Search — Theology Explorer

discernment gospel apologetics

Brian Zahnd's false gospel is a core-level attack on Christianity, not mere theological disagreement

Winger opens the livestream by framing why he considers Zahnd's teaching unusually serious compared to typical theological disputes.

Exodus-21 hermeneutics discernment apologetics

Zahnd deliberately misrepresents Exodus 21 on slavery to children at a youth camp in order to discredit the Bible

Winger plays and responds to a video clip of Zahnd describing how he used Exodus 21:20–21 at a youth camp to provoke students into rejecting the Bible's moral authority.

Psalm-40 Hosea-6-6 Hebrews-10 hermeneutics apologetics false-teaching

Zahnd claims the Bible contradicts itself and that the Psalms/Prophets argue against the Torah — both claims are false

Winger examines Zahnd's step three: neutralizing the Bible's authority by claiming it is not univocal and contains internal theological debates.

hermeneutics discernment Christology

Zahnd's claim that 'Jesus is the only perfect theology' and 'the Bible is not the perfect revelation of God' mirrors Bill Johnson's framework

Winger reads Zahnd's explicit statements from pages 14 and 30 of the book about the relationship between Jesus and Scripture.

Luke-11-32 Luke-13 Luke-21-22 judgment apologetics Jesus

Jesus's own words affirm future divine vengeance and judgment — directly refuting Zahnd's 'Jesus closes the book on vengeance' thesis

Winger compiles multiple Gospel and Pauline texts that show Jesus and the New Testament affirming coming divine judgment.

Matthew-5-17 Luke-16-17 Mark-12-36 law apologetics Jesus

Luke 16:16–17 and Matthew 5:17–18 show Jesus's own high view of Scripture — he came to fulfill, not edit, the law

Winger marshals Jesus's direct statements about the permanence and authority of Scripture to counter Zahnd's 'Jesus edits the Bible' method.

hermeneutics discernment self-deception

Zahnd's Jesus is actually Zahnd — the method of 'asking Jesus what he thinks' produces only the teacher's own preferences

Winger plays a video clip in which Zahnd describes his hermeneutical method: pausing over Old Testament texts and asking Jesus what he thinks of them.

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-05

'I'm not God' means we submit to God's declared standard, not that we withhold judgment

Winger addresses Daigle's second stated reason: 'I'm not God, so I can't say.'

Isaiah 5:20 authority homosexuality humility

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-05

Why Jesus didn't address homosexuality directly — and what he did say about marriage

Winger responds to the argument that Jesus' silence on homosexuality implies it's not a serious issue.

Genesis Matthew 19:4-6 marriage exegesis Genesis

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-05

Matthew Vines' approach to Scripture is driven by a prior commitment to affirm homosexuality, not honest exegesis

Q&A question about advocates like Matthew Vines who try to make homosexuality fit within Scripture.

Matthew Vines Romans 1 hermeneutics eisegesis false teaching

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-17

Introduction: Jeremiah 10 and the Christmas tree question

Mike launches a surprise Monday livestream to address a common question before Christmas

Jeremiah 10 Jeremiah 10 Christmas trees Anachronism in Bible interpretation

Mike Winger idea 2018-12-17

Closing: Check the context — the primary safeguard against Scripture misuse

Final exhortation before signing off

Jeremiah 10 Proof-texting Hermeneutics Jeremiah 10

1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 historicity of Jesus 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 death of Jesus

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 Timothy 6:13 historicity of Jesus crucifixion of Jesus 1 Timothy 6:13

1 Timothy 6:13 — Paul references Jesus's testimony before Pontius Pilate

Paul's specific mention of Pontius Pilate ties Jesus's death to a named Roman governor, confirming his historical existence.

Romans 14:14 Mark 7:18-19 Luke 11:41 Romans 14:14 Paul echoing Jesus's teaching Mark 7:18-19

Romans 14:14 — Paul says he is persuaded 'in the Lord Jesus' that nothing is unclean in itself, echoing Mark 7:19 and Luke 11:41

Paul explicitly attributes a specific conviction to Jesus's authority, pointing to his awareness of Jesus's actual teachings.

Deuteronomy 25:4 Luke 10:7 1 Timothy 5:18 Deuteronomy 25:4 Luke 10:7 laborer deserves wages

1 Timothy 5:18 quotes Luke 10:7 alongside Deuteronomy 25:4 and calls both 'Scripture'

The author of 1 Timothy introduces two quotations with 'the Scripture says' — one from the OT and one from Luke 10:7 — implying canonical status for Gospel material in the first century.

Galatians 1 James (brother of Jesus) 2 Peter Galatians 1 Peter (Cephas) James (brother of Jesus)

Paul's apostolic authority confirmed by Peter and James; 2 Peter calls Paul's writings Scripture

Q&A: question about how Paul went from persecutor to authoritative apostle.

salvation Orthodox Judaism Ben Shapiro

Introduction: Ben Shapiro asks Bishop Robert Barron whether he will go to heaven

Mike introduces the premise — an Orthodox Jew asks a Catholic bishop about his eternal destiny

biblical authority gospel Catholicism

Mike's framing: this is not an attack on Catholicism but a search for what Scripture actually says

Mike sets ground rules before engaging the topic

biblical authority Ben Shapiro Robert Barron

Mike's verdict: Vatican II is not actually clear on Ben Shapiro's specific case

Summing up the Vatican II analysis

Romans 3:23-24 false gospel sola gratia justification

Summary verdict: the 'good person gospel' is a false gospel that does not save

Mike concludes his main argument

Isaiah 41:22 evidence-based faith Isaiah 41:22 predictive prophecy

Isaiah 41:22 — predictive prophecy as God's proof of his own existence and authority

Mike's third Old Testament passage, showing God challenges false gods to prove themselves through prediction.

Matthew 9:5-7 miracles as evidence Matthew 9:5-7 paralytic healing

Matthew 9:5-7 — Jesus heals the paralytic as evidence of authority to forgive sins

Mike uses Jesus's healing of the paralytic as another instance of miracles functioning as proof.

hermeneutics biblical interpretation contextual reading

Q&A: How to know you have the proper interpretation of Scripture — hermeneutics and contextual reading

Viewer question from Eric Seagardia.

Isaiah 53 Bible as historical document Isaiah 53 Pontius Pilate

Q&A: How to use the Bible as evidence with non-believers who don't accept it as God's word — the prophecy approach

Viewer question from Kate about apologetic method.

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-23

Pro-choice philosopher David Boonin concedes the unborn is a human being at an early developmental stage

Mike cites an opponent of the pro-life position who nevertheless concedes key scientific facts

human development David Boonin A Defense of Abortion

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

The Hebrew Roots Movement tends to involve a progressive radicalization through increasingly extreme positions

Mike describes what he observes as a typical trajectory for people who enter the Hebrew Roots Movement.

Torah observance Hebrew Roots Movement Paul rejection

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

John 6:53 — "eat my flesh and drink my blood" is symbolic, not a basis for the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist

Q&A: an ex-Catholic questioner asks whether John 6:53 has legitimate Hebrew roots or is scripture-twisting in support of the Eucharist.

Hebrews 11 John 5 John 6:53-63 Abraham Hebrews 11 John 5

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 2019-02-07

Catholic Church mandatory celibacy for priests and nuns is unbiblical

Mike addresses the Catholic sex abuse scandal as it relates to mandatory celibacy.

Catholic Church mandatory celibacy priestly celibacy

Philippians 4 John 16:33 abortion anxiety and prayer Philippians 4

How a Christian should deal with consuming grief over abortion

Response to a viewer involved in pro-life ministry feeling overwhelmed by abortion rulings

Genesis 1 Genesis 9 dominion mandate Mormonism Genesis 1

Image of God (imago Dei): grounds human value, authority over creation, and raises questions about communicable attributes

Viewer asking what it means to be created in the image of God

resurrection Gospel of Mark Trinity in Mark

Planned Gospel of Mark series to cover theology, apologetics, and resurrection debates

Response to viewer question about where the Trinity is in Mark

Genesis Psalm 6 hermeneutics Genesis genre

Literal vs. plain-sense biblical interpretation: read as intended, not mechanically literal

Viewer asking how literally to read the Bible, especially Genesis and Old Testament

Matthew 22:30 Christ and the Church eschatology resurrection

Marriage does not exist in heaven; relational bonds persist but are not exclusive spousal bonds

Second part of viewer's marriage question about afterlife

John 3:13 Moses divine authority Elijah

John 3:13 — "No one has ascended" does not necessarily contradict Elijah's translation

Viewer asking about John 3:13 and its apparent contradiction with Elijah ascending

salvation sanctification forgiveness

Mike's personal testimony: heard the gospel at 12, found relief in forgiveness

Viewer asking about Mike's salvation experience

healing spiritual warfare authority of Christ

Authority over evil spirits and sickness comes from Christ's authority, not the believer's own

Viewer asking about Christians' authority over evil spirits and sickness

Job apostolic authority biblical canon Job

Books like Job belong in the canon because Jesus accepted the Old Testament, and apostles were commissioned to teach

Viewer asking why books like Job are in the Bible if we don't know the author

Richard Bauckham Papias eyewitness hierarchy

Four categories of worthy sources in Papias's framework

Mike breaks down what Papias considered authoritative sources for Jesus tradition.

Richard Bauckham eyewitness testimony Papias

Bauckham's interpretation of "living and surviving voice" in Papias — literal, not metaphorical

Clarifying what Papias meant by preferring a "living voice" to written sources.

Luke 1:1-4 Luke Josephus Gospel reliability ancient historiography

Luke does not criticize prior Gospel narratives; he adds to them with more data

Distinguishing Luke's prologue from other ancient authors who criticize predecessors.

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

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.

Richard Bauckham Gospel historicity eyewitness guarantors

Bauckham's theory: named individuals are living eyewitness sources the author is appealing to

The positive explanation for why some individuals are named in Gospel accounts.

Matthew 11:21-24 salvation mental disability and accountability Matthew 11:21-24

Q&A: Salvation of severely mentally handicapped people — accountability proportional to awareness

Q&A segment begins; first question about soteriological edge cases.