Using the research of feminist literary critics and building upon the work of feminist biblical scholars, Emily Cheney offers three strategies for women whose ecclesiastical traditions expect them to base their sermons on biblical texts, and for women who want their sermons to reflect a feminist consciousness and compassion. The strategies focus on gender reversal, analogy, and women as exchange objects, all tested on several texts without female characters from the Gospel of Matthew. A concluding section reflects upon what role the authority of the text plays when readers use these strategies.