Interplanner
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Things can sound totally different if we hear what the original people heard.
"women will be saved through childbirth," is thought to be a naive or mysogynist line by Paul. We have to remember how different something can sound to those who first heard it. This line was not originally addressed in the modern age of obstetrics, or of anesthesiology. Nor even of 'natural' midwifery: "That's not pain" said the local Port Wenn midwife to Louisa, when she heard the 'natural' childbirth mother screaming horribly. "That's the woman taking charge of her labor." Louisa was not convinced! (--DOC MARTIN)
It did not mean these "Christian" women would be saved if they just prayed a lot, and ignored modern medicine or midwives both.
It did not mean these women were not Christians until they had had kids.
All those things are horrible readings of the passage, as though Paul was out of his depth and expertise.
The women Timothy lived around kept "Diana" talisman (-woman!) to protect them with superstitions through childbirth. Diana in 1st century Asia Minor was a cult. It was a nature religion. It was similar to the goddess Artemis in Acts 20. It was a fertility religion, too, so these poor women were emotionally invested in her, whether married or not. If they were pregnant, it was because of Diana; if they were afraid of childbirth, they were to adore Diana and keep the manifold-breasted icon of her nearby or hold it during birth.
All Paul meant was that, now that these ladies were Christians, they did not need to 'trust' in Diana about childbirth. They would be kept as safe as they could be apart from all that, by having faith in God, and growing in love, holiness and discreetness.
This follows a historical reminder that the woman Eve let herself be deceived. The Diana cult put women on a pedestal as much as the women put it on a pedestal. Paul meant that the Christian women should cease practicing any superstition that had to do with Diana, because God is the giver and protector of life. The restrictions Paul put on women apply more in such a case than anywhere else. And the followers of the lesbian cult were not that far away either.
"Be kept safe..." is the best rendering; no common sense medical practice that would make either mother or child safe would have been ignored.
source: J. Zens on childbirth superstition behind "women will be 'saved' through childbirth" in Timothy. SEARCHING TOGETHER.
"women will be saved through childbirth," is thought to be a naive or mysogynist line by Paul. We have to remember how different something can sound to those who first heard it. This line was not originally addressed in the modern age of obstetrics, or of anesthesiology. Nor even of 'natural' midwifery: "That's not pain" said the local Port Wenn midwife to Louisa, when she heard the 'natural' childbirth mother screaming horribly. "That's the woman taking charge of her labor." Louisa was not convinced! (--DOC MARTIN)
It did not mean these "Christian" women would be saved if they just prayed a lot, and ignored modern medicine or midwives both.
It did not mean these women were not Christians until they had had kids.
All those things are horrible readings of the passage, as though Paul was out of his depth and expertise.
The women Timothy lived around kept "Diana" talisman (-woman!) to protect them with superstitions through childbirth. Diana in 1st century Asia Minor was a cult. It was a nature religion. It was similar to the goddess Artemis in Acts 20. It was a fertility religion, too, so these poor women were emotionally invested in her, whether married or not. If they were pregnant, it was because of Diana; if they were afraid of childbirth, they were to adore Diana and keep the manifold-breasted icon of her nearby or hold it during birth.
All Paul meant was that, now that these ladies were Christians, they did not need to 'trust' in Diana about childbirth. They would be kept as safe as they could be apart from all that, by having faith in God, and growing in love, holiness and discreetness.
This follows a historical reminder that the woman Eve let herself be deceived. The Diana cult put women on a pedestal as much as the women put it on a pedestal. Paul meant that the Christian women should cease practicing any superstition that had to do with Diana, because God is the giver and protector of life. The restrictions Paul put on women apply more in such a case than anywhere else. And the followers of the lesbian cult were not that far away either.
"Be kept safe..." is the best rendering; no common sense medical practice that would make either mother or child safe would have been ignored.
source: J. Zens on childbirth superstition behind "women will be 'saved' through childbirth" in Timothy. SEARCHING TOGETHER.