Steve Ray vs. Thomas Aquinas on the Protoevangelium of James

In a recent post, Steve Ray describes the "Protoevangelium of James" in this way: "This document was written in the early 2nd century and known and loved by the first Christians." On the other hand, Thomas Aquinas described this same work as "apocryphal ravings." (see also the Decree attributed to Pope Gelasius)

Even the famous mariologist, Luigi Gambero, admits that "Its author must have been a non-Jew or, at most, a Jew who lived outside of Palestine, since he seems to possess a limited knowledge of Palestinian geography and Jewish customs." (Gambero, Mary and the Fathers of the Church, p. 35) In short, it is a work of lies.

Whether those are pious lies or just apocryphal ravings, as Aquinas judged, one wonders what motivates Rome's apologists to try to prop up Rome's dogma with such works?

I would be remiss to omit Jerome's comment in his commentary on Matthew, at Matthew 23:35-36, regarding the slain Zecharias that Jesus mentions: "Others want this Zechariah to be understood as the father of John. They approve of certain daydreams from apocryphal writings that say he was killed because he had predicted the Savior's advent. Since this view does not have the authority of the Scriptures, it is rejected with the same facility with which it is approved." (St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, Thomas P. Scheck trans., Fathers of the Church series, vol. 117, p. 266)

-TurretinFan