Kindle
$11.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$17.99
Audio CD
from $24.04
$17.99 with 25 percent savings
List Price: $24.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Saturday, May 18 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 11 hrs 39 mins
In Stock
$$17.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Sandra Glahn
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament Paperback – October 10, 2023

by Sandra L. Glahn (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 86 ratings
See all formats and editions
Great on Kindle
Great Experience. Great Value.
iphone with kindle app
Putting our best book forward
Each Great on Kindle book offers a great reading experience, at a better value than print to keep your wallet happy.

Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip.

View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look.

Enjoy features only possible in digital – start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more.

Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration.
Get the free Kindle app: Link to the kindle app page Link to the kindle app page
Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
View Kindle Edition
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.99","priceAmount":17.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LMdYGNwOTkyoo8Gb8FWIG1Bb6PUbynAnhCwYzTbeAxkUiWHNyGDxOBbUcSGrpthYc7qFXtOI5wKUenlfs7P6WIl2DrsSRFK9JRnxEJ7pPxcCMDV737clTdiermxJFPrjKLAeGRT5%2BHM%2FobQhtgeBMQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Some Christians think Paul's reference to "saved through childbearing" in 1 Timothy 2:15 means that women are slated primarily for delivering and raising children. Alternate readings, however, sometimes fail to build on the best historical and textual evidence.

Sandra Glahn thinks that we have misunderstood Paul by misunderstanding the context to which he wrote. A key to reading and applying 1 Timothy, Glahn argues, lies in getting to know a mysterious figure who haunts the letter: the goddess Artemis.

Based on groundbreaking research and new data about Artemis of the Ephesians, Nobody's Mother demonstrates how better background information supports faithful interpretation. Combining spiritual autobiography with scholarly exploration, Glahn takes readers on a journey to ancient Ephesus and across early church history. Unveiling the cult of Artemis and how early Christians related to it can give us a clearer sense of the type of radical, countercultural fellowship the New Testament writers intended Christ's church to be.

This book is for those who want to avoid sacrificing a high view of Scripture while working to reconcile conflicting models of God's view of women. Through the unexpected channel of Paul's advice to Timothy―and the surprising help of an ancient Greek myth―Nobody's Mother lays a biblical foundation for men and women serving side by side in the church.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    200 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    IVP Academic
  4. Publication date
    October 10, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1514005921
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1514005927
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament
$17.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Vindicating the Vixens: Revisiting Sexualized, Vilified, and Marginalized Women of the Bible
$16.97
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church
$17.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

From the brand

Previous page
  2. The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
    The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships
    Speaking by the Numbers: Enneagram Wisdom for Teachers, Pastors, and Communicators
    Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram: A Handbook for Harmony and Transformation

    Enneagram Resources

    Visit the Store

  3. Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing Our Influence
    The Gospel of Peace in a Violent World: Christian Nonviolence for Communal Flourishing
    Being Latino in Christ: Finding Wholeness in Your Ethnic Identity
    Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity

    Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

    Visit the Store

  4. Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ (The Essentials Set)
    A Deeper Look at Daniel: Spiritual Living in a Secular World (LifeGuide in Depth Series)
    Growing Older & Wiser (LifeGuide Bible Studies)
    John (Alabaster Guided Meditations)

    Bible Studies

    Visit the Store

  5. Next Sunday: An Honest Dialogue About the Future of the Church
    Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory
    Speaking by the Numbers: Enneagram Wisdom for Teachers, Pastors, and Communicators
    Road to Flourishing: Eight Keys to Boost Employee Engagement and Well-Being

    Leadership Books

    Visit the Store

  6. Small Group Starter Kit (LifeGuide Bible Studies)
    The Bible Study Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to an Essential Practice
    The Big Book on Small Groups
    Small Group Leaders' Handbook: Developing Transformational Communities

    Small Group Resources

    Visit the Store

  7. Ezra and Nehemiah: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Volume 12)
    Acts (NT Volume 6) (Reformation Commentary on Scripture Series, NT Volume 6)
    The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (The Bible Speaks Today Series)
    Genesis 1-11 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, OT Volume 1)

    Commentaries

    Visit the Store

  8. Discover Your Gifts: Celebrating How God Made You and Everyone You Know (Lutheran Hour Ministries...
    True Companions: A Book for Everyone About the Relationships That See Us Through
    The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships
    True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In (The IVP Signature Collection)

    Book Studies

    Visit the Store

  9. When I Go to Church, I Belong: Finding My Place in God's Family as a Child with Special Needs
    Little Prayers for Ordinary Days
    Saint Nicholas the Giftgiver: The History and Legends of the Real Santa Claus
    The O in Hope: A Poem of Wonder

    Kids Books

    Visit the Store

  10. Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity
    Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible
    The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves
    Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep

    Popular Books

    Visit the Store

  11. InterVarsity Press

    Who Are We?

    Since 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has been publishing thoughtful Christian books that shape both the lives of readers and the cultures they inhabit. Throughout these seventy-five years, our books and authors have established a legacy of speaking boldly into important cultural moments, providing timeless tools for spiritual growth, and equipping Christians for a vibrant life of faith.

Next page

From the Publisher

Text "'Has Misinterpreting Paul led to the Silencing of Women?" on a blue background
'Nobody's Mother' Book cover on a blue background

Interview with Sandra L. Glahn, author of 'Nobody's Mother'

What led to your interest in researching and writing about Artemis and the context of Paul's letters?

As a Bible teacher experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss, I read Paul's statement that "she will be saved through childbearing" (1 Tim 2:15 NRSV) and was told it meant women (including me) needed to redirect teaching gifts away from the church and toward our own children-which I lacked. In making this statement about childbearing, was Paul laying out a universal truth rooted in creation order, or was he drawing on the Genesis creation story to correct a local one in Ephesus, where Timothy the recipient of his words-resided? The answer lies in understanding the spiritual and cultural context, part of which Acts 19 provides. The goddess Artemis had a stranglehold on Ephesus at the time of the earliest Christians. So, who was Artemis of the Ephesians at the time of Paul and Timothy? The answer is essential to determining a biblical anthropology of woman: Who is woman and what did God make her to do?

What do you hope your book contributes to the field of New Testament studies?

  • Corrects falsehood relating to biblical anthropology and ecclesiology about woman
  • Provides social and spiritual context for 1 Timothy (with ramifications for other pastoral epistles)
  • Lays to rest the myth that Artemis was a nurturing mother goddess or bringer of some sort of feminine principle
  • Establishes the identity of the Ephesian Artemis described in Acts 19

Chapters include

  • Why Take a Fresh Look?
  • Ephesus: The City's Story in Stone and Scripture
  • Artemis in the Literary Sources
  • Artemis in the Epigraphic Sources
  • Artemis in Architecture and Art
  • Saved Through Childbearing

Praise for 'Nobody's Mother'

Praise from Amy Peeler about 'Nobody's Mother'

Praise from Preston Sprinkle about 'Nobody's Mother'

Praise from Kelly Mathews about 'Nobody's Mother'

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Nobody's Mother is a witty title for a brilliant work on first-century Artemis of the Ephesians. Sandra Glahn's encyclopedic research into the literary, epigraphic, and iconographic evidence brings the goddess into sharp focus, dispelling persistent myths. In accessible prose, Glahn persuasively argues that understanding Artemis is key to unlocking 1 Timothy 2:15's enigmatic phrase, 'saved through childbearing.' A must-read for students and scholars alike." -- Lynn H. Cohick, distinguished professor of New Testament and director of Houston Theological Seminary at Houston Christian University, and associate editor of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, second edition

"Nobody's Mother is an impressive contribution to the discussion about women in church leadership and the background of 1 Timothy. With studious attention to archaeological and exegetical details, Sandra Glahn dives deep into some of the most complex questions surrounding one of the most complicated passages in the New Testament. Not every reader will agree with Glahn's conclusions, but everyone who is interested in what Paul was trying to say in 1 Tim 2:8-15 must wrestle with Glahn's scholarly, responsible work. I found this book very hard to put down!" -- Preston Sprinkle, author, speaker, and host of the Theology in the Raw podcast

"In this masterful literary, epigraphic, architectural, and exegetical study, Sandra Glahn brings the significance of Artemis worship to bear in the interpretation of being 'saved through childbearing' (1 Tim 2:15). This text is critically linked to the seemingly transcultural prohibition of women teaching men (1 Tim 2:12). However, anyone seeking to be faithful to Scripture should remember that these texts were first God's Word to others before they were God's Word to us. By understanding who Artemis of the Ephesians was and how this likely influenced these texts, Glahn exposes the context of 1 Timothy to apply these words more accurately today. This book is a game changer." -- Christa L. McKirland, theology lecturer at Carey Baptist College and executive director of Logia International

"It seemed highly unlikely to me that anyone could say anything fresh about 1 Timothy 2. Sandra Glahn has proven me wrong. With its close attention to material culture and biblical text, Glahn's evidence demands that we understand Artemis differently and therefore read this passage with fresh eyes. Immediately compelling through Glahn's honest personal narrative, Nobody's Mother kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to see Glahn's conclusions. Now that I've read them, I know I'll be thinking about them, and changing how I teach this text, for a long time." -- Amy Peeler, professor of New Testament at Wheaton College

"Paul's phrase 'saved through childbearing' becomes controversial to modern readers who approach the text from afar and yet attempt to apply it to their present contexts. An incorrect biblical interpretation leads to incorrect applications that, in some instances, like the one in this passage, bring devastating consequences for women who have had an unsupported and extrabiblical burden imposed on them. Sandra Glahn provides a unique cultural, historical, and theological understanding of this passage. In fact, Nobody's Mother is a masterful work that will remain the foundational text for understanding Artemis of the Ephesians and her implications in the biblical narrative. This work exemplifies how cultural, historical, and biblical scholarship serve the body of Christ worldwide." -- Octavio Javier Esqueda, director of the PhD and EdD programs in educational studies and professor of Christian higher education at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

"Sometimes biblical scholars don't know what they don't know. Then, like a restoration specialist removing layers of superfluous material to uncover the original beneath, a scholar unveils new research that cuts through old assumptions and suppositions. Sandra Glahn's meticulous exploration of Artemis of the Ephesians offers compelling and unavoidable scholarship necessary for every serious student of the New Testament. Nobody's Mother will revitalize the conversation around 1 Timothy and other Ephesus-related biblical writings." -- Kelley Mathews, coauthor of 40 Questions About Women in Ministry

"I appreciate this extensive study of Artemis from ancient sources that may not have been available to previous interpreters. Glahn's findings not only deconstruct some long-held views of the goddess, they also add depth to our knowledge of this leading deity in the social world of Ephesus in the first century. Nobody's Mother gives readers fresh perspective on texts like 1 Timothy 2:15 for modern interpretation by shining light on local, cultural realities that have previously lurked in the shadows." -- Gary G. Hoag, author of Wealth in Ancient Ephesus and the First Letter to Timothy

"What a clear and compelling explanation for one of the most unclear passages in Scripture! This eye-opening book evaluates all the available evidence―literary, archaeological, and biblical―to help us better understand not only the historical context of Paul's words but also how the spiritual worth of a woman is not tied to the physical state of motherhood. Glahn's own story of infertility will encourage women in the modern church just as powerfully as her argument reframes women in first-century Ephesus." -- Beth Allison Barr, James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth

Review

"What a clear and compelling explanation for one of the most unclear passages in Scripture! This eye-opening book evaluates all the available evidence―literary, archaeological, and biblical―to help us better understand not only the historical context of Paul's words but also how the spiritual worth of a woman is not tied to the physical state of motherhood. Glahn's own story of infertility will encourage women in the modern church just as powerfully as her argument reframes women in first-century Ephesus."

-- Beth Allison Barr, James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ IVP Academic (October 10, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 200 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1514005921
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1514005927
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 86 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sandra Glahn

Sandra Glahn

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sandra Glahn (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; PhD, UT Dallas) aspires to "Making scholarship accessible through story and analogy"—whether about art, culture, gender, women's issues, first-century backgrounds, or the body. And she wears many hats: Marriage partner. Mother. Novelist. Seminary professor. Mentor. Advocate. Women in antiquity fan. Reader. Blogger for bible.org's Engage blog for women in ministry leadership on second and fourth Tuesdays. Author of 20+ books including the Coffee Cup Bible Study series. General editor of *Vindicating the Vixens: Revisiting Sexualized, Vilified, and Marginalized Women of the Bible" and "Sanctified Sexuality: Valuing Sex in an Oversexed World." Her most recent work is Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament" (IVP Academic).

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
86 global ratings
A fascinating examination of Artemis and her impact on scripture
5 Stars
A fascinating examination of Artemis and her impact on scripture
It’s hard to know where to start when talking about this book. Nobody’s Mother speaks into the ongoing discussion about gender roles in the church. Sandra brings a personal touch that carries through the book. Her long examination of this topic is clear in the depth of information shared, not just assumption, but literary and historical evidence that Artemis was not the god of fertility, but instead her focuses were virginity, she was the midwife, but not a modern feminist. Thank you, Dr Glahn for expanding the research in this field. I recommend this book to all pastors and theologians, especially those working in ministry today.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Leland P. Vickers
5.0 out of 5 stars Well researched, well written, and a clear case is made for Who is Artemis
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
This new book was a pleasure to read. Dr. Glahn's work is well-researched and clearly presented. My greatest appreciation was for her very high regard for Scripture. This book shows that the best way to interpret confusing passages of the New Testament is to gain as much historic background from all types of sources as is possible.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Ryan Riley
5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Paul and 1st Century Ephesus
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Nobody's Mother explores some of Paul's more difficult statements in 1 Timothy 2 related to women, specifically "saved through childbearing" (1 Timothy 2:15). However, the majority of the book builds up the historic background and context of 1st century Rome and Ephesus, the city in which Paul's recipient Timothy was ministering. This background is presented in a very engaging and revealing way that kept me turning pages and excited to learn what was coming up in each successive chapter.

The final chapter brings everything together and delivers the payoff remarkably well. I was delighted with the insights Dr. Glahn pulled in from Paul's other writings, especially those written from or to Ephesus, as well as the comparison with 1 Peter. I enjoyed the thoroughness of the research and the carefully considered delivery of the conclusions.

I think Nobody's Mother is and will continue to be an important volume for understanding the role of women in the Church, as well as better understanding Paul's style of writing, the importance of Ephesus in the New Testament, and the larger role, often forgotten by most Westerners, of established cult practices that Christianity was displacing.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Angela Turbeville
5.0 out of 5 stars A book that enriches our understanding of Paul's letter to Timothy
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
Dr. Sandra Glahn's research has enriched a passage of Scripture that historically, when taught at face value, seems to exclude some women or gifts of women in the church. Glahn's summary of recent historical and archaeological findings provide a view of Artemis and the culture at Ephesus that broadens the questions of what Paul's teaching addressed. As the church forms and deploys women in teaching and leadership roles, this book encourages a deeper perspective and provides more insight into what Paul's intent might have been when he originally wrote I and II Timothy. This book is an academic resource written in a format that is accessible for all interested in engaging deeply with the question of women in the church. The additional resources listed in the footnotes are a gold mine of additional research that allows the reader to engage more deeply with the ideas raised in the book.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
txpaladin84
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-researched book
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Dr. Sandra Glahn has done a masterful job researching Artemis of the Ephesians for the background of her book. If you are not familiar with Greek mythology, you may be a bit overwhelmed (as I was) in some chapters. But hang in there - the background info builds toward her conclusion regarding women teaching in the church and women “saved through childbirth.”

I gleaned a lot of info that I previously did not know about Ephesus, Artemis and a better understanding of the culture of the people reading the original Pauline letter. I found that much of what I had been taught (and in turn taught to Bible study groups) was incorrect.

Dr. Glahn’s book is not long, but is packed with information - plenty of Scriptural references as well as historical references. I enjoyed the book, though it will take more than one read to really absorb all the research to the point where I could somewhat explain it. It was challenging for me, but still very accessible if you are a student (lay student) of the Bible.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
J
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Context, Practical Application
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2023
Verified Purchase
Ever wonder about 1 Timothy 2:15 where it says a woman will be saved through childbearing? Sandra Glahn has a fascinating, historically informed proposal she unpacks in Nobody’s Mother. She openly shares how her own journey with infertility ignited her interest in the topic. Built on her thorough analysis of Artemis of the Ephesians, Glahn humbly and faithfully proposes a way forward. Her writing is personal, powerful, and accessible. She is an excellent scholar with a high view of Scripture who writes on a level that can be understood by all.
Glahn spends the majority of her book introducing the reader to Artemis of the Ephesians and then applies it to 1 Timothy 2 in her final chapter. I felt like I really got to know Artemis as she surveyed pertinent writings, inscriptions, and art. This book is a must read for women and men alike who want to wrestle with this tough passage of Scripture and learn more about how Artemis of the Ephesians may have influenced Paul’s writing. It has pertinent application as well to those struggling with infertility and those exploring women in ministry.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
C. O'Connor
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read and well-researched!
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
As a young girl, I desperately wanted to be the woman God wanted me to be and I looked to the Bible for understanding. I have struggled between the teachings I heard from pastors around the role of a woman (conflicting accounts or ridiculous expectations) as well as confusing commentaries written by men who view things literally. For this reason, I jumped at the chance to read Sandra Glahn's book "Nobody's Mother". I found her research compelling as she dove into cultural context, Scriptural interpretation, and a desire to understand what was being said. While a fairly small book for such a deep subject, I found the research solid and the explanations and stories interesting as she looked at the apostle Paul's words to Timothy and God's intent for women. Will this sway the most ardent defenders of the literal interpretation of Scripture? Probably not, but I feel if you can maintain an open mind and look at the evidence, you may find that God's intent is not what you thought it was. Definitely worth a read!
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Sharon E. Leighton
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent scholarship and great readability
Reviewed in Canada on November 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
This very well-written book sheds the light of biblical scholarship and archaeology on the passages in Paul's letters to Timothy that appear to restrict the role of women in the church. It was the author's intent to discover the exact meaning that Paul intended to convey with the phrase generally translated "saved through childbearing". Her exploration of this one phrase leads her through a study of the goddess Artemis, known also as "Diana of the Ephesians", and to the society in Ephesus in Paul's time. Her painstaking scholarship and clear logic surrounding this one phrase are superb.

Of course, she could hardly address that without addressing also Paul's apparent proscriptions against women speaking or teaching in church or his possible principle that women should submit to men. These sections of her work do shed some light on the issues involved and are a positive contribution to the scholarly dialogue on these matters.

I did wish that her bibliography had included Bob Edwards, a Canadian scholar whose discussions of the word "authentein" are thorough and, for me, illuminating. Women are not forbidden, in 1 Timothy, simply "to teach", but "to teach authentein". The "authentein", as this and other authors acknowledge, is a second infinitive, which would probably not be read as "to teach or to authentein", as most interpreters, including Ms. Glahn, phrase it. It shows a verbal, that is, a verb used as a noun. In English, we would probably use a gerund: "to teach driving" or "to teach public speaking". This means that what Paul was forbidding was teaching a specific subject.

As for what subject so horrified Paul that he would forbid its teaching, Bob Edwards has done a lot of good work on this, and argues convincingly that what was being forbidden was to teach castrating men. This is such a shocking idea to the modern mind that few will even take it seriously, even though we know that as late as the Renaissance, young boys were being castrated to preserve their angelic voices. There is evidence from non-polemic sources of the period that when a new priest was dedicated to the service of Artemis, he was probably castrated. And do not forget that later Christian writers, like St. Basil, did indeed teach against the idea that self-castration was a virtuous act. The idea had definitely entered the church somehow. It could easily have been in St. Paul's day, and through the influence of a pagan goddess who rejected sexuality and honored celibacy above all things.

For this reason, I would not call this book the definitive teaching on 1 Timothy and the goddess of Ephesus, but it is a very worthy addition to the library of anyone interested in accurate readings of Scripture, the culture of Paul's day, the identity of Artemis or Diana of the Ephesians, or the role of women in the church and in Christian society.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
AFJ La Trobe-Bateman
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
This little book should be on every pastor's bookshelf.
Report