CHRISTMAS | JESUS' | BIRTH

Most of what we know about Jesus’ birth circumstances is got from narratives outside the Bible, like Christian tradition, Church history and teachings. 

This is because the Gospels don’t say much about Jesus’ birth. But there is more to the story from the Gospel according to James. 

James was one of Joseph’s four sons; Simon, Justus and Judas. There were also two of his sisters; Assia and Lydia, all born from Joseph’s earlier marriage with Salome. 

Salome died after 49 years in marriage and Joseph was then assigned to Mary, who was to become Jesus’ mother. James later joined his younger brother, Jesus, in the movement as a disciple. 

When Jesus died, James took over the movement in Jerusalem and was the first to be referred to as the bishop of Jerusalem. 

Consequently, he frequently clashed with Peter, who claimed direct appointment by Jesus.

James' Gospel  

The gospel acclaimed to James gives details about Jesus’ circumstances of birth and perhaps, a bit differently from the other gospels. 

The Gospel of James was well known in the early 3rd century and was in circulation soon after 150 AD, mostly in Alexandria. However, it was considered not divinely inspired and excluded from the Bible by synod of Sirmium, commissioned by Emperor Constantius Caesar, the son of Constantine. 

Scholars think its authenticity was doubted, it challenged the authority of Peter, deviated in detail from the Church’s recognised nativity story and other criteria that is not subject to this article today. 

Many stories were excluded, including the gospels of Mary, Judas and Thomas, all of which had more details of Jesus’ birth. 

James wrote other books like the First and Second Apocalypse of James, which purport to be dialogues between Jesus and James, but they were also left out of the Bible. James’ Gospel was very popular during its day. It was translated into many languages and approximately 130 ancient manuscripts have survived. 

Its earliest copy was discovered in 1958 and dates to the 4th century. 

It is the earliest non-canonical document to openly claim that Mary never had sex with a man and remained virgin even after the birth of Jesus.

What Gospels say  

Luke, who has the most coverage of the birth of Jesus, starts with the story of John, the Baptist, Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary God’s plan for her and the birth of Jesus, placed in a historical context. 

He says Jesus was born in Bethlehem, laid in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn and the shepherds came in to adore him. 

Matthew, on the other hand, only referred to the genealogy of Jesus, how Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and how Joseph accepted her nevertheless. 

The birth itself was referred to with one statement: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king.” 

He then talks about the three wise men, how Joseph, Mary and Jesus fled to Egypt and Herod’s massacre of all the male children in Bethlehem. 

Mark and John said nothing of the circumstances of Jesus’ birth. 

Mary's parents  

James begins with Mary’s father, Joachim, who is an exceedingly rich man. When he brings his offerings to the Lord, he is told that his offerings are not welcome because he hasn’t made “seed” in Israel, meaning he has no children. Saddened, he checks the children and finds that he is the only righteous man without descendants. This makes him really sad, and he goes into the desert to pray for 40 days and 40 nights. 

Apparently, he never informed his wife, Anna, about his journey. Believing he is dead, Anna begins to mourn. While praying one day, she sees a sparrow’s nest. 

It seems to her to mock her that even a lowly bird can easily reproduce. She redoubles her efforts to pray. Shortly, an angel stands before her and calls her by name. 

The angel tells her that the Lord has heard her prayer and that soon she will conceive and that the whole world will know about her child. 

In turn, Anna promises to give the child as a gift to the Lord, whether it’s male or female. 

At this point, the angel directs her attention to the arrival of her husband, who has been summoned to return home. 

He also was told that his wife would conceive. Needless to say, they have a happy reunion.

Mary is born  

They get a daughter and name her Mary. She is very intelligent, and walks within six months of age. 

At one year, her father, Joachim throws a great feast and invites all the priests, scribes, and elders, who bless Mary. 

At three, she is handed over to the Temple as her mother promised. The high priest receives her and blesses her. 

He sits her down on the third step of the Temple and she dances. At 12, the priests gather to discuss what they should do with her. 

They are fearful that she will someday defile the Temple by having “relations” with someone. They agree to gather all the widowers and ask the Lord to choose one among them to be husband to Mary.

Joseph takes Mary  

Joseph is at that assembly. The high priest prays and a dove lands on top of Joseph’s head. 

The high priest decrees that Joseph has been chosen to take “into thy keeping the virgin of the Lord.” When Mary is 16, she receives the vision of the angel and is told that she is “blessed among women.” 

She will conceive according to the word of the Lord and she will call the child’s name Jesus. Mary then goes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, who is already pregnant. Joseph is not happy that she is pregnant and dresses himself in sackcloth, a sign of repentance. 

Mary insists to him that she is still a virgin. Joseph leaves her alone while he thinks over his options. 

That night he has a dream that affirms everything Mary told him. Then he glorifies God, who has given him such grace. The crime that wasn't  

When the priests discover that Mary was “great with child,” they bring her and Joseph before the tribunal. 

Joseph was given charge over Mary on the condition that he would not “touch” Mary and would not allow anyone else to touch her either.

Despite the obvious pregnancy, Joseph maintains his innocence and the counsel gives him “treated” water to test him. 

He drinks the water with no ill effects, so they give Mary the water, too. She is also unharmed. Since God has not punished either of them, the priests end the inquiry. 

Mary and Joseph return home together, cleared of all charges. 

Birth of Jesus 

When it comes time for the census, Joseph knows that he has to go to Bethlehem to enrol his sons. 

He worries what to say about Mary – is she his wife or his daughter? One of Joseph’s sons leads the donkey upon which Mary sits, while Joseph follows behind them.

Mary knows that her time has come, but Joseph can only find a cave for her to birth the child and searches for a midwife from Bethlehem. 

As he walks along, he noticed that the birds were suspended in mid-air. Then he notices that everything is frozen in time – people, children, fish, animals, everything – and they are all looking up. 

It lasts for just a moment and things return to normal. Just when things return to normal, a woman comes walking along. She introduces herself as a midwife and accompanies Joseph to Mary to the cave. The baby is born. 

The midwife examines and confirms that in spite of the birth, Mary is still a virgin. Another midwife, named Salome, is also a witness. 

Today, the Church of Nativity, which is considered to be at a place where Jesus was born, is built on a cave according to James’ narrative. 

What Jesus Said

The Gospel of James is organised in three equal parts, of eight chapters each. 

The first part contains the story of Mary’s own unique birth and childhood and assignment to the temple. 

The second concerns the crisis posed by Mary’s assignment to Joseph as guardian, her pregnancy and temple scare of defilement. 

The third part relates the birth of Jesus, with the visit of midwives and the hiding of Jesus from Herod in a feeding trough. 

James, who describes himself as Joseph’s son from his previous marriage, begins his gospel with an account of the births of both Mary and Jesus, and includes an interesting account of how Mary and Joseph ended up together.

The end 

James’ gospel ends with the story of the Magi, similar to Luke’s narrative, including Herod’s anger and slaughter of all children under the age of two. 

Upon hearing this, Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid him in an ox-manger. 

The rest is about how John the Baptist survived Herod’s wrath.