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All (798) Scripture Commentary (396) Theology (142) Mike Winger (254) Pulpit (6)
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

John 20:17 — 'Do not cling to me' means do not grasp or hold on, not 'do not touch'; the Greek haptomai connotes holding on, explaining why Jesus also allowed Thomas to touch him later

Response to question about why Jesus would not let Mary touch him but later allowed Thomas to touch him

John 20:17 Mary Magdalene John 20:17 Thomas
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Romans 1:16 — "To the Jew first and also to the Greek" reflects a sequential gospel mission, not simultaneous Law-imposition

Connecting the Jewish-first mission to the broader outreach pattern

Romans 1:16 Gentile mission Romans 1:16 to the Jew first
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Extra-biblical corroboration: Luke 3 — soldiers on active duty near John the Baptist

McLatchie presents a subtle corroboration between Luke 3's soldiers and the specific military situation in the region during John the Baptist's ministry.

John the Baptist Luke 3:14 Josephus John the Baptist Herod Antipas
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 6: the Hellenistic Jews (Greek-speaking Jews) vs. native Hebrews dispute -- still entirely a Jewish internal matter; no Gentiles involved yet

Survey of Acts chapter 6

Acts 6:1 early church Acts 6:1 Hellenistic Jews
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

The seven deacons chosen in Acts 6 all have Greek names; one (Nicholas) is explicitly a proselyte. The Jerusalem church remains predominantly Jewish.

Acts 6:5 analysis

Acts 6:5 proselytes early church Acts 6:5
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 11:20 -- some men of Cyprus and Cyrene begin speaking to Greeks (Gentiles) in Antioch, preaching the Lord Jesus. Luke narrates this only after establishing how Gentiles can be saved.

Survey of Acts 11:20, first Gentile outreach from scattered believers

Acts 11:20 Luke (author) Gentile mission Acts 11:20 Antioch (Syria)
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 16:1-3 -- Timothy is circumcised by Paul, despite delivering the decree that Gentiles need not be circumcised. His circumcision is for missionary effectiveness among Jews.

Survey of Acts 16, Timothy's circumcision

Acts 16:1-3 Timothy Paul the Apostle circumcision
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

119 Ministries subtly changes the wording of Romans 6:14 from "dominion" to "under sin"

Third interpretive move: textual alteration

Romans 6:14 dominion exegesis 119 Ministries
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

Greek word analysis: kyrieuō (dominion) vs. hypo (under) in Romans 6:14

Greek word-level critique of 119 Ministries' interpretation

Romans 6:14 dominion Greek exegesis Romans 6:14
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

Galatians 3:21-28 read in full: no Jew or Greek distinction in Christ undermines Hebrew Roots' position

Extended scriptural reading to demonstrate freedom from the law

Galatians 3:21-28 in Christ covenant Hebrew Roots Movement
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-26

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 13:8 spiritual gifts prophecy word of knowledge
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 2019-09-04

Jehovah's Witnesses use the cross-vs-stake argument to undermine Christian Bible translations

The Watchtower organization teaches that Jesus died on a "torture stake" (single upright pole), not a cross. They use the Greek word stauros, which in its classical roots means an upright pole, to argue the Christian Bible mistranslates the word as "cross."

New World Translation Bible translation cross
Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

Atheists (Dan Barker) also use the cross-vs-stake argument to discredit Christianity

Beyond JWs, some atheists promote the idea that Jesus did not die on a cross. Winger specifically names Dan Barker, known in online atheist circles as an authority on New Testament Greek, who argues Christians are wrong about even the basic shape of the cross.

apologetics Dan Barker atheism
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

Watchtower quotes Greek lexicons selectively and out of context

The Watchtower's Insight on the Scriptures (Vol. 1) quotes Douglas's New Bible Dictionary (1985, p. 253) on stauros to support the torture-stake claim. Winger reads the actual quote the Watchtower uses.

selective quotation cross stauros
Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

BDAG lexicon also supports lowercase-T cross when read in full

The Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich (BDAG) Greek lexicon is another source the Watchtower cites selectively. Like Douglas's dictionary, the full entry supports a crossbeam on Jesus's cross.

BDAG selective quotation cross
Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament lists three cross forms including traditional cross

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) is a third major scholarly source Winger cites. It describes stauros as used for three basic cross shapes.

TDNT crucifixion cross
Mike Winger idea 2019-09-04

Early NT manuscripts (P75, P66) abbreviate stauros with Tau-Rho symbol depicting a cross with crossbeam

In some of the earliest New Testament manuscripts, the Greek word stauros is abbreviated using the letters Tau (T) and Rho (P-shape), superimposed on each other to form a visual symbol. This combination appears to depict a man on a cross with a crossbeam.

crucifixion cross early church history
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 2019-09-04

Clarification: the etymological fallacy is a linguistic fallacy, not a logical fallacy

A viewer misunderstood Winger's use of the term "etymological fallacy," thinking he invented or misapplied it. Winger clarifies the distinction between logical and linguistic fallacies.

etymological fallacy linguistics stauros
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-29

1 Corinthians 15:3-8: the apostles argued historically for the resurrection by listing eyewitnesses

NT case study showing apostles using evidential showing to establish what they already knew

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 eyewitness testimony knowing vs. showing
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-28

In the New Testament, "kurios" (Lord) replaces "Yahweh" — this is standard Greek translation convention, reflected in English by small-cap LORD

Question from Zanet about the Mark series — why is "Yahweh" rendered as "kurios" (Lord) in the Greek NT, and whether that changes the meaning.

Mark Mark kurios Yahweh
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Matthew 21 has two animals at the Triumphal Entry while Mark and Luke have one; the young donkey points to Jesus's sacrificial nature

Q from Flora about why Matthew 21:1-8 mentions both a donkey and a colt while other Gospels only mention one animal.

Mark Luke Matthew 21:1-8 Gospel harmonization Mark Luke
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Luke 23:43 — comma placement debate: "today" with Jesus or delayed until resurrection?

Question from Hot Wax 93 about the comma in Luke 23:43 (thief on the cross)

Luke 23:43 thief on the cross soul sleep intermediate state
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Greek grammar does not support moving the comma — nearly universal translation consensus

Technical defense of the standard comma placement in Luke 23:43

Luke 23:43 Greek grammar soul sleep Bible translation
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-09

Survey of Jesus's use of "today" (semeron) supports the standard reading

Additional lexical argument for Luke 23:43 standard reading

Luke 23:43 soul sleep intermediate state Luke 23:43
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 2020-10-17

1 John 3:6 — "keeps on sinning" does not mean Christians reach sinlessness

Q from Nat Atheist about Christians who use 1 John 3:6 to argue for progressive sinlessness/perfectionism.

Revelation Galatians 6 1 John 3:6 Revelation Galatians 6 Salvation
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

Greek grammar of John 1:1 — theos/theon and the definite article (ton)

Mike walks through the Greek text of John 1:1 using Logos Bible Software.

John 1:1 Jehovah's Witnesses theos John 1:1
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

John 1:6 refutes JW argument — theos without article still means God Almighty

Mike demonstrates the JW argument is self-defeating using another verse in the same chapter.

John 1:1 John 1:6 Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation theos
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

Dan Wallace on John 1:1: the articular construction fights Sabellianism; the anarthrous predicate fights Arianism

Mike quotes Greek scholar Dan Wallace's commentary on John 1:1.

John 1:1 Trinity Deity of Christ theos
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

NWT translators' identities were kept secret; a former JW leader revealed they were not qualified

Mike addresses the credibility problem with the NWT's translation committee.

Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation Bible translation
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Homosexuality passages: pedophilia reinterpretation refuted — Mike's four-part series using pro-gay Greek scholars

Question from April Stafford about the claim that biblical passages condemning homosexuality are actually about pedophilia.

Romans 1 1 Corinthians 6:9 Leviticus 18:22 biblical interpretation Romans 1 1 Corinthians 6:9
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Q16: Bart Ehrman's claim that John 3 "born again" wordplay couldn't have occurred in Aramaic — Jesus spoke Greek

Response to viewer citing Bart Ehrman's argument about John 3 and language

John 3:3-8 Peter Williams Bart Ehrman Nicodemus
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Evidence Jesus spoke Greek: Nazareth as Roman construction site, Greek inscription found there, multilingual Galilee

Continuing Q16 on Jesus speaking Greek

Acts 6:1 Peter Williams Acts 6:1 Jesus' languages
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Nicodemus likely spoke Greek to Jesus for secrecy — eliminating the Ehrman problem

Concluding Q16 on John 3 and Greek

John 3:1-2 Bart Ehrman Nicodemus anothen
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Acts 2 tongues were real human foreign languages — each person heard in their own native language, not a single universal language

Question from Joel Holberg about whether the apostles in Acts 2 spoke a language everyone understood or each spoke a different foreign language.

Acts 2 Acts 2 Tongues / glossolalia Day of Pentecost
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Galatians 3:23-25 -- The Law as paidagogos (guardian/tutor) leading to Christ; distinct from kinsman-redeemer language

Mike evaluates whether Galatians 3:23-25 connects to the Ruth kinsman-redeemer passage.

Galatians 3:23-25 typology justification by faith paidagogos
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Visiting moments in Scripture: creation of Adam and Eve (OT); Road to Emmaus Christological exposition (NT)

Hypothetical question from Bree Herb about which biblical moment Mike would most want to witness.

Luke 24:13-35 creation Adam and Eve Luke 24:13-35
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

Verifiability: Simmons's claims are provably false by checking the Greek text; the apostolic claims are historically robust.

Third distinction: the content of the claims can be tested.

Romans 1 Brian Simmons William Lane Craig Gary Habermas
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

John 20:23 — the authority to forgive or retain sins: the disciples are declaring what heaven has already determined, not independently granting forgiveness.

Question from Thomas Brownlee about interpreting John 20:23.

John 20:23 Apostolic authority John 20:23 Forgiveness of sins
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Drinking alcohol is not inherently sinful; drunkenness is sinful — attempts to argue 1 Tim 5:23 wine is non-alcoholic are dismissed

Mike closes the wine/vow question by addressing broader debates about alcohol in Christianity.

1 Timothy 5:23 Christian liberty drunkenness 1 Timothy 5:23
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: What is the difference between Hades and Hell — do people go directly to hell at death?

Viewer Henry Avery's Gravery asks Mike to elaborate on his view that people do not go directly to hell when they die.

Revelation Luke 16 millennium eschatology Revelation
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

The Passion Translation is not a real translation — scholars hired by Winger unanimously agree it contains fabrications and mistakes, not genuine Hebrew/Greek insights.

Responding to a Twitter question from Jeff Gaitzens about a pastor using the Passion Translation.

Brian Simmons Passion Translation Tremper Longman
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8 — typological connection to Christ, not the Holy Spirit

Steven Rivers asks whether Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 8 could be the Holy Spirit and whether Hebrew/Greek pronouns clarify the gender.

Proverbs 8 1 Corinthians 1 typology Holy Spirit Christology
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

2 Corinthians 5:21 — Jesus became sin through imputation, not by sinning; understood through a Protestant doctrine of justification.

Question from "Stranger in Moscow": how can Jesus become sin if he knew no sin?

2 Corinthians 5:21 atonement imputed righteousness justification
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Jerome's Latin Vulgate mistranslated "mystery" (mysterion) as "sacrament" in Ephesians 5:32, contributing to the Roman Catholic doctrine of marriage as a sacrament.

Mark H asks about doctrinal changes Jerome introduced in the Vulgate around 400 AD.

Ephesians 5:32 Reformation Jerome Latin Vulgate
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-26

Ephesians 5:5 — "impure" (akathartos) refers to moral impurity; the passage warns that a lifestyle of immorality, impurity, or covetousness calls salvation into question.

Nero Manser asks what Paul means by "impure" in Ephesians 5:5.

1 Corinthians Ephesians 5:5 BDAG lexicon 1 Corinthians assurance of salvation
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Will sins be publicly exposed at the Bema Seat judgment?

Question from The Potter's Daughter about 1 Cor 5:10 and Luke 12:2-3 and whether sins are publicly disclosed before being forgiven.

Luke 12:2-3 1 Corinthians 5:10 Bema seat bema Luke 12:2-3
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