Search — Theology Explorer

Acts 16:15 Lydia N.T. Wright hosting vs. leading

Acts 16:15 refutes host-as-leader: Lydia hosted Paul immediately after conversion

Mike applies the host-as-leader test to Lydia.

Acts 12:12 Linda Belleville hosting vs. leading Mary mother of Mark

Acts 12:12 refutes host-as-leader: Mary mother of Mark hosted a prayer gathering

Mike presents another counter-example.

Acts 10 hosting vs. leading Cornelius Acts 10

Cornelius counter-example: would be an overseer before being a Christian

Mike continues listing absurd implications of the host-as-leader theory.

Acts 17:5-9 hosting vs. leading Jason Acts 17:5-9

Jason in Acts 17:5-9 does not prove host-as-leader; shows external cultural accountability only

Mike addresses the one passage egalitarians use to support host-as-leader.

Acts 18:24-26 Ephesus Priscilla Aquila

Acts 18:24-26: Priscilla and Aquila teach Apollos theology privately

Mike examines the most significant scene from Priscilla and Aquila's ministry.

Acts 18:26 Priscilla private vs. public teaching eldership teaching

Priscilla's teaching was doctrinal but private and informal, not public elder-type teaching

Mike distinguishes what Priscilla's teaching was from what it was not.

Acts 18:26 Priscilla Aquila Craig Keener

Craig Keener claims Priscilla and Aquila instructed ministers (plural) and led a house church

Mike examines Keener's specific claims about Priscilla and Aquila.

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Jew/Gentile distinctions continued after conversion: Jews kept the law, Gentiles did not

Mike demonstrates that the Jew/Gentile pair retained functional differences in the early church.

Acts 10 Acts 15 1 Corinthians 7:18-20 Peter Acts 10 Jew/Gentile distinctions

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Paul's actual behavior toward persecution shows he didn't strategically accommodate Roman sensibilities

Mike uses Paul's track record to refute the cultural-defense theory.

Acts 19 Acts 17 Emperor Trajan Acts 19 Acts 17

Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Elders as the only universal biblical ongoing office with authority

Mike provides scriptural evidence for the elder/overseer role as the primary authority structure in the church.

Acts 14:23 Titus 1:5 Acts 14:23 Titus 1:5 elder/overseer/bishop

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Proverbs 31 woman, Lydia, Priscilla, and women sponsors of Jesus as examples of women working

Mike gives biblical examples of women working outside the home.

Luke 8:1-3 Proverbs 31:16-24 Acts 16:14 Lydia Priscilla Aquila

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Unofficial teaching moments: Priscilla teaching Apollos (Acts 18:26) — women can correct men's theology

Mike uses Priscilla as precedent for informal theological correction.

Acts 18:26 Priscilla Aquila David

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women theologians writing books men read — permissible; Priscilla as precedent

Mike addresses whether women can write theology books for mixed audiences.

Acts 18:26 women authors Priscilla Aquila

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

The Watchtower's three main biblical proof texts for the blood ban are Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:13-14, and Acts 15:29.

Mike transitions from historical/medical arguments to direct biblical exegesis of the passages the Watchtower uses.

Genesis 9:4 Leviticus 17:13-14 Acts 15:29 Watchtower Genesis 9:4 Leviticus 17:13-14

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

Even granting the strongest interpretation of the blood passages (including Acts 15:29), the texts concern eating blood — not intravenous medicine — so neither position on eating blood requires opposing transfusions.

Mike presents a framework argument that transcends the eating-blood debate: even if you believe eating blood is wrong, that does not require opposing transfusions.

Genesis 9:4 Acts 15:29 Genesis 9:4 Acts 15:29 eating blood prohibition

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-25

Acts 1:6-8 — Jesus does not promise imminence at the ascension; redirects disciples to mission

Mike cites a post-resurrection passage that confirms the same pattern: unknown timing, mission focus.

Acts 1:6-8 ascension Acts 1:6-8 kingdom restoration timing

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-25

Q&A: Hebrew wedding tradition and 'only the Father knows the day' — Mike is curious but wants historical verification

Viewer William Williams asks about the Hebrew wedding tradition parallel to the Son not knowing the day.

Acts 1:6-8 no one knows the day or hour Acts 1:6-8 Hebrew wedding tradition

Mike Winger idea 2018-08-22

Kim misreads Acts 18:4 as a command for all believers to gather in synagogue every Sabbath; Mike shows it is merely a description of Paul's evangelistic method

Kim uses Acts 18:4 — 'he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath' — as a New Testament proof-text for mandatory Saturday church attendance.

Acts 18:4 proof-texting Sabbath Acts 18:4

Mike Winger idea 2018-08-16

Acts 17:31 — Paul cites the resurrection as giving 'assurance' that Jesus will be judge; Winger argues this is evidence-for-deity, not just evidence-for-resurrection

Winger's Acts 17 argument

Acts 17:31 resurrection general revelation Paul's apologetic method

Mike Winger idea 2018-08-16

Discussion of Acts 17 Areopagus sermon: Paul makes a historical argument from resurrection to Christ's authority, not an argument for the existence of God

Extended analysis of Acts 17 and Paul's apologetic at Athens

Acts 17 Romans 1-2 Acts 17 resurrection general revelation

Mike Winger idea 2018-08-16

Why are miracles acceptable as evidence but not other things? Sye: he's a cessationist, so miracles as evidence is tongue-in-cheek — if you believe in miracles today, go do them; otherwise that evidence is unavailable

Audience question on consistency of Sye's position on miracles

Acts 17 Acts 17 resurrection evidential apologetics

Mike Winger idea 2018-10-10

Idea

Acts 11:26 is the key example: PT says followers were 'first revealed as anointed ones'; all other translations say they were 'first called Christians.'

Acts 11 Acts 11:26 Acts 11 Acts 11:26

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-20

Galatians 1:19 and 1 Corinthians 9:5 — Jesus had brothers, specifically James

Paul's knowledge of Jesus's family members as evidence of biographical familiarity with the historical Jesus.

1 Corinthians 9:5 James (brother of Jesus) Galatians 1:19 1 Corinthians 9:5 James (brother of Jesus) Galatians 1:19

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-20

Matthew 10:23 — 'Son of Man comes' refers to Jesus's first coming during the disciples' mission trip, not the Second Coming

Q&A: question about a verse that appears to predict Jesus would return before the disciples finished preaching in Israel.

Matthew 10:23 Acts 1:8 Second Coming eschatology Matthew 10:23

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Acts 18:27-28 — Apollos vigorously refutes Jewish opponents using Scripture to show Jesus is the Christ

New Testament example of evidence-based persuasion in the early church.

Acts 18:27-28 Apollos typology evidence-based faith

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Paul's legitimacy as an apostle — Mike answers a claim that Paul was not a true Jew and therefore untrustworthy

Q&A: a viewer's sister and brother-in-law argue that Paul was not a true Jew and deceived his audience; they use this to reject his letters.

Acts 13 Paul Peter Paul rejection

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

Preview of next week: Acts 15 and Pauline passages; warning to Hebrew Roots adherents to separate from those who deny salvation by grace

Closing remarks and preview of future videos in the series.

Acts 15 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots Movement 119 Ministries

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-13

Acts 1 implies Jesus's limitations were lifted after resurrection and glorification

Continuing discussion of Jesus's limited knowledge before vs. after resurrection

Acts 1 resurrection kenosis omniscience

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

"From the beginning" (ap archēs) eyewitnesses in Luke 1:2 defined by Acts 1:21-22

What Luke means by "from the beginning eyewitnesses."

Luke 1:2 Acts 1:21-22 eyewitness testimony Luke 1:2 Acts 1:21-22

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

John 15: Jesus's own definition of apostolic witness "from the beginning"

Third Gospel parallel to Luke's and Acts's "from the beginning" language.

John 15 Luke 1:2 Acts 1:21 eyewitness testimony John 15 Luke 1:2

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

James the brother of Jesus as the leader of the Jerusalem church; Acts 15 and 1 Corinthians 15 as key evidence for his role and resurrection witness

Transition to James as the third focal figure

Acts 15 1 Corinthians 15 James the brother of Jesus Acts 15 1 Corinthians 15 James the brother of Jesus

Acts 15 Matthew 5 Matthew 28 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots movement Matthew 5

Series structure announced: Matthew teachings today, then Acts, then Epistles

Winger lays out his multi-part teaching plan

Acts 10 Acts 15 Acts 10 Acts 15 Gentile mission

Preview: Book of Acts will be examined next to show how the Apostles actually applied Jesus's commands regarding the Law

Transition to future installments of the series

Acts 15:21 119 Ministries Gentiles and the Law Jerusalem Council

Q&A: Acts 15:21 is used by Hebrew Roots to justify Gentile Torah observance — Winger defers to full treatment next week

Preview of upcoming Acts 15 analysis

Acts 10 Acts 15 Acts 10 Acts 15 Hebrew Roots movement

Closing: Next week will cover the Hebrew Roots interpretation of Acts, especially Acts 10 and Acts 15

Series summary and next steps

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Undesigned coincidence: 1 Corinthians 4 and Acts 19 — Timothy's route to Corinth

McLatchie gives an example of undesigned coincidences between Paul's epistles and the book of Acts, confirming Luke as Paul's traveling companion.

1 Corinthians 4:17 Luke 1 Corinthians 16:10 Paul Timothy 1 Corinthians 4:17

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Historical case for the resurrection — basis and overview

McLatchie introduces the historical argument for the resurrection of Jesus, which is the seventh main line of argument.

1 Corinthians 15 Acts 1 Luke Craig Keener 1 Corinthians 15 resurrection of Jesus

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

James the brother of Jesus — conversion from skeptic to martyr

McLatchie presents the conversion and martyrdom of James, Jesus's brother, as particularly strong evidence for the resurrection.

Acts 1 James the brother of Jesus John 7:5 Josephus resurrection of Jesus Acts 1

Acts 1:8 Judea Great Commission Acts 1:8 progressive revelation

Acts 1:8 establishes the progressive geographic expansion of the gospel: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, uttermost parts of the earth

Survey of Acts chapter 1

Acts 8:1 Acts 1:8 Acts 8:1 Acts 1:8 progressive revelation

Acts 8:1 -- Saul's persecution scatters the church throughout Judea and Samaria, fulfilling the Acts 1:8 progression

Survey of Acts chapter 8

Acts 11:19 Acts 8:5 Gentile mission Acts 11:19 Acts 8:5

Acts 11:19 reveals that scattered believers preached only to Jews -- the assumption was still that the gospel was exclusively for Jews

Survey of Acts 8 and 11:19

Acts 8:5 Deuteronomy 18:15 Acts 8:5 Deuteronomy 18:15 Samaritans

Samaritans are described as 'Jewish-ish' -- half-Jew, half-Gentile in Jewish eyes -- still not the full Gentile mission of Acts 1:8

Analysis of Philip's Samaritan mission

argument from silence Torah observance Jewish believers

Key principle: those already observing the law simply continued; there was no teaching to stop -- and no teaching to start for those who were not observing it

Summary principle from Acts 1-9

Acts 10:1-2 Craig Keener Cornelius Josephus

Acts 10: Cornelius is introduced -- the first non-proselyte Gentile to receive the gospel. He is a God-fearer but not circumcised and not under the law.

Survey of Acts chapter 10, Cornelius

Acts 10:9-16 dietary laws Acts 10:9-16 Peter's vision

Peter's vision of the sheet with unclean animals (Acts 10:9-16): God tells him to eat all types of animals, both unholy and unclean

Peter's rooftop vision in Acts 10

Acts 10:28 Gentile inclusion Peter (Apostle) clean/unclean distinction

Acts 10:28 gives the authoritative interpretation of the vision: 'God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean' -- the vision is about Gentile inclusion, not food

Peter's own interpretation of his vision

Acts 10 hermeneutics Acts 10 Gentile inclusion

Neither extreme interpretation of Acts 10 is correct: neither 'all food is now clean for everyone' nor 'all food is still unclean' -- the vision primarily establishes Gentile access to the gospel

Balanced interpretation of Acts 10 vision

Acts 10 Acts 10 Hebrew Roots movement Gentile inclusion

Hebrew Roots major argument on Acts 10: the vision was about people (Gentiles), not food -- Winger agrees but argues they miss the connection and the implication for dietary laws

Critique of Hebrew Roots interpretation of Acts 10

Acts 11:1 Torah observance 119 Ministries Acts 11:1

Acts 11:1 -- 'Gentiles received the Word of God' without Torah observance. Hebrew Roots claim you cannot fully receive the Word of God without obeying the law -- Winger rejects this as unbiblical.

Analysis of Acts 11:1