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All (64) Mike Winger (64)
Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Preview of upcoming topics: apostles, universal priesthood, prophecy, spiritual gifts, NT Wright's arguments

Mike previews what will be covered in part 5.

women apostles N.T. Wright women prophets
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Five egalitarian arguments previewed; first two are weak, last three are stronger

Mike previews the five arguments he will cover: persecution, rabbi-training, universal priesthood, prophecy, and spiritual gifts. He says the first two are weak but the last three challenged him and offer corrections for complementarians.

soft complementarianism complementarianism egalitarianism
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Argument 1 preview: The persecution argument from N.T. Wright

Mike introduces the first argument: N.T. Wright claims that Paul persecuting women (Acts 8) proves women were leaders in the early church.

Acts 8 N.T. Wright Acts 8 persecution argument
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Argument 1 detail: N.T. Wright's persecution argument from 'Surprised by Scripture'

Wright quotes Kenneth Bailey's cultural analysis to argue that women being targeted by Saul's persecution proves they were leaders and influential figures in the community.

Acts 8 N.T. Wright Surprised by Scripture Acts 8
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Wright's claim that women were persecuted 'equally' with men is an overstatement

Mike analyzes Wright's specific wording. While both men and women were imprisoned, we have no data on whether persecution was truly equal in degree or severity.

N.T. Wright persecution argument
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Acts 26:9-11 shows Paul persecuted 'many of the saints,' not leaders specifically

Mike reads Acts 26:9-11 where Paul describes persecuting 'many of the saints,' punishing them 'in every synagogue,' and compelling them to blaspheme.

Acts 26:9-11 persecution argument Acts 26:9-11 Paul/Saul
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Acts 8:1 — all believers scattered except the apostles, showing persecution targeted non-leaders

The persecution resulted in everyone fleeing Jerusalem except the apostles. If persecution targeted leaders, the non-leaders should have stayed.

Acts 8:1 persecution argument Acts 8:1
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Stephen was a deacon, not a high leader, yet he was stoned

Stephen's martyrdom further undermines the claim that persecution targeted only high leaders.

Acts 8 Stephen Acts 8 deacon
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Acts 8:3 — Saul went house to house dragging off men and women; this was general persecution, not targeting leaders

Mike reads Acts 8:3 which is the actual text Wright bases his argument on. Paul went to every house interrogating whether people were Christians.

Acts 8:3 persecution argument Acts 8:3
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Conclusion on persecution argument: being persecuted proves you are a Christian, not a leader

Mike's conclusion: the NT context never says persecution implies important leadership. It just implies being a Christian.

persecution argument
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Video summary — Argument 1: Persecution argument is clearly false

Mike begins his final summary of all five arguments.

N.T. Wright persecution argument
Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

N.T. Wright's argument sourced from Kenneth Bailey who based it on cultural parallels

The persecution argument relies on Kenneth Bailey's claim that persecution of women only makes sense if they were leaders, based on 'cultural parallels.'

N.T. Wright Surprised by Scripture Kenneth Bailey
Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Keener's four steps: household codes, perceived threat, defensive writing, Paul's strategy

Mike summarizes and critiques Keener's chain of reasoning about cultural context.

Craig Keener household codes Roman persecution
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 2022-08-15

Christianity was seen as Jewish -- household codes were not the primary cultural threat

Mike adds another historical argument against the cultural-defense theory.

1 Peter 3 Craig Keener Christianity seen as Judaism Plutarch
Mike Winger idea 2018-03-28

Fourth fact (V): Violence endured by the Apostles — dramatic transformation from hiding to dying for their message

Fourth point of the ALIVE acronym

apostles resurrection apostolic martyrdom
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-25

Mark 13:9-13 — the disciples' calling is faithful witness unto death, not watching for signs

Mike reads the persecution section of Mark 13 and draws out its theological implication for the disciples' posture.

Mark 13:9-13 Mark 13:9-13 persecution gospel to all nations
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-25

Luke 21:5-19 — parallel to Mark 13: delay, persecutions, not-yet signs

Mike moves to Luke 21 and shows the parallel structure confirming the same interpretive logic.

Luke 21:5-19 Luke 21:5-19 Olivet Discourse Luke delay signal in Luke
Mike Winger idea 2018-08-16

1 Peter 3:15 — 'in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense'; Sye says the verse establishes presuppositional starting point before giving reasons

Key apologetics text interpreted through the presup lens

1 Peter 3:15 presuppositional apologetics 1 Peter 3:15 apologetics method
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-05

Two reasons answering the homosexuality question feels hard: consequences and confusion

Winger identifies the two root causes that make Christians hesitate to state a biblical position on homosexuality.

persecution Christian witness consequences
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-20

1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 — Paul identifies the Jews who killed Jesus as the same people persecuting the early church

Paul's reference to Jesus's killers as earthly, identifiable people further anchors Jesus in physical history.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 historicity of Jesus 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 death of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Establishing premise: general persecution was the normal reality for first-century Christians from the very beginning

Mike lays foundational context before presenting specific apostolic martyrdom evidence

early Christian persecution first-century Christianity
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Tacitus (Annals, 109 AD) as non-Christian confirmation of early Christian persecution, crucifixion of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the movement's origin in Judea

Mike quotes Tacitus as an external, non-Christian source confirming early persecution

crucifixion of Jesus Pontius Pilate early Christian persecution
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Pliny the Younger's letter to Emperor Trajan (112 AD): institutionalized Roman policy of executing Christians who refused to recant

Second external Roman source confirming systematic persecution

Pliny the Younger Emperor Trajan early Christian persecution
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Argument that Roman cultural attitudes toward Christians in 50-year span (first to early second century) remained consistent, so early second-century sources reflect first-century reality

Responding to the objection that 109/112 AD sources are too late to apply to the apostolic period

historical methodology early Christian persecution Roman imperial religion
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Mark 13:9 — Jesus's prediction of persecution for his disciples as evidence that persecution was anticipated from the beginning

Biblical evidence for the normalcy of persecution

Mark 13:9 early Christian persecution Mark 13:9 Jesus' predictions
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

John 15:18-20 — Jesus warns disciples the world will hate them as it hated him, anticipating they will suffer as he suffered (including death)

Additional biblical attestation of anticipated persecution

John 15:18-20 early Christian persecution Jesus' predictions John 15:18-20
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Matthew 23:34 — Jesus sends prophets and scribes who will be killed, crucified, and flogged as evidence persecution was an expected norm

Additional scripture confirming persecution as the anticipated norm for followers

Matthew 23:34 early Christian persecution Matthew 23:34
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

John 9: Expulsion from the synagogue for confessing Jesus as Christ — evidence of persecution even during Jesus's ministry

Persecution predates the death of Jesus; it began during his earthly ministry

John 9:22 John 9:34 early Christian persecution John 9:22 John 9:34
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

The book of Acts as a sustained narrative of persecution — Paul's pre-conversion role as persecutor and post-conversion experience of being persecuted

Persecution is the central recurring theme of Acts

Acts of the Apostles Paul the Apostle early Christian persecution Acts of the Apostles
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Prison epistles and other NT letters as evidence that suffering was a church-wide reality needing sustained pastoral address

The pervasive theme of persecution across the entire NT corpus

1 Peter Romans 8 Revelation 2-3 1 Peter Romans 8 Revelation 2-3
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Focus narrowed to Peter, James the brother of Jesus, and Paul as the three central resurrection eyewitnesses whose sincerity needs to be established

Transition from general persecution to specific apostolic martyrdoms

James the brother of Jesus Paul the Apostle apostle sincerity conspiracy hypothesis
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Refutation of Candida Moss's argument that "suffered unto death" in 1 Clement is not a reference to martyrdom, using Polycarp's parallel usage

Addressing a specific scholarly objection to the martyrdom reading of 1 Clement

apostolic martyrdom 1 Clement Candida Moss
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Catalog of additional sources for Peter's martyrdom: Apocalypse of Peter, Ascension of Isaiah, Acts of Peter, Apocryphon of James, Dionysius of Corinth, Tertullian, Muratorian Canon

Demonstrating that Peter's martyrdom is attested by multiple independent streams of tradition

Acts of Peter Acts 4 Tertullian apostolic martyrdom Peter the Apostle
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

2 Corinthians 11:24-28 — Paul's own catalog of sufferings as direct first-person evidence of his willingness to endure persecution for Christ

Paul's own testimony as evidence of sincerity

2 Corinthians 11:24-28 Paul the Apostle apostolic martyrdom apostle sincerity
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Philippians — Paul's pastoral management of his congregation's grief over his suffering as evidence that his persecution was a given, publicly known reality

Paul's suffering was so consistent and well-known that he had to repeatedly address the pastoral fallout from it

Philippians Paul the Apostle apostolic martyrdom apostle sincerity
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Three embarrassing facts that authenticate the disciples' sincerity: Peter's denial, James's pre-resurrection unbelief, and Paul's role as persecutor of the church

The criterion of embarrassment applied to the three key witnesses

James the brother of Jesus James's pre-resurrection unbelief resurrection Paul the Apostle criterion of embarrassment
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Historical parallel: early church marginalized by accusation that Jesus wanted to destroy the temple — same dynamic as "faith is irrational" accusation today

Historical analogy for communication breakdown

early church persecution destroying the temple accusation dialogue between Christians and atheists
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

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 8:1 Acts 1:8 Acts 8:1 Acts 1:8 progressive revelation
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Audience Q: Why doesn't anyone reference Tacitus on Christian persecution until the 4th century? — Multiple 1st-century sources confirm early persecution of Christians

Audience question from "Godless Engineer" about Christian persecution attestation

Acts Hebrews Paul Peter Acts
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

The parable of the sower is about receptivity to the Word, not apologetic methodology

Q&A: whether the parable of the sower supports presuppositionalism over other methods

presuppositionalism apologetic methodology parable of the sower
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

The one true sign in Matthew 24 is the Abomination of Desolation — referenced from Daniel 9

Mike identifies the single definitive sign Jesus gives in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9 eschatology
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Book of Acts as counter-example to private faith: the apostles were imprisoned and beaten rather than stop speaking about Jesus

Closing reinforcement of the bold witness argument.

Acts Acts persecution bold witness
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Standing up for faith before it is taken away — Christians always stand; democracy creates gospel opportunity

A viewer asks at what point Christians should stand up for their faith before it is taken away.

Matthew 5:13-16 salt and light gospel proclamation religious persecution
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Hillsong's explosive growth is driven by an extra layer of intense positivity — the "Happy Meal" model of Christianity

Continued analysis of Hillsong's ministry model.

Hillsong Prosperity gospel / positivity gospel Ministry success metrics
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Shield of Faith — confident trust that quenches fiery darts

Fourth piece of armor: faith as shield against fiery trials and spiritual attacks.

1 Peter Ephesians 6:16 1 Peter Ephesians 6:16 armor of God
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-23

The claim that Jesus was based on Jesus ben Ananias (from Josephus) is historically untenable given the robust bedrock consensus of historical facts about Jesus.

Q16 from Aaron Rampersad: what do you think about the claim that Jesus Christ was based on Jesus ben Ananias in Josephus's Jewish War?

Josephus apologetics Richard Carrier
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Mary did not remain a perpetual virgin — Scripture clearly indicates she had other children with Joseph after Jesus

Q11 from Lovisa Bengtsen: Did Mary remain a virgin? Were the brothers of Jesus actually cousins? If she had other sons, why did John need to care for her?

James (brother of Jesus) John the Apostle John 19:26-27 James (brother of Jesus) John the Apostle brothers of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-12

Church COVID restrictions and pastoral imprisonment: uncertain whether it qualifies as persecution, but it feels like it

Q12 from Crystalline Sloan: Can you define persecution and speak to whether pastors imprisoned for defying public health orders are being persecuted?

conscience persecution COVID-19
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-19

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 — the identity of the Restrainer is uncertain

Listener Louise Sorensen (Denmark) asks whether, when the restrainer of 2 Thessalonians 2 is removed, non-believers will lose compassion and morals.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 Holy Spirit Antichrist Eschatology
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