Search — Theology Explorer

Philippians 3:10-11 Paul resurrection Philippians 3:10-11

Philippians 3:10-11 — resurrection is found only through Christ, not through Jewish law-keeping

Continuing the Philippians 3 passage

gospel Messiah substitutionary atonement

Substitutionary atonement: Jesus pays the price so believers can be born again

Mike states the positive gospel solution after showing the problem

Romans 11 Torah Tanakh Nevi'im

The New Testament is a Jewish book written by Jews about the Jewish Messiah

Mike contextualizes the gospel for Ben as a Jewish person

Jeremiah Jeremiah Israel Messiah

Old Testament pattern: Israel claimed to believe God but rejected his prophets — same dynamic with Messiah

Mike draws an analogy from Israel's prophetic history

Romans 11 Messianic Judaism grafted in Romans 11

Christianity is a Jewish religion; Gentiles are grafted in — not the other way around

Mike speaks directly to the Jewish identity of Christianity

Genesis 12:3 Abraham covenant Messiah

Q&A: Were Jews chosen as an ethnic or religious group? — ethnic bloodline with a missional purpose

Answering viewer question from T. Kua

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Thomas's rebuke was for ignoring available evidence, not for demanding evidence — modern believers have the same pre-appearance evidence

Mike draws the application of the Thomas story to contemporary Christian faith.

John 20:24-29 resurrection Thomas Matt Dillahunty

Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

119 Ministries: "you cannot choose which parts of the Messiah you like" — Mike critiques this as circular reasoning that makes Torah-rejection equivalent to rejecting Jesus

Mike plays a clip where 119 Ministries equates partial Torah-rejection with rejecting part of the Messiah himself.

Torah Paul rejection 119 Ministries

John 9:22 John 9:34 early Christian persecution John 9:22 John 9:34

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

James the brother of Jesus James the Just apostolic martyrdom Hegesippus legendary development

Hegesippus's account of James the Just's martyrdom — legendary elements identified and evaluated; the historical core extraction methodology applied

Primary patristic source for the martyrdom of James, with critical methodology

James the brother of Jesus F.F. Bruce apostolic martyrdom Hegesippus

F.F. Bruce's distillation of the historical core in Hegesippus: James killed because he refused to deny that Jesus was the Messiah, threatening the political stability of the Jewish leadership

Scholarly evaluation of what the Hegesippus account preserves historically

James the brother of Jesus apostolic martyrdom James the brother of Jesus Stephen the martyr

Additional sources confirming James's martyrdom: First Apocalypse of James, Second Apocalypse of James, Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions (c. 280 AD)

Multiple independent streams of tradition confirming James's martyrdom

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-08

1 John 4:2 — testing spirits by confession that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh carries the full theological weight of Messiah, incarnation, and OT fulfillment, not merely a verbal formula

Response to question about whether 1 John 4:2 is a sufficient test for false spirits

1 John 4:2 Incarnation Scripture authority Messiah

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

After Jesus fulfills a prophecy, we do not continue to await its fulfillment—completion changes the expectation

Logical implication of fulfillment language

Matthew 5:17 Matthew 5:17 pleroo prophetic fulfillment

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

The Law in Matthew is not merely instructive but predictive—even ritual laws point to who Jesus is

A key interpretive insight about the nature of the Law

Matthew 5:17 typology Matthew 5:17 Levitical law

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

Q&A: "Messianic" is a synonym for "Christian"—every believer in Jesus is messianic in the biblical sense

Response to audience question about non-Jews identifying as Messianic

Messianic Messianic Judaism completed Jew

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Argument for the deity of Christ from Isaiah 52:13 — "high and lifted up"

McLatchie presents one of four arguments for the deity of the Messiah embedded within Isaiah 52-53.

Isaiah 52:13 Isaiah 6:1 Isaiah 2 Suffering Servant deity of Christ Jonathan McLatchie

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

Objection: Jesus's deity borrowed from pagan deities — and response

Addressing the popular online claim that the deity of Jesus was borrowed from pagan mythologies.

deity of Christ Jonathan McLatchie pagan deity parallels

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Q&A: difference between preaching Jesus as Christ to Jews vs. as Lord to Gentiles -- connects to what the audience already knows from Scripture

Q&A on Jewish vs. Gentile evangelism vocabulary

resurrection Gentile evangelism Messiah (title)

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Q&A: difference between Hebrew Roots movement (HRM) and Messianic Judaism -- HRM is predominantly Gentiles taking on Torah; Messianic Judaism is Jews who believe Jesus is Messiah

Q&A distinguishing HRM from Messianic Judaism

Hebrew Roots movement Messianic Judaism Jewish believers

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

Galatians 3:23 — before faith we were held captive "under the law," referring to the Law of Moses for Jews

Surveying Pauline uses — fourth instance

Galatians 3:23 Law of Moses under the law Galatians 3:23

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Josephus mentions Jesus twice: Antiquities 18.63 (disputed) and Antiquities 20.200 (virtually undisputed)

Explaining the two Josephus passages

James (brother of Jesus) Josephus James (brother of Jesus) Antiquities of the Jews

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 2019-07-17

Q&A: Luke 21 and preterism — is it fulfilled prophecy?

Question from a self-identified preterist asking why Winger does not see Luke 21 as fulfilled prophecy.

Psalm 22 Luke 21 eschatology preterism Psalm 22

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

Q&A: Revelation 1:4 — the seven spirits before the throne

Question from a confused listener asking what the "sevenfold Spirit" in Revelation 1:4 refers to.

Revelation 1:4 Revelation 4:5 Revelation 5:6 Revelation 1:4 Revelation 4:5 Revelation 5:6

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Where was Jesus's spirit during the two days between death and resurrection?

Brief lightning-round answer (no questioner name given).

1 Peter 3:19 eschatology descent into hell intermediate state

Mike Winger idea 2020-10-30

Melchizedekian priesthood continues in Christ as prophesied in Psalm 110:4

Brief mention connecting Psalm 110 to the Hebrews 7 argument about the eternal priesthood.

Psalm 110:4 messianic prophecy Melchizedek Psalm 110:4

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Modern Israel and biblical Israel are continuous, but God's promises do not make every Israeli action righteous

Question about how modern political Israel correlates to biblical promises for Israel.

Romans 11 Abrahamic covenant Jewish people Romans 11

Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Dual covenant theology is unbiblical; Jewish people need Jesus — Romans 10:1-4 and John 5:46

Final question about whether Jews can be saved without believing in Jesus through a special covenant.

Romans 10:1-4 John 5:46 Moses soteriology Messiah

Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

The year of Jesus's death (AD 26-36, with 30 and 33 as top candidates) is difficult to pin down precisely due to ambiguity in reckoning Tiberius's regnal years in Luke 3.

Question about the exact year of Jesus's death

Daniel 9 Luke 3 Daniel 9 messianic prophecy chronology of Jesus

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Eschatology as the field most prone to overconfident errors; lessons from misapplied messianic expectation

Continuing Q12 on fear of theological error

Matthew 24 hermeneutics eschatology second coming

Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Closing: upcoming content — Mark series, Douglas Moo on Passion Translation Romans, next Q&A

Closing remarks

Romans Psalm 110 Mark Douglas Moo Romans Psalm 110

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

The Messianic Secret in the Gospels: Jesus's commands to silence were temporary, strategic, and progressively lifted as the crucifixion approached.

Question from Justin Harcharik about why Jesus told people not to speak about him (Matthew 8:4; 9:30; 12:16).

Matthew 8:4 Matthew 9:30 Matthew 12:16 Bartimaeus Triumphal Entry Messianic Secret

Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

The blindness of Israel as a theological theme: Israel had the Messiah in their midst and did not recognize him.

Additional layer of meaning in the Messianic Secret passages.

Christology Messianic Secret Israel's blindness

Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

Romans 11:25-32 — partial hardening of Israel, fullness of the Gentiles, and end-times caution

Trevor T asks about Romans 11:25-32 and whether the rising number of Messianic Jews in Israel signals prophetic fulfillment.

Romans 11:25-32 eschatology Messianic Jews prophetic fulfillment

Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

Mark 8 feeding of 4000: disciples may not have expected another miracle because Jesus did not multiply food at every meal; also, Jewish messianic expectation may not have extended to feeding Gentiles

Responding to why the disciples in Mark 8 seem unaware that Jesus had already fed 5000 in Mark 6

Mark 6 Mark 8 Gentiles Feeding of the 4000 Mark 6

Mike Winger idea 2021-04-09

Hebrews 6:4-6 — apostasy, hardness of heart, and the possible national Israel interpretation

Question from A.D. Chan about whether Hebrews 6:4-6 applies to Judas and what "falling away" means for someone who has experienced the Spirit.

Romans 11 Hebrews 6:4-6 Romans 11 Judas Iscariot Repentance

Mike Winger idea 2021-04-30

Modern (rabbinic) Judaism differs fundamentally from biblical Judaism; good works now replace the sacrificial system.

Question 9 from Meg Smiley about how Jews obtain forgiveness without the Temple.

Hebrews Romans 10:1-4 Hebrews works-righteousness Day of Atonement

Mike Winger idea 2020-03-04

Q: Why did Jesus curse the fig tree (Mark 11)? It's a Markan sandwich — the cursing of the fig tree frames the temple cleansing. The fig tree represents Israel: no fruit (not ready for Messiah), so judgment comes. The temple similarly had no spiritual fruit. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, but Israel will be restored per NT prophecy.

Q&A — cursing the fig tree (Mark 11)

Markan sandwich Mark 11 fig tree cursing Markan sandwich temple cleansing

Mike Winger idea 2020-03-23

Context: Mark 8-10 reveals the messianic mystery — Jesus has TWO comings (suffering first, glory later), but the disciples only expect one glorious military conquest. Their argument about who's greatest stems from thinking they're about to rule in an earthly kingdom. They're wrong about both timing and values.

Context — the messianic mystery in Mark

Mark 8:22-24 messianic mystery two comings of Christ Mark 8:22-24

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-21

John 6:44 ("No one can come to me unless the Father draws him") — Mike's non-Calvinist interpretation: the "drawing" is God's OT revelation through the prophets. Jesus came to the Jews who had already been receiving God's word. Those who responded to the Father's prior revelation naturally accept Jesus; those who rejected it naturally reject Jesus. John 5: "if you believed Moses, you'd believe me, for he wrote about me." This is about Jews rejecting their own Messiah, not about irresistible grace or total depravity.

John 6:44 — non-Calvinist interpretation

John 5:46 John 6:44 Calvinism Calvinism John 5:46

Mark 11:1-11 Mark series Triumphal Entry Mark 11:1-11 irony in Scripture

The Triumphal Entry is better understood as the "Ironic Entry" — the central contrast is between the crowd's expectations of a political liberator and Jesus' actual mission of humble sacrifice.

Introduction to Mark 11:1-11 verse-by-verse study

Zechariah 9:9 Mark 10:45 Zechariah 9:9-10 Zechariah 9:9 Mark 10:45 Zechariah 9:9-10

Zechariah 9:9-10 is the key OT prophecy behind the entry — the messiah comes humble on a donkey bringing salvation through service, not military conquest. The donkey vs. war horse contrast is central.

Old Testament prophetic background for the Triumphal Entry

Genesis 49:10-11 Psalm 20:7 1 Kings 1 typology typology Genesis 49:10-11

Solomon's inauguration on a donkey (1 Kings 1) and Genesis 49:10-11 provide additional donkey-messiah connections that Zechariah 9:9 likely draws from.

Additional OT background on donkey symbolism

Acts 7 Psalm 118 Psalm 118:22 typology typology Acts 7

Psalm 118 is the key text the crowd quotes — it prophesies the rejected cornerstone (Messiah rejected by Israel's leaders) whom God establishes anyway. Jesus quotes it about himself in Mark 12.

Detailed exposition of Psalm 118 and its messianic significance