The Infancy Gospels: Exploring Jesus's Family

The book is a mixed bag of things. It points out that there is no Biblical mention of the exact ages of Joseph or Mary. It's just assumed he was old and she was young.

This gospel was written during the 2nd century.

Thu gospel says that the infant/young Jesus was capricious and insensitive.

One math error. The story is that Mary was taken to the temple at 3 years old and at 12 she was going to be removed. Yet at the same time it says that she was there for 12 years but 12 minus 3 is 9, not 12.

At 12 they went looking for a husband for her. (By today's laws that would get the temple people arrested but back then people didn't leave as long so you got married younger.)

It notes Joseph was picked, they married and she became pregnant for years later, at 16.

Then the text says Jesus killed a teacher and children (although he brought the latter back to life.) The also blinded some people. Yet he also brought a child back to life who had fallen and raised a woodcutter who had died.

The book also has notes and a bibliography.

What it seems to me is that the text is schizophrenic at the very least. Not many young children kill other people. Wouldn't that challenge the 'thou shalt not kill' concept? Yet later he goes on to raise people from the dead but says nothing about the mistakes he made when he was young.

It seems to be that the conclusion to be reached about this gospel is that it is pretty much worthless. It's no wonder this one was not included in the actual Bible.

Still, it's good a book like this was written if, for nothing else, it shows why some of the early writings were not considered acceptable to those making decisions about what would end up in the Bible and what wouldn't.