Apocryphal Gospels: Far-fetched Accounts About Jesus

The apocryphal gospels often focus on people who are spoken of little or not at all in the canonical Gospels. Or they tell of alleged incidents regarding Jesus' infancy. Consider some examples.

*The "Proto-Gospel of James," also called "The Birth of Mary," describes Mary's birth and childhood as well as her marriage to Joseph.  For good reason, it has been described as religious fiction and as a legend. It promotes the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary and has clearly been written to glorify her. -Matthew 1:24, 25; 13:55, 56.

*The "infancy Gospel of Thomas" concentrates on Jesus as a child-between 5 and 12 years of age-and credits him with performing a series of far-fetched  miracles.  (See John 2:11,) Jesus is presented as a naughty, irascible, vindictive child, who uses  his miraculous powers to take revenge on teachers, neighbors, and other children, some of whom he blinds, cripples, or even kills.

*Some apocryphal gospels, such as the "Gospel of Peter,"dwell on events related to the trial, death and resurrection of Jesus. Others, such as the "Acts of Pilate," a part of the "Gospel of Nicodemus," focus on people connected with those events. The invention of facts and even people discredits these texts completely. The "Gospel of Peter" seeks to exonerate Pontius Pilate  and describes Jesus' resurrection in a fanciful way. 

Next time: Apocryphal Gospels and Apostasy From Christianity

From the Watchtower magazine, 2012