ralph wrote:well good , course the exceptions for a mothers health have been around since the mid 60s and that was in a Catholic Hospital . And was up to the mother , don't know about the rapes or incest . Course , I think that 'jimi' has always been pro abortion . Reason I posted his thinking is that he might be getting a little bit nervous .
Exceptions for the mother's life have been around since the dawn of time. Exodus shows us that if a woman is pregnant and someone causes her hard and kills the fetus, the punishment is money. If, however, the woman dies, the punishment is death. You may not take a viable life without giving up your own, after paying huge sums of money to the woman's husband.
In Talmudic law, the life of the living woman takes precedence. The fetus may be destroyed until the head crowns - begins the exit from the woman - and then you must preserve BOTH lives.
In Jewish law, pre-Jesus and after, abortion for birth control or financial reasons have been considered horrific and forbidden. It is better to give life and be blessed, but if the mother's life is truly in lethal danger, than the mother comes first as the fetus is then seen as a threat to that life and the fetus is to be removed. If the mother's health would be so badly compromised as to no longer be able to function as a wife, mother, employee, or otherwise fulfill her daily obligations, the law leans to the living woman so she made continue with her life and her existing obligations. An infant has no obligations.
As for Jewish law pertaining to rape and incest, it's more complex. The simple consensus is if the mother's mental state and resulting physical well-being is immeasurably compromised, an abortion within 40 days is ok. The life and full well-being of the woman takes priority. After that 40 days, it's much more complex and requires consultation with Rabbis and so on.
So, since Jesus came to fulfill prophecy and do away with the old law, except the commandments which he repeated, it's hard to know what specifically he would say. Jewish law is on the one hand simple if reading from the Septuagint, but so complex in the Rabbinic teachings and writings. I suspect he would be concerned for the living woman and her soul. I suspect any abortion for any reason would make him sad.