Published by Eerdmans on September 9, 2025
Genres: Academic, Non-Fiction, Theology
Goodreads
A comprehensive study of motherhood in the New Testament
Mothers and motherhood-related themes are present throughout the New Testament, yet they have not received sufficient attention from biblical scholars. Under Her Wings fills this gap by exploring the literary, historical, feminist, and theological significance of mothers and motherhood in the New Testament.
Balancing critical scholarship with sensitivity to the importance of the Bible, author Jennifer Houston McNeel analyzes the stories of mothers in the Gospels and Acts, mothers referred to in New Testament letters and Revelation, and metaphorical uses of motherhood throughout the New Testament. Following this comprehensive survey, she draws together the motherhood-related themes that have been explored throughout the book—new life, suffering, identity, caregiving, and influence—and offers reflections on why the study of mothers in the New Testament matters.
Readers of Under Her Wings will come away with a clearer understanding of what motherhood signifies in the New Testament, and of the meanings and themes that are being communicated when mothers appear in the text. They will also learn how the historical realities of women in the ancient world should inform our reading of mothers as biblical characters and maternal metaphors. Comprehensive and insightful, this book is a valuable resource for seminarians, scholars, and readers interested in the intersection of biblical studies and motherhood.
The Bible is a male-dominated story written by men, mostly about men, within a male-focused, patriarchal society. Yet, there is this golden strand of motherhood that runs throughout the narrative from beginning to end. Motherhood is often overlooked, but it is not absent. In Under Her Wings: Mothers and Motherhood in the New Testament, Jennifer Houston McNeel offers a thoughtful, accessible, and moving exploration of mothers and mothering imagery in the New Testament.
However, I should note that this isn’t a devotional and inspirational work. McNeel isn’t just looking for “motherhood moments” in Scripture—she’s doing something much deeper than that, revealing how mothering imagery that is often overlooked is at the heart of the Gospel and how that message is expressed to us in Scripture. The story of motherhood in the New Testament is the story of many mothers through the ages—ungloriously performing a central, crucial work that often gets overlooked—and that’s what McNeel seeks to bring to light.
She begins by reminding readers how central motherhood was to identity in the ancient world—and how dangerous and difficult it could be. Childbirth wasn’t just a biological event, it was a social, spiritual, and sometimes theological one. From there, McNeel leads us through the New Testament by way of thematic groupings. There’s a chapter on “unconventional” motherhood that focuses on the women in Matthew’s genealogy. There are a couple of chapters on Mary—one on her relationship with other mothers in the New Testament, one about her as the mother of an adult Jesus. My favorite chapter follows, where McNeel explores the stories of mothers in the miracles of Jesus, from Simon Peter’s mother-in-law to the mother of Jairus’ daughter. McNeel also explores maternal imagery in the New Testament, examining the imagery that places Jesus, Paul, and spiritual leaders into maternal context.
What really stands out, though, is how McNeel writes. She’s a scholar and this is an academic work, but this is written with a pastoral heart—particularly to mothers who may feel that Scripture doesn’t engage with or have anything to say about their experiences. Her prose is clear, conversational, and compassionate. And in doing so, she shows that the New Testament is full of maternal imagery—sometimes explicit, sometimes symbolic—that reveals the tenderness, suffering, and strength of God’s people.
One of the book’s most compelling sections unpacks Paul’s surprising use of maternal language. McNeel points out that when Paul speaks of “laboring” for his congregations or “nursing” them, he’s tapping into profoundly relational imagery. Those metaphors aren’t just sentimental, they’re sacrificial. They tell us that love—divine or human—is embodied, exhausting, and life-giving all at once. There’s also a chapter on “motherhood sidelined,” exploring how the early Christian community often redefined family beyond biological ties. It’s a nuanced look at how Jesus both honors and transcends motherhood—valuing spiritual kinship without dismissing the very real women who made the Incarnation possible.
If there’s a drawback, it’s simply that the topic could fill volumes. Some passages feel like they deserve more space, especially when McNeel touches on controversial or complex texts such as the apocalyptic mothering imagery in Revelation. Yet, by the final chapter, Under Her Wings has done exactly what good biblical scholarship should do—it helps us read Scripture with fresh eyes and a fuller heart. If you’ve ever read the Gospels and wondered about the mothers behind the scenes—or about the God who shelters us “under Her wings”—this is a book worth reading.