Search — Theology Explorer

1 Corinthians 12:28 apostles 1 Corinthians 12:28 kubernesis (administrating)

1 Corinthians 12:28 — 'administrating' (leadership) appears as a gift distinct from the office of teacher

Mike examines another gifts list.

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 word of wisdom word of knowledge

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 — speaking gifts (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, tongues, interpretation) seem available to women by analogy with prophecy

Mike examines another gifts list and finds it would be arbitrary to say women can prophesy but not have other speaking gifts.

1 Peter 4:10-11 spiritual gifts 1 Peter 4:10-11

1 Peter 4:10-11 — 'whoever speaks' includes all speaking gifts and all are meant to be used

Mike cites 1 Peter to show gifts are meant to be used, not kept dormant.

1 Corinthians 12:29-30 Philip Payne teaching ministry 1 Corinthians 12:29-30

1 Corinthians 12:29-30 — Paul's rhetorical questions show not everyone is supposed to teach

Mike cites Paul's own words against the idea that all Christians should have a teaching ministry.

education view clatter view Dionysus cult

Introduction of View 3: The Education/Clatter View

Mike introduces a cluster of related views that shift the focus from women per se to education or disruptive behavior.

judging prophecy view flow of argument prophecy section

Style Argument 2: The passage interrupts the flow of instructions about prophets -- rebutted

Mike addresses the claim that these verses break the flow of the prophecy discussion.

1 Corinthians 11 1 Corinthians 11 Corinthian church practices internal consistency

The refutation view creates internally contradictory beliefs about the Corinthians

Mike argues the refutation view requires believing contradictory things about Corinthian church practice simultaneously.

education view social decorum view Dionysus/Bacchus cult view

Three species of the education/clatter view explained

Mike breaks down the three sub-views within this interpretive category.

Livy CBE International Bacchus/Dionysus cult

The Bacchus/Dionysus cult clatter explanation from CBE International

Mike examines the view promoted by the Center for Biblical Equality (CBE International) connecting the passage to ecstatic cult practices.

1 Corinthians 14:35 laleo 1 Corinthians 14:35 questions vs. ecstatic behavior

Problem 2 with the cult view: why are questions forbidden if the issue is screaming?

Mike identifies the disconnect between ecstatic behavior and the passage's content about questions.

1 Corinthians 14:28 1 Corinthians 14:30 Anthony Thiselton sigao 1 Corinthians 14:28

The word 'sigao' (keep silent) in 1 Corinthians 14 consistently refers to limited, context-specific silence

Mike examines how the same Greek word for silence is used in the same chapter.

Beth Allison Barr Craig Keener judging prophecy view

Five possible interpretations of what kind of silence is meant in verse 34

Mike lists the options for what specific type of silence verse 34 commands.

Joel 2 Acts 2:15-18 Joel 2 women prophesying Acts 2:15-18

Acts 2 and the Joel prophecy: men and women prophesied publicly at Pentecost

Mike cites Acts 2 as scriptural evidence against the utter silence view.

1 John 4:1 1 Corinthians 12:10 1 John 4:1 testing prophecy 1 Corinthians 12:10

Judging Prophecy Hinge 1: Was testing prophecy a real practice in the early church?

Mike establishes that testing/judging prophecy was indeed a regular church practice.

1 Corinthians 14:29 1 Corinthians 14:6-28 1 Corinthians 14:29 1 Corinthians 14:6-28 structural parallel

Judging Prophecy Hinge 2: The passage's structure mirrors tongues/interpretation with prophecy/judging

Mike shows how 1 Corinthians 14's structure supports the judging prophecy view.

1 Corinthians 14:32 hupotasso 1 Corinthians 14:32 prophetic self-control

The 'spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets' means self-control, not a hierarchy

Mike interprets verse 32 as a parenthetical about prophets' ability to control themselves.

1 Corinthians 14:37 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 1 Corinthians 14:37 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 prophetic context

Only the judging prophecy view properly accounts for the prophetic context running through the entire passage

Mike shows prophecy is the continuous context from verse 29 through the end of the chapter.

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-07

First healing video analyzed: a healer commands a boy's short hand to grow, employing extended emotional pressure, crowd chanting, and speaking in tongues before physically pushing the arm forward.

Playing and analyzing the first example video — the most egregious case of fraud presented in the stream.

healing fraud speaking in tongues psychological manipulation

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-07

Q&A: Could demons be behind Todd White's healings? Mike thinks the visible examples are explainable by natural means; for unexplained cases the options are God acting despite doctrinal error, or demonic — but Christians should not default to 'demonic' for things that are merely unusual.

Viewer question from Jas Stewart about demonic involvement in Todd White's ministry.

discernment Todd White speaking in tongues

Mike Winger idea 2017-12-27

Tip 7: Take practical steps — lofty goals require specific, actionable commitments

Seventh and final tip. Mike insists that all the prior steps require concrete behavioral change to produce results.

marriage self-control practical discipleship

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

James's 'works' are not Catholic sacraments — they are practical Christian obedience (tongue, helping the poor, staying unspotted from the world)

Clarifying what 'works' means in James, contrasted with Catholic sacramental works

James 1:22-27 Catholicism James 1:22-27 works

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

James 1:22-27 read in context — James's 'works' are being a doer of the word, controlling the tongue, and helping orphans and widows

Reading James 1 to establish the meaning of 'works' before analyzing James 2

James 1:22-27 James 1:22-27 works doers of the word

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Groups that use James 2 substitute their own list of required works (sacraments, tongues, church membership) for James's actual examples (tongue, helping poor)

Ironic observation about how misusers of James 2 actually apply it

James 2 hermeneutics Mormonism Jehovah's Witnesses

Mike Winger idea 2018-08-29

Psalm 22 describes crucifixion hundreds of years before it was invented

Continuing analysis of Psalm 22 as a crucifixion prophecy

Psalm 22 Messianic prophecy Psalm 22 Crucifixion prophecy

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 2018-11-14

Slander and obscene talk (Colossians 3:8) are what anger does to the tongue — attacking character and saying hateful things; Colossians 3:8 is a complete map of what to put off.

Final two elements of the Colossians 3:8 list; synthesis of the whole passage.

Colossians 3:8 sanctification anger Colossians 3:8

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-01

Refutation: Koine Greek is literally the 'common language' — the word koine means 'common' — it was a simplified lingua franca spread through Alexander the Great's empire, the exact opposite of an elite dialect

Mike corrects the Koine Greek claim with a university linguistics source

apologetics New Testament Koine Greek

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-19

Q&A: Core doctrines vs. peripheral doctrines — spiderweb illustration; Mormonism example

Answering viewer question from Jacob Inglot about when doctrine becomes heresy

Mormonism Christology soteriology

Mike Winger idea 2019-02-07

1 Corinthians 13 "the perfect" does not refer to the completed canon — cessationism refuted

Q&A question about whether 1 Corinthians 13 latter half refers to the completed canon of Scripture.

1 Corinthians 13 prophecy word of knowledge 1 Corinthians 13

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

Tongues in the New Testament: multiple types — tongues with interpretation (public) and tongues without interpretation (private).

Tanya Baltzer asks about tongues — actual languages vs. unknown languages.

1 Corinthians 14 Acts 2 (Pentecost) 1 Corinthians 13:1 1 Corinthians 14 Tongues Acts 2 (Pentecost)

Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

Personal testimony: Mike first encountered charismatic practices as a teenager and was confused; discovered 1 Corinthians 14 had rules for tongues much later.

Mike shares his personal experience with charismatic churches.

1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 14 Tongues Continuationism

1 Corinthians 13:10-12 cessationism continuationism spiritual gifts

1 Corinthians 13:10-12 is the primary cessationist proof-text in the cessationism vs. continuationism debate.

Introduction to the episode. Winger frames the central question: does 1 Cor 13:10-12 teach that tongues, prophecy, and knowledge ceased after the apostolic era?

cessationism continuationism spiritual gifts

Cessationism defined: miraculous gifts belonged to the apostolic era only, served a unique founding purpose, and ceased before the canon closed.

Winger reads a definition from Theapedia. He contrasts it with continuationism, which holds the gifts are normative and available today.

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 1 Corinthians 12-14 prophecy word of knowledge

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 in context: the love passage is embedded within 1 Cor 12-14, a sustained section on spiritual gifts.

Winger reads the passage aloud (1 Cor 13:8-13) and establishes its literary context before presenting cessationist interpretations.

1 Corinthians 13:8 spiritual gifts prophecy word of knowledge

Verse-by-verse: v. 8 — love never ends; three gifts (prophecy, knowledge, tongues) will pass away; the context is clearly the spiritual gifts of 1 Cor 12-14.

Winger begins his own positive verse-by-verse treatment of 1 Cor 13:8-13.

1 Corinthians 12-14 1 Corinthians 12-14 cessationism continuationism

The cure for hyper-charismatic abuse is not cessationism but the biblical regulative norms already given in 1 Cor 12-14 for how gifts function in the church.

Winger resists the reactionary move of becoming cessationist in response to charismatic excess.

1 Corinthians 14 Romans 8 1 Corinthians 13:1 1 Corinthians 14 Romans 8 spiritual gifts

Q&A: Tongues in 1 Cor 14 are actual languages; tongues always requires genuine linguistic communication; "groaning" in Romans 8 is distinct from the gift of tongues.

Response to viewer question about whether 1 Cor 14 tongues are languages or ecstatic utterances.

Romans 8 Romans 8 spiritual gifts tongues

Can a person speak in tongues without having the gift of tongues? Possibly — but Romans 8 groaning is distinct: it is heart-pouring to God, not a spiritual gift requiring impartation.

Q&A — question about whether tongues-speaking requires the specific gift.

cessationism continuationism church history

Historical question: sign gifts did not begin at Azusa Street; early church fathers (Justin Martyr, later Augustine) attest to prophecy and miracles continuing post-apostolically.

Q&A — viewer claims modern tongues/gifts stem from the 1906 Azusa Street revival. Winger corrects the historical record.

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Acts 10-11: Cornelius's household — all feared God, heard, received the Spirit, and spoke in tongues, excluding infants

Detailed exegesis of the Cornelius household baptism narrative.

Acts 10:2 Acts 10:33 Acts 10:44 Cornelius Holy Spirit infant baptism

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Mark 16:17-18 — the signs follow believers as a community/historically, not as individual mandates for every Christian

Question from Chretienis about Mark 16:17-18 and helping people escape the prosperity gospel.

Mark 16:17-18 Acts 28 textual criticism healing prosperity gospel

gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation spiritual abuse

Personal testimony: as a teenager Mike was told he was not saved because he had not spoken in tongues

Opening introduction before answering the first question about tongues and salvation

pastoral care tongues and salvation spiritual abuse

Declaring tongues required for salvation is spiritually abusive and demands repentance

Mike's moral and pastoral assessment before turning to the biblical argument

Acts hermeneutics Acts tongues and salvation

The case for tongues-required-for-salvation rests on a few Acts passages used without context

Beginning the biblical refutation of the tongues-salvation link

Acts 2 Acts 2 new covenant gifts of the Spirit

Acts 2 — the inauguration of the Holy Spirit: all present spoke in tongues

First of three Acts passages cited by tongues-required proponents

Acts 10 Acts 10 Jewish-Gentile distinction tongues and salvation

Acts 10 — Cornelius and the Gentiles speak in tongues

Second Acts passage cited by tongues-required proponents

Acts 19 Acts 19 gifts of the Spirit tongues and salvation

Acts 19 — group that had not heard of the Holy Spirit is baptized and speaks in tongues

Third Acts passage cited by tongues-required proponents