jesus’ childhood, like those included in other non-canonical gospels such as the Infancy Gospel of Thomas. This gospel ironically doesn’t actually tell us much about Jesus; here he is merely an infant (although an unusual one, as you’ll see).
The Gospel of James suggests that Mary’s own birth was kind of a miracle in its own right. Her mother Anna had been barren, not unlike Abraham’s wife Sarah, making Mary’s birth a reflection of Isaac long before.
At the age of three, she was dedicated to God and brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, where she lived until reaching puberty. She was forced to leave, at which time an elderly widower, Joseph, became her guardian. This was in a literal sense; he’d been told she was a virgin dedicated to God, and was much more her protector than her husband.
She returns to the Temple for a time, along with other virgins, to help spin thread for a sacred curtain, at which point an angel tells her she will conceive a child by God (along the lines of Lk 1:26-38).
Mary’s virginity is confirmed after Jesus’ birth by a midwife who tests her but finds her hand afflicted (as if it had been burned). It’s miraculously healed when she holds the newborn Jesus.
The story of Jesus’ birth is included in the Gospel of James, but differs a little from what’s found in Luke or Matthew. As related here, Mary’s pregnancy itself is something of a scandal since Joseph had been away from her at that time. As mentioned tangentially in my description of the Pericope Adulterae, both of them were subjected to the ordeal of bitter water (itself described in Num 5:11-31) and passed.
The Roman imperial census (from Lk 2:1-2) is also described, along with Joseph and Mary’s required journey to Bethlehem for it. On the way, Mary asks to get off the donkey she’d been riding because she’s about to deliver. Joseph locates a nearby cave, leaves her and two of his (older) sons there, then continues on to Bethlehem to find a midwife. Returning with one, they find a cloud obscuring the cave, replaced by a bright light filling it, which died down, revealing Mary holding the infant Jesus.
A miraculous birth, indeed! To add to that, Jesus is able to walk on his own almost immediately.
The birth in a cave differs from the account found in Luke which reported Jesus being born presumably in a barn or animals’ pen and being immediately set in a feeding trough or manger. But not to worry, the gospel of James does mention Jesus later being placed in a feeding trough — in order to hide him Herod’s men sent out to kill all the firstborn (i.e. the Massacre of the Innocents as related in Mt 2:16-18).
At this time, the future John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, is also a baby and likewise is a target of Herod’s men (as the firstborn son of the high priest Zacharias). His mother Elizabeth flees into the countryside but can’t find any good refuge. A mountain literally opened itself up; she and the baby John hid in the resulting cleft.
Although this book is not considered canon by any Christian sect, it’s influential nonetheless. This is the main source of support for the Christian legend — upheld by the Roman Catholic Church and nearly all of the Orthodox churches — of Mary’s perpetual virginity.
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