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All (611) Scripture Commentary (293) Theology (45) Mike Winger (271) Pulpit (2)
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

Bart Ehrman acknowledges we probably have what the originals said, despite popularizing text-critical skepticism

Mike's nuanced engagement with a prominent skeptical scholar on textual transmission.

Bart Ehrman Biblical manuscripts Textual criticism
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

Footnotes are the most reliable method for tracking primary sources and objective evidence in apologetics research

Response to question about finding primary sources in a sea of biased online content

apologetics methodology research method primary sources
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

Modern-day apostles: the original apostles were unique authoritative founders whose authority is now held in the NT canon; the movement claiming ongoing apostolic offices is unbiblical, though the lowercase term can refer to missionaries

Response to question about whether modern-day apostles are biblical

Luke apostolic authority apostolos Barnabas
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

Worship songs with questionable original contexts may be acceptable in personal use but congregational use requires sensitivity to the consciences of all present

Response to question about whether it is okay to sing a song that in its original context is questionable but which people would interpret as worship to God

conscience stumbling block worship music
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Big picture point 1: The Law had a beginning—it did not exist for Adam, Noah, Abraham, or Cain and Abel

First of three foundational contextual claims about the Law

Deuteronomy 5:2 Galatians 3:17 Abraham Deuteronomy 5:2 Galatians 3:17
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Genesis 26:5 does not prove Abraham kept the Law of Moses

Response to a Hebrew Roots proof text about Abraham

Deuteronomy 5:2 Genesis 26:5 Abraham 119 Ministries Deuteronomy 5:2
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Unlikely origin of the disciples' belief in the deity of Jesus — fifth argument

McLatchie introduces the argument that the disciples' belief in Jesus's deity is historically inexplicable without the resurrection, given the Jewish context.

Numbers 23:19 Deuteronomy 21:23 resurrection deity of Christ Justin Martyr
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Homochirality problem — origin of life obstacle

McLatchie raises the chirality problem as a further challenge to naturalistic origin-of-life scenarios.

Jonathan McLatchie intelligent design homochirality
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

1 Corinthians 15 creedal tradition — early apostolic testimony to the resurrection

McLatchie analyzes 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 as a pre-Pauline creed containing the earliest testimony to the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:3-7 Galatians 1:18-19 Paul Peter resurrection creed
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

The cumulative case — power and robustness of multiple converging arguments

McLatchie explains the logic and strength of the cumulative case approach as the seventh and final major point.

apologetics cumulative case apologetics Jonathan McLatchie
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Barnabas and Saul spend a full year discipling the Antioch church; disciples are first called Christians there. This extended discipleship with no mention of Torah observance is a key data point.

Survey of Acts 11:22-26, Antioch discipleship

Acts 11:22-26 discipleship Barnabas Torah observance
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-30

Introduction: topic triggered by viewer question and James White announcing he would listen

Mike Winger opens the Wednesday livestream and explains why he went deeper into limited atonement than originally planned; James White tweeting that he would listen prompted more thorough preparation.

James White 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 James White limited atonement 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

The Testimonium Flavianum (Antiquities 18.63) was interpolated by a Christian, but most scholars think an authentic Josephus reference to Jesus underlies it

Scholarly consensus on the interpolation question in Josephus

Josephus Origen Antiquities of the Jews
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Study plan: Hebrew word analysis, context, origin of evil, and other questions

Mike outlines the teaching structure for the session

Isaiah 45:7 Isaiah 45:7 biblical interpretation methodology Hebrew exegesis
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Evil is not a created substance — analogy of donut hole and shadow

Mike transitions to the broader philosophical question: where did evil come from?

Greg Koukl moral evil evil as privation
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Good derives from God's nature; evil is the contrast to God's goodness, requiring permission not creation

Positive account of where good and evil come from

free will evil as privation origin of evil
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Summary conclusion: God is source of goodness; evil is real by contrast but need not be created; God allows and will solve evil

Mike wraps up the theological teaching before Q&A

theodicy free will evil as privation
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Q&A: How to responsibly use Hebrew and Greek resources without knowing the languages

Practical advice for laypeople on lexical Bible study

hermeneutics Strong's Concordance Blue Letter Bible
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Q&A: If God had not created anything, would evil exist? — No, because evil requires free creatures

Audience question about counterfactual non-creation

creation free will evil as privation
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

Q&A: NIV Morningstar — does the NIV call Jesus Satan?

Question about why the NIV uses "Morningstar" for both Isaiah 14:12 (apparently referring to Satan) and Revelation 22:16 (Jesus).

Isaiah 14:12 Revelation 22:16 NIV translation Satan Isaiah 14:12
Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

The etymological fallacy: a word's origin does not fix its meaning

The core linguistic error in the JW argument is the etymological fallacy — assuming that the root meaning of a word is always its current or proper meaning. Winger explains this is a recognized fallacy in linguistics.

etymological fallacy linguistics stauros
Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

Christians worship God, not the cross symbol; cross use is a reminder, not icon worship

Winger clarifies that Christians do not worship the cross as an object. It serves as a reminder of what Christ accomplished. The pagan origin argument for the cross is irrelevant — pagans used Greek before the NT was written in Greek; usage context determines meaning.

atonement idolatry worship
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Slogan 6: "God knows our hearts and good people will be okay" — people are not actually good

Final and most substantial of the six slogans

original sin human nature total depravity
Mike Winger idea 2019-10-02

Q&A: Why did God allow bears to kill 42 children for mocking Elisha? (2 Kings 2:23-24)

Viewer question from Pedro Jr.

2 Kings 2:23-24 apologetics Hebrew exegesis 2 Kings 2:23-24
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Q&A: Infants born guilty of Adam's sin — paedo-baptism response creates unsolvable problems

A viewer asks whether original sin justifies baptizing infants.

original sin grace free will
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

Credit to William Lane Craig's article in Five Views on Apologetics for the knowing/showing framework

Attribution of intellectual source material

William Lane Craig knowing vs. showing apologetic methodology
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

On original sin: some form of sin nature is required by orthodoxy but the exact mechanism may be debated

Q&A: whether denying the imputation of Adam's guilt is outside orthodoxy

Romans 5 Romans 5 original sin anthropology
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

Recommended Bible study resources for non-original-language readers: multiple translations, NET Bible, STEP Bible, Blue Letter Bible

Question from Naomi about where to start studying the Bible verse-by-verse without knowledge of original languages.

NET Bible ESV NASB
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

Catholic claim that marriage outside the Church is invalid is wrong — it is not sacramental but is still a real marriage; the Catholic doctrine of 7 sacraments is historically late

Question from Lindsey whose husband's Catholic family claims they are not really married because they were not married by the Catholic Church.

Roman Catholicism church history marriage
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-11

The Enneagram lacks true ancient origins and was developed by a modern mystic with dangerous theology

Response to Katrina asking about the Enneagram and its origins (desert fathers vs. Catholic origins).

discernment Enneagram mysticism
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

1 Peter 2:24 quotes Isaiah 53:5 in a spiritual/relational healing context, not physical

Continuing the Isaiah 53:5 / healing-in-the-atonement discussion.

Isaiah 53:5 1 Peter 2:24 healing sin atonement
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Catholicism as doctrinal development — novel doctrines added over centuries, not apostolic teaching

Continuation of Fatima discussion; Mike's broader critique of Catholicism.

church fathers apologetics Catholicism
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
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

The Book of 1 Enoch: not Scripture, though it may contain an accurate early portion quoted in Jude

Q&A question from S. M. Hart about the canonical status of 1 Enoch

Jude Jude 1 Enoch canon of Scripture
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Christmas and birthdays — Mike changed his mind about pagan origins of Christmas

Question from Rosie A., a recovering Jehovah's Witness, about celebrating birthdays and Christmas

Christian liberty Jehovah's Witnesses Christmas
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Easter/Ishtar connection is largely false — inflammatory but inaccurate

Continuing the holidays discussion — addressing Easter's alleged pagan origin

Christian liberty Easter Ishtar
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Limited Atonement — Mike firmly rejects it

Third point of TULIP addressed.

James White John Owen James White Calvinism TULIP
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

How to construct a biblical theology — start with contextual reading plus the doctrine of inspiration

Q from Nick (Quint/Quiet) about building a biblical theological method.

Isaiah 53 Isaiah 52 Isaiah 53 Hermeneutics Isaiah 52
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-17

Immortal soul — JW/annihilationist claim that it is a Greek import, not Jewish or biblical

Q from Grace Lou 22 about a JW friend who says the Greek word for soul just means any living being and that the immortal soul concept is Greek philosophy smuggled into Christianity.

1 Samuel 28 Samuel Saul Jehovah's Witnesses
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

Matthew 24:34 — "this generation" does not mean the generation hearing Jesus speak; it refers to those who witness specific end-time events

Question from Jason Stob about the meaning of Matthew 24:34.

Matthew 24:34 Matthew 24 Matthew 24:34 eschatology Matthew 24
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

The Message Bible — not a legitimate translation; unfaithful to the original languages; should not be recommended

Question from Jonathan Edwards about recommending The Message Bible.

Bible translation biblical accuracy The Message Bible
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

Mark 16:9-20 (the longer ending) is likely not original to the gospel

Responding to a question from Max Bolser about Mark 16:17-18 and signs following believers

Mark 16:9-20 textual criticism biblical inerrancy longer ending of Mark
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-06

If Mark 16:17-18 is original, signs accompanying believers does not mean every believer at all times

Mike gives a conditional interpretation of Mark 16:17-18 assuming its authenticity

Acts Mark 16:17-18 signs and wonders speaking in tongues Acts
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

The Passion Translation — concerns and how to warn others about it

A viewer asks how to lovingly warn people about the Passion Translation without wounding them, and which 2-3 most egregious verses to share.

Bible translation Passion Translation The Message
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

How Mike prepares his messages — text-first exegetical process

A viewer asks how Mike prepares for teaching.

hermeneutics commentaries sermon preparation
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Women's silence passages in context — likely addressing local disorder, not a universal ban

A viewer asks whether men and women can be in a Bible study together and if women should be silent.

1 Corinthians 14:34 1 Timothy 2:12 hermeneutics 1 Corinthians 14:34 gender roles
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Biblical basis for rights to life, liberty, and property

Question asking for verses that imply life, liberty, and property are inalienable rights.

1 Kings 21 Genesis 4 Exodus 20 theocracy 1 Kings 21 right to life
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Death before the Fall: Romans 5 and 8 address human death, not animal death

Question about whether macro-evolution is consistent with Scripture given death entered through sin.

Romans 5:12 Romans 8:20-22 young earth creationism Fall of Man Romans 5:12
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Temptation originates primarily from one's own sinful desires, not Satan — James 1:13-15

Question about whether all temptation comes from Satan/demons or from one's sinful self.

James 1:13-15 personal responsibility Satan sin
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

If aliens are sinful and redeemable by their own works, that contradicts the nature of the cross; God's holiness is the same across the universe.

Theological decision tree: sinful aliens who can self-redeem

atonement works righteousness holiness of God