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All (159) Scripture Commentary (64) Theology (16) Mike Winger (79)

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-12

Argument 3 — Criterion of embarrassment: Jesus's predictions include embarrassing elements the early church wouldn't invent. (a) Peter rebukes Jesus for predicting his death — then Jesus calls Peter "Satan" (Mark 8:33). The leader of the church being called Satan is not something the church would fabricate. (b) Disciples repeatedly fail to understand Jesus's predictions — they argue about who's greatest right after. The church wouldn't invent their founders' incompetence.

Argument 3 — criterion of embarrassment

Mark 8:33 criterion of embarrassment Mark 8:33 Peter called Satan

Mike Winger idea 2020-08-21

Mark 16:17-18 (signs accompanying believers) — Mike thinks the last 12 verses of Mark are likely not original (earliest manuscripts lack them). Even if original: (1) the signs may apply to SOME believers, not ALL; (2) picking up serpents refers to unintentional encounters (like Paul in Acts 28), not deliberate snake handling; (3) Jesus said "do not put the Lord your God to the test"; (4) if healing applies to all, every Christian should be in hospitals — but nobody does this, revealing inconsistency.

Mark 16:17-18 — signs and snake handling

Mark 16:9-20 Mark 16:17-18 Acts 28 (Paul and viper) textual criticism textual criticism Mark 16:9-20

Mike Winger idea 2021-07-30

About the Early Church & Socialism: Should Christians be living like the early Church in a sort of voluntary Socialism as found in Acts 2: 42-47 and Acts 4: 32-37?

Q&A question: About the Early Church & Socialism

Acts 2 Acts 4 Acts 2 Acts 4

Mike Winger idea 2021-08-27

About a “Gap” in Scripture: Can you explain the gap between the early churches in the New Testament and the first Protestants like Martin Luther?

Q&A question: About a “Gap” in Scripture

Mike Winger idea 2021-09-24

Should we Worship Using Instruments?: Should we use instruments in congregational church worship? Why or why not? The early church did not use instruments.

Q&A question: Should we Worship Using Instruments?

Mike Winger idea 2021-12-10

About Separation from Bishops: How is separation from all bishops okay when all “early church fathers” (especially Cyprian & Ignatius) taught that separation from your bishop can call into question your salvation (Cyprian Epistle 26, Ignatius Phil.)?

Q&A question: About Separation from Bishops

salvation Ignatius

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-19

Was Early Church Worship the Same?: Do we know if the early Church worshiped in a similar way to how we have corporate worship today?

Q&A question: Was Early Church Worship the Same?

Mike Winger idea 2023-05-12

Has Christianity Changed Over Time?: How do you know the Christianity you believe is the same they were practicing in the early Church if history says Constantine and the Greeks changed things?

Q&A question: Has Christianity Changed Over Time?

Mike Winger idea 2021-07-19

The presence of women as the primary witnesses to the empty tomb was an embarrassment to the early church in first-century culture, where women's testimony was widely discredited. What was a liability then is actually strong evidence for historical reliability now — people don't fabricate stories that hurt their own credibility.

The criterion of embarrassment and the women witnesses; Celsius's criticism

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