Born of a woman (as an idiomatic expression).

[Ben C. Smith]

Yo Ben C.! I don't think that "born of a woman" is idiomatic. I think it is a culturally laden phrase, somewhat like "born of immigrant parents" is in American dream narratives. Do we have the notion of "born of a woman" in the Judeo-Christian tradition where it does not refer to a Jewish mother?

Well, that is an interesting point. The phrase seems to be used so generically at times, though, that I cannot tell whether Jewishness is in view rather than just humanness. 1QS 11.21a, for example: "As what shall one born of woman be considered in your presence?" Is this not an issue of human versus deity?

To read the phrase to mean anything non-literal seems to me to be eisegetical.

Oh, I agree.

[spin]

1QS 11.21a, for example: "As what shall one born of woman be considered in your presence?" Is this not an issue of human versus deity?

It could be. I don't know how wide the notion of "born of a woman" could have been. If being born of a Jewish woman can be reduced to the equivalent of being born of a woman generally, I'd guess that the distinction would not be discernable in the context. But that's just a guess and you may be right.