Week 1: Introduction — Extraordinary Women of God

1.MacArthur opens by arguing that the women of Scripture were not peripheral figures but were "at the very heart" of God's redemptive plan. Did that framing surprise you? How had you previously thought about women in the Bible — as central characters or as supporting ones?

2.The introduction distinguishes between what made these women humanly impressive and what made them truly extraordinary. In MacArthur's view, what is the real source of their greatness?

3.MacArthur notes that the struggles and temptations these women faced are "the same trials faced by all believers in all ages." Which of the twelve women listed on the back cover are you most curious about — and why? What do you already know about her story?

4.The introduction hints at a "chronology of God's redemptive work in history" visible through these twelve lives. What does it mean to read a biography as redemptive history rather than just a personal story? How might that change the way you read Scripture?

5.Luke 8:1–3 mentions several women who followed Jesus and supported His ministry "out of their own means." What does that brief passage reveal about how Jesus valued and included women in ways that were countercultural for His time?

6.Proverbs 31 describes a woman of noble character whose worth is "far above rubies." How does the Proverbs 31 portrait compare to the kind of "extraordinary" MacArthur is describing? Are they the same standard, or complementary ones?

7.As you begin this study, what do you hope to gain? Is there a particular question about your own faith, identity, or calling that you are bringing into this study?

8.MacArthur will argue throughout the book that God consistently works through weakness and ordinary faithfulness rather than through the impressive and powerful. Where have you seen that pattern in your own experience of God?