Questions
Does Jesus Exhibit Masculine Characteristics, or Faithful Ones?
Summary: Jesus exhibits faithful ones. His mission-focus, boldness, sacrificial love, and obedience unto death are human virtues on display in a man’s life—and labeling them “masculine” risks restricting to male disciples what Scripture calls every disciple to imitate.
The characteristics of Jesus that some describe as masculine—such as a deep commitment to his mission, boldness, obedience to the point of death, fearlessness in proclaiming truth, sacrificial love—are not exclusively male virtues. They are human virtues on display in the life of a man. Calling them masculine is a way of restricting them, even if unintentionally, to male disciples.
Consider what Jesus’s characteristics actually involved: He washed his disciples’ feet (John 13). He wept at the grave of a friend (John 11). He welcomed children when his disciples thought he had better things to do (Mark 10). He prayed with anguish in Gethsemane (Luke 22). He submitted to an execution that every cultural script available to him coded as defeat and humiliation. None of those things were particularly “masculine” by the standards of most masculinity ideologies. They are, however, exactly what a life surrendered to God looks like.
Female disciples of Christ are supposed to imitate these characteristics. Women are also called to self-giving service, to courageous truth-telling, to sacrificial love, to submission to God’s will. The language of masculinity confuses things and, arguably, creates unnecessary divisions in the body of Christ. Human characteristics are on display in one who was a human male. Masculinity is an imported category that is doing little unifying or helpful work.
Key Takeaways: Faithful, Not Masculine
- The Characteristics in Question: Mission-focus, boldness, obedience unto death, fearless truth-telling, sacrificial love—human virtues, not male ones.
- Unmasculine Moments: Foot-washing (John 13), weeping (John 11), welcoming children (Mark 10), anguished prayer (Luke 22), crucifixion—none coded masculine by cultural standards.
- Imitated by All: Female disciples are called to the same self-giving service, courageous truth-telling, and submission to God’s will.
- The “So What”: The label “masculine” does little unifying work and creates unnecessary divisions in the body of Christ.
About the Author — James Spencer, PhD, is a theologian, author, and host of the Thinking Christian podcast, where he writes and speaks on Christian formation, political theology, and technology. He holds a PhD in Theological Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and completed the Institute for Educational Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He serves as President of the D.L. Moody Center in Northfield, Massachusetts, as adjunct faculty in Wheaton College’s MA in Leadership program, and as an Associate Research Fellow at the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, Christianity.com, and Sojourners; he has been quoted in The Telegraph; and he is a regular guest on Stand in the Gap Today with the American Pastors Network. His forthcoming book is Digital Discernment (InterVarsity Press, Fall 2026). Learn more at jamesgspencer.com.