Armenian Infancy Gospel

Euangelium infantiae (armeniace)

Standard abbreviation: Arm. Gos. Inf.

Other titles: Armenian Gospel of the Infancy

Clavis numbers: ECCA 570; CANT 59

Category: Infancy Gospels

Compiled by Mari Mamyan, Universität Regensburg

Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Mamyan, Mari. “Armenian Infancy Gospel.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/armenian-infancy-gospel/.

Created October 2019. Current as of February 2024.

1. SUMMARY

Arm. Gos. Inf. features stories on the early life of both Mary and her son Jesus. The first part of the narrative is heavily dependent upon Prot. Jas., although it maintains distinct features at critical points. Arm. Gos. Inf. begins with the story of Maryʼs parents, Joachim and Anna, who are described as righteous and wealthy Israelites, but are unable to have children. After numerous prayers to God they are gifted a child, Mary. The birth of Mary is followed by her consecration as a temple virgin (at the age 3) and her guardianship under Joseph (at the age of 14 or 15). One of the more distinctive features of the Arm. Gos. Inf. is the Annunciation scene wherein Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel of, “How could it happen to me, since I know no man?” (cf. Luke 1:34), is expanded with significant additions, resulting in a very different version than traditionally found in the canonical Gospel. Mary’s suspicion of the angel dominates the core of the dialogue; her main concern is not so much the phenomenon of achieving pregnancy “without a man,” but that the angel might be Satan in disguise attempting to trick her. Arm. Gos. Inf.’s Annunciation scene is also distinguished by the “conception through the ear” motif, which is widely reflected in the writings of the early Church fathers, especially in Eastern Christendom (see, e.g., Proclus of Constantinople; Ephraim the Syrian, etc.). Another distinguishing feature that appears in the early scenes of the narrative is the presence of the foremother Eve at the Nativity of Jesus, who praises and blesses the child for bringing salvation to all. This scene is then followed by the Adoration of the Magi—named Melkʿon, Baltʿasar, and Gaspar—who are represented as blood-brothers and kings of Persia, India and Arabia, respectively. The section concludes with the murder of the high priest Zechariah and the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem.

The second half of Arm. Gos. Inf. includes the flight to Egypt and some shared traditions with Inf. Gos. Thom., Ps.-Mt., and Arab. Gos. Inf. During their journey to Egypt, Jesus and his parents pass through a number of neighboring countries, thus expanding the narrative to include not only travels to Egypt but also a return route back home. The regions, cities, and villages included on this route are often associated with the miracles accomplished by the infant Jesus (e.g., miracles performed in Tiberias (ch. 21), in Arimathea (ch. 22), in Emmaus (ch. 24), in Nazareth (ch. 25), etc.), but there are also a number of named places that have nothing to do with Jesus’ revelation or divine nature. The story of the destruction of Egyptian idols (ch. 15) is followed by copious miracles performed by Jesus, which can generally be divided into three groups. The first group of miracles involve Jesus’ miraculous manifestations in daily childish games, including the episode where Jesus plays with sunbeams (ch. 15). The underlying theme found in this group is the need to represent Jesus as a typical child and adolescent, un-immune to pompous and arrogant behavior as demonstrated by the consistent boasting of his supernatural skills inaccessible to his peers. The second group of miracles can be considered the foundation for the miracles performed in the New Testament as they express Jesus’ merciful and divine nature. For instance, Jesus’ drawing of water from a rock and producing of fish to quench the thirst and hunger of some Syrian boys (ch. 17) is reminiscent of his feeding the multitude miracle in the canonical gospels. The final group is distinguishable by its ideological significance. The miracles of “Jesus at School” (ch. 20) and “Jesus as a pupil of a dyer” (ch. 21) are the most notable in this regard.

Named Historical Figures and Characters: Abel, Abias (of Arabia), Abiram, Abner, Abraham (patriarch), Adam (patriarch), Alexander (the Great), Anna (mother of Mary), Annas (scribe/high priest), Apollo, Archelaus, Asher (patriarch), Augustus (emperor), Bar-Joshua (king of Bodosoron), Baltasar (of India), Balthasar (magus), Begour (prince of Bethlehem), Behezi (priest), Beriah, Cain, Caspar (magus), Dathan, David (king), Demour, Dia (god), Djohartar (Persian soldier), Eleazar (high priest), Eleazar (father of Lazarus), Eli, Elizabeth, Ephatha (god), Eve (matriarch), Gabriel (angel), Gamaliel (teacher), Hannah, Herod (the Great), Holy Spirit, Israel (dyer), Issachar (patriarch), Jesus Christ, Joachim (father of Mary), Joel (wise man), John (the Baptist), Jonathan (son of Beriah), Joseph (of Nazareth), Khoyratar (Persian soldier), Kiram, Korah, Lazarus (of Bethany), Levi (priest), Malachi (brother of Micah), Manasseh, Mary (Virgin), Mary (of Bethany), Martha (of Bethany), Melchior (magus), Melchizedek, Micah (brother of Malachi), Moses (patriarch), Nebuchadnezzar, Noah (patriarch), Sarah (matriarch), Salome (midwife), Samuel (prophet), Satan, Seth (patriarch), Sharouhi (son of Moab), Simeon (high priest), Tamar (of Arabia), Zadok (father of high priest), Zechariah (priest).

Geographical Locations: Akko, Arimathea, Arabia, Ashkelon, Bethlehem, Bodoroson, Bozrah, Cairo, Canaan, Carmel, Egypt, Emmaus, Epthayyah, Galilee, Hebron, India, Israel, Jerusalem, Jordan River, Judea, Lebanon, Mamre, Midian, Moab, Mount Hermon, Mount Sinai, Mount of Temptation, Nazareth, Persia, Posporon, Ramla, Salim, Shahapro, Syria, Tiberias, Tanis.

2. RESOURCES

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3.1 Manuscripts and Editions

3.1.1 Armenian (BHO 617–618)

Recension A

Yerevan, Matenadaran, M7574 (d. 1239) ~ long version; 37 chapters

Recension B

Jerusalem, Patriarchal library of the Armenian Monastery of St. James, J3164 (17th cent.) ~ short version; 28 chapters

Jerusalem, Patriarchal library of the Armenian Monastery of St. James, J3062 (d. 1703)

Jerusalem, Patriarchal library of the Armenian Monastery of St. James, J3364 (d. 1678–1681)

Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, V? (olim 298) (d. 1824) (=Tayec‘i Copy A)

Recension C

Jerusalem, Patriarchal library of the Armenian Monastery of St. James, J1432 (17th cent.) ~ long version; 28 chapters

Recension D

Yerevan, Matenadaran, M5599 (d. 1347) ~ long version

Copy B: unidentified manuscript from Venice, Mekhitarist Monastery of San Lazzaro, published by Tayec‘i

Additional manuscripts indexed as “Infancy Gospels” and/or containing independent chapters in the Matenadaran catalog:

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 573

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 682

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 717

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 933

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 994

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1520

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1571

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1667

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 1668

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 2234

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 2890

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3498

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 3791

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4676

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 4682

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 5144

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 5349

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 5406

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 5599

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 5688

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 5969

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 6514

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 6572

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 6644

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 6980

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 7059

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 7574

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 8241

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 8389

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 8482

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 8756

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 8812

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 9063

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 9100

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 9526

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 9364

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 9382

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 9705

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 10051

Yerevan, Matenadaran, 10236

Tayec‘i, Esayi. Ankanon girk̕ Nor Ktakaranac̕. Venice: Tparani S. Ġazarow, 1898 (Copy A, pp. 1–126, and Copy B, 127–235).

3.2 Modern Translations

3.2.1 English

Conybeare, Frederick. “Protevangelium Iacobi: From an Armenian Manuscript in the Library of the Mkhitarists in Venice.” American Journal of Theology 1 (1897): 424–42 (chs. 1–6 from Copy A).

Terian, Abraham. The Armenian Gospel of the Infancy with Three Early Versions of the Protevangelium of James. Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press, 2008 (translation of M7574, with readings from recensions B, C, and D).

3.2.2 French

Peeters, Paul and Charles Michel. Evangiles apocryphes. Vol. 2: L’évangile de l’enfance, rédactions syriaques, arabe et arméniennes. Textes et documents pour l’étude historique du christianisme, 13. Paris: Picard 1914 (Copy A with Copy B in the notes, pp. 69–286).

3.2.3 Italian

Erbetta, Mario. Gli Apocrifi del Nuovo Testamento. 3 vols. in 4. Turin: Marietti, 1966–1981 (Copy A, vol. 2:124–85).

3.2.4 Spanish

De Santos Otero, Aurelio. Los Evangelios apócrifos: colección de textos griegos y latinos, versión crítica, estudios introductorios, comentarios e ilustraciones. Madrid: Biblioteca de autores cristianos, 1956 (summary, pp. 380–86).

Gonzalez-Blanco, Edmundo. Los evangelios apócrifos. 3 vols. Madrid: Bergua, 1934 (Copy A, vol. 2:88–236).

3.3 General Works

Calzolari, Valentina. “Les recits apocryphes de l’Infance dans la tradition arménienne.” Pages 560–82 in Infancy Gospels: Stories and Identities. WUNT 281. Edited by Claire Clivaz, Andreas Dettwiler, Luc Devillers, Enrico Norelli, with Benjamin Bertho. Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck, 2011.

___________. “Mary and Eve. The Permanence of the First Mother in Armenian Apocryphal Infancy Gospels.” Pages 193–212 in Pregnancy and Childbirth in the Premodern World: European and Middle Eastern Cultures from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance. Edited by Costanza Gislon Dopfel, Alessandra Foscati, and Charles Burnett. Cursor Mundi. Viator Studies of the Medieval and Early Modern World 36. Turnhout: Brepols, 2019.

Dorfmann-Lazarev Igor. “La transmission de l’apocryphe de l’Enfance de Jésus en Arménie.” Pages 557–82 in Jesus in apokryphen Evangelienüberlieferungen: Beiträge zu ausserkanonischen Jesusüberlieferungen aus verschiedenen Sprach- und Kulturtraditionen. Edited by Jörg Frey and Jens Schröter. WUNT 254. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2010.

___________. “The Cave of the Nativity Revisited: Memory of the Primæval Beings in the Armenian Lord’s Infancy and Cognate Sources.” Pages 285–334 in Mélanges Jean-Pierre Mahé. Edited by Aram Mardirossian, Agnès Ouzounian, and Constantin Zuckerman. Travaux et mémoires 18. Paris: Association des Amis du Centre d’Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance, 2014.

___________. “Changing Colours and Forms, Theophanies in the Armenian Script of the Lord’s Infancy.” JECS 68.3.4 (2016): 349–81.

___________. “The Messiah Hidden in the Depths of the Sea: Reminiscences of 4 Ezra in the Armenian Script of the Lord’s Infancy. ” Pages 79–96 in Figures of Ezra. Edited by Jan Bremmer, Veronika Hirschberger, and Tobias Nicklas. Studies on Early Christian Apocrypha 13. Leuven: Peeters, 2018.

Dorfmann-Lazarev, Igor. “Eve, Melchizedek and the Magi in the Cave of the Nativity According the Armenian Corpus of Homilies Attributed to Epiphanius of Salamis.” Pages 264–311 in The Protevangelium of James. Edited by Jan N. Bremmer, J. Andrew Doole, Thomas R. Karmann, Tobia Nicklas, and Boris Repschinski. Studies on Early Christian Apocrypha 16. Leuven: Peeters, 2020.

Mamyan, Mari. “Flight to Egypt. The Acts of Jesus in the Armenian ‘Gospel of the Infancy.’” Journal of Armenian Studies 3 (2017): 189–208 (Arm.).

___________. “The Armenian Infancy Gospel in Arak‘el Bałišec‘i’s Ode to the Annunciation.” (In Armenian). Pages 402–30 in Bulletin of Matenadaran 27. Yerevan: Nairi, 2019.

___________. “The Protevangelium of James in the Context of the Armenian Infancy Gospel.” Pages 249–63 in The Protevangelium of James. Edited by Jan N. Bremmer, J. Andrew Doole, Thomas R. Karmann, Tobia Nicklas, and Boris Repschinski. Studies on Early Christian Apocrypha 16. Leuven: Peeters, 2020.