It does leave one question. Could the names of Mary’s parents, so widely accepted in Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy, be authentic? It is possible, but very unlikely. The Protoevangelium has turned Mary into the daughter of a wealthy family, has turned Joseph into general contractor, brought a midwife into the account of Jesus’ birth, given Joseph sons, and added many other elements that no one today would take seriously. Why, then, should the names of Mary’s parents be taken as authentic?
