Abstract
During the tumultuous time of enormous threat, conflict, and change in the Second Temple period, a new literary genre emerged: works of fiction in which women take on new roles and serve as Jewish heroines. In addition to highlighting fantastic feats of women characters, these works provide insight into the everyday lives of women in the Second Temple period. These works also convey the rhetorical themes of protecting Jewish identity and purity. The heroines of the Second Temple period are remarkable in that they refuse to submit to “the tyrant” by eating forbidden foods, abandoning circumcision, the ancient sign of the covenant, or worshiping false gods. The portrayal of Mary in the Gospel of Luke draws upon these earlier traditions to present her as a heroine who has also found favor in God’s sight.
Published Version
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