Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Arabic Infancy Gospel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Arabic Infancy Gospel is one of the texts found in the New Testament apocrypha concerning the infancy of Jesus. It is was compiled in the sixth century, and was based on the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and Protevangelium of James. It consists of three parts:
- The birth of Jesus - based on the Protevangelium of James
- Miracles during the Flight into Egypt - seemingly based on nothing more than local traditions
- The miracles of Jesus as a boy - based on the Infancy Gospel of Thomas
It contains a number of embellishments on the earlier text, however, including a nappy (diaper) (of Jesus) that heals people, sweat (of Jesus) that turns into balm, curing leprosy, and dyeing cloth varied colours using only indigo dye. It also claims earlier encounters for Jesus with Judas Iscariot, and with the thieves whom he is later crucified with, as well as being one of the earliest documents.
According to the analysis of textual criticism, the text was originally written in Syriac, but became translated into Arabic, probably around the time that Christianity began to spread into the Arabian peninsula. The narrative of the Arabic Infancy Gospel, particularly the second part concerning the miracles in Egypt, can also be found in the Qur'an. According to some critical scholarship, its presence in the Qu'ran may be due to the influence the Gospel had amongst the Arabs. It is not known however that the Gospel was present in the Hejaz for this to have occurred.