Today’s QQ: What Results When Women in the Bible Exhort Men?
I joined a Facebook accountability group of Christian online course creators a few years ago. Two of my fellow content creators and I live within driving distance, so we arranged to meet for dinner. As we discussed our upcoming online course launches, Julie had a question about her Bible literacy course. She asked, “What do I do if men sign up for my course?”
The foundational question behind Julie’s concern is, “May women exhort men?” How one answers this question reflects their view on how men and women in the church may relate to one another.
Scriptures: Let’s look at what scriptures say about exhortation.
The Greek word parakaleo is translated into English as “exhort.” Parakaleo means “to call to one’s side, to summon, admonish, entreat, encourage, and to instruct, teach.”
Romans 12:6–8 shows that exhortation is a spiritual gift:
“And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; if it is exhortation, he [or she] must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.”
In 1 Timothy 4:13 (NET), we find that exhortation is linked with teaching in his instructions to Timothy :
“Until I come, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation [to preaching, NIV], to teaching.”
Exhortation sometimes contains an urgent appeal. John the Baptist urged his listeners to “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3). He encouraged sharing possessions with others, advised tax collectors to collect only what was required, and admonished soldiers not to falsely accuse anyone. John “with many other exhortations, proclaimed good news to the people” (Luke 3:18).While some have the gift of exhortation, Paul admonishes all “brothers and sisters” to “encourage [parakaleto] one another and build up each other” (1 Thess 5:11). Similarly Hebrews 3:13 says, “Exhort one another each day as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception.”
WDWD—What Did Women Do?: Old Testament Examples of Women’s Exhortation
In The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, author Scot McKnight asks his students to chart women’s activities in the Bible. He uses the acronym “WDWD” for women’s stories to ask, “What Did Women Do?” Let’s see what the Bible reveals about women exhorting men beginning in the Old Testament book of Judges.
Deborah (Judges 4:1–5:31)
Deborah, a prophet, and the wife of Lappidoth, was the national leader of the Israelites. Her leadership and exhortation to Barak, her military commander, resulted in a decisive military victory and peace for the Israelite nation for 40 years.
Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14–23:25; 2 Chr 34:22–28)
Huldah, the wife of Shallum, was a prophet. She spoke the Word of the Lord to King Josiah. Her exhortation to the king resulted in an extraordinary nationwide change to spiritual practices.
King Lemuel’s Mother (Prov 31:1–9)
A queen’s exhortation to her son, King Lemuel is recorded in Proverbs, the book of wisdom. Her wise counsel is applicable today and excellent instruction for all leaders (described in the NET Bible as “an oracle”).
WDWD—What Did Women Do?: New Testament Examples of Women’s Exhortation
Anna (Luke 2:36–38)
Anna, the daughter of Penuel, was a widow and a prophet. Scripture records that she was always at the temple, “worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” When Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to the temple for the first time, Anna recognized him as the awaited one, and she exhorted men and women worshippers to recognize the Messiah.
Priscilla (Rom 16:3–5; 1 Cor 16:19; Acts 18:18, 24–28; 2 Tim 4:19)
Paul described Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, as his “co-workers” (Rom 16:3). In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila met Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria, and “explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:24–26). And their exhortation equipped him for his preaching ministry.
Lois & Eunice (2 Tim 1:5; 3:14)
Paul commended Timothy’s “sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” (2 Tim 1:5). Among the early women to embrace Christianity, Lois and Eunice introduced Timothy to faith in God and instructed him in the Scriptures.
Scholars’ Views: Exhortation’s Link to Teaching and Preaching
R.C. Sproul explains, “Teaching people the things of God cannot be done in a neutral manner but must exhort them to heed and obey the Word of Christ.”Larry Gilbert, author of Your Gifts: Discover God’s Unique Design for You, writes, “If you are an Exhorter, you have the Spirit-given capacity and desire to serve God by motivating others to action by urging them to pursue a course of conduct. You are the “how to” teacher, explaining how to apply God’s Word to everyday life.”
Jonathan Pennington [see his graphic above] explains the difference between preaching and teaching, “We can define preaching as the invitational and exhortational proclamation of biblical and theological truth. Teaching, by contrast, is the explanation and explication of biblical and theological truth.” Pennington continues, “What is shared between Christian preaching and teaching is the content—biblical and theological truth. The difference lies in the mode and immediate goal.”
3 Key Takeaways
1. Biblical evidence shows many examples in which women’s exhortation (and teaching) yielded spiritual fruit.
2. Women’s words are recorded in the scriptures and instructive for all believers.
The words of seventy-one women are in the Bible. God preserved the words of many women in his holy text. And, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16–17).
3. Are we exhorting women in our church today to do what women did [WDWD} in the Bible?
Related Reading:
Larry Gilbert, “Do You Have the Spiritual Gift of Exhortation?” churchgrowth.org, 2015. https://churchgrowth.org/do-you-have-the-spiritual-gift-of-exhortation/
Scot McKnight, The Blue Parakeet, 2nd ed., 2018, 214.
Jonathan T. Pennington, “What’s the Difference between Preaching and Teaching?” logos.com, July 18, 2022. https://www.logos.com/grow/what-is-the-difference-between-preaching-and-teaching/
R.C. Sproul, “Preaching and Teaching,” ligonier.com, June 13, 2024 https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/preaching-and-teaching/
Blog Post: In Church Leadership: Where are the Women?
Read one of my past articles about searching for a female role model.
Until next time,
