Search — Theology Explorer

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

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

1 Timothy 5 Mosaic law New Covenant tithing

Tithing is an Old Testament concept; Christians are required to give but not mandated to a 10% figure

Viewer asking Mike to reconcile his teaching that the tithe is not required with the obligation to give

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

How Old Testament believers were saved by faith before Christ — Romans 4 and Genesis 15:6

Q&A: JoseCJ asks how OT believers were saved before Christ's work on the cross

Romans 4 Genesis 15:6 justification by faith Abraham salvation by faith

Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Abraham and David in Romans 4 as Old Testament examples of justification apart from works

Exegesis of Romans 4 on OT salvation

Romans 4 Genesis 15:6 David Abraham Romans 4

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

Adding corroborating evidence: reasons to believe God exists and Scripture is reliable further overcome any prior improbability

Mike adds to the cumulative case by connecting evidence for God and Scripture to the prior probability question.

Existence of God Prior probability New Testament reliability

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

Q&A: How to deal with coworkers who want proof of God's existence — resources recommended

Viewer (law enforcement officer) asks how to engage atheist coworkers.

Isaiah 53 Psalm 22 William Lane Craig Isaiah 53 Psalm 22

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

OT prophets (Amos, Jonah) judged Gentile nations on moral grounds, not Mosaic Law violations

Additional evidence that Gentiles were never under the Mosaic Law

Amos Amos 1-2 Jonah Amos Gentiles and the Law Amos 1-2

Zechariah 2 Zechariah 4:8-9 Jonathan McLatchie intricate harmonies Zechariah 2

Divine plurality in Zechariah 2 — Yahweh sent by Yahweh

McLatchie gives Zechariah 2 as an example of intricate harmonies pointing to the Trinity in the Old Testament.

Hosea 11:1 Proverbs 30:1-4 Hosea 11:1 divine sonship Jonathan McLatchie

Proverbs 30:1-4 — God and his Son in the Hebrew Bible

McLatchie highlights Proverbs 30:1-4 as an often-overlooked text implying the divine sonship within the Hebrew Scriptures.

Mark 2 Isaiah 63:7-10 Psalm 78:40 Holy Spirit Mark 2 Jonathan McLatchie

Isaiah 63 — Three persons of the Trinity in the Old Testament

McLatchie presents Isaiah 63:7-10 as containing all three persons of the Trinity within a single Old Testament passage.

Malachi 3:1 Judges 2:1 Malachi 3:1 Jonathan McLatchie Trinity in Old Testament

The Angel of the Lord as the messianic figure — Malachi 3 and Judges 2

McLatchie connects the Angel of the Lord to the "messenger of the covenant" in Malachi 3, establishing the Angel of the Lord as a messianic figure.

typology Abraham Jesus in the Old Testament

Winger invitation to deeper study: Jesus in the Old Testament series

Mike Winger points viewers to his 20-video series on Jesus in the Old Testament and other examples of intricate harmonies (Abraham/Isaac, priestly robes, Melchizedek, the Servant of the Lord).

New Testament Old Testament progressive revelation

New Testament as the decryption key for Old Testament theology

Winger summarizes the unity argument: the NT makes sense of the OT, and the OT prepares for the NT.

deity of Christ Jonathan McLatchie pagan deity parallels

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.

Acts 1 James the brother of Jesus John 7:5 Josephus resurrection of Jesus Acts 1

James the brother of Jesus — conversion from skeptic to martyr

McLatchie presents the conversion and martyrdom of James, Jesus's brother, as particularly strong evidence for the resurrection.

Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 15:12-18 -- James's speech: endorses Peter, cites Amos 9 as prophetic basis for Gentile inclusion under God's name. His judgment: do not trouble the Gentiles.

James's speech at Jerusalem Council

James (brother of Jesus) Acts 15:12-19 Amos 9:11-12 James (brother of Jesus) Gentile inclusion Acts 15:12-19

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

Main conclusion: the phrase "under the law" refutes Torah observance as a Christian obligation

Winger's summary conclusion for the episode

Hebrew Roots Movement Law of Moses Old Testament application

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

How do the Ten Commandments relate to Christians? Against the moral/civil/ceremonial law division

Q&A: Susan and Ron's question about the Ten Commandments today

hermeneutics Law of Moses Old Testament application

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

Paul uses OT law as wisdom: Ephesians 5 cites the fifth commandment; the principle rather than the code

Q&A: how NT epistles apply OT law

Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 Old Testament application Ten Commandments

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

Ezekiel 18:23: God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked

God's heart from the Old Testament itself

Ezekiel 18:23 repentance Ezekiel 18:23 God's heart toward sinners

Mike Winger idea 2019-06-13

Anderson misuses the Old Testament law by applying it selectively to one group

Critique of Anderson's theological method

Leviticus 1 Timothy 1:8 hermeneutics Leviticus Steven Anderson

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: ra in Isaiah 45:7 denotes calamity, not moral evil

Additional lexical support from TWOT

Isaiah 45:7 Jeremiah 39:12 Amos 6:3 Isaiah 45:7 ra calamity vs moral evil

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

2015 turning point: Sunday evening service and weekly video strategy

In June 2015, Winger's senior pastor offered him the freedom to teach an adult Sunday evening service, which catalyzed a new approach to his YouTube ministry.

biblical teaching verse-by-verse teaching ministry strategy

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-17

Q&A: Why did God stop doing big signs and miracles (burning bush, parting the sea)?

Question from a listener puzzled by the apparent cessation of large-scale miracles after the Old Testament.

miracles cessationism continuationism

Mike Winger idea 2019-07-24

Ezekiel 33:11 — God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; desires all to turn and live

Old Testament support for God's universal salvific desire.

Ezekiel 33:11 election Ezekiel 33:11 universal salvific will

God's wrath divine holiness Leon Morris

Leon Morris: God's wrath is consistent, not capricious — a divine reaction to evil

Mike cites Leon Morris's scholarly study of God's wrath in the Old Testament.

2 Peter 3:9 repentance divine patience 2 Peter 3:9

2 Peter 3:9 — God delays judgment because He desires all to repent

Mike uses 2 Peter to explain the delay between God's wrath and its execution.

Ezekiel 33:11 repentance Ezekiel 33:11 God's wrath

Ezekiel 33:11 — God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked

Mike demonstrates Old Testament consistency on God's wrath and mercy.

Ezekiel 18:31 repentance God's wrath divine mercy

Ezekiel 18:31 — God urges Israel to make new hearts and turn from wickedness

Mike cites a second Ezekiel passage reinforcing God's gracious invitation in the face of wrath.

new covenant progressive revelation the cross

Q&A: Why doesn't the death penalty for homosexuality apply today? — Old Testament law and Christ

Viewer asks why the Old Testament death penalty for various sins does not apply under the new covenant.

eschatology God's love divine judgment

Q&A: Does God's love have a time limit — does it turn to hatred at death for the damned?

Viewer asks whether God's love for the unrepentant ceases at death and becomes everlasting hatred.

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

evangelism prophecy knowing vs. showing

When showing Christianity to others, only external evidence and arguments are available, not the Spirit's witness

Explaining the asymmetry between knowing and showing in evangelism/apologetics

1 Kings 18 Elijah 1 Kings 18 Mount Carmel

Elijah on Mount Carmel: biblical example of knowing vs. showing — he knew God was real, he showed others through evidence

Old Testament narrative case study illustrating the knowing/showing distinction

Michael Heiser Old Testament theology divine council

Michael Heiser's divine council work is valuable but Winger has reservations about core claims

Q&A: brief evaluation of Michael Heiser's scholarship

New Covenant tithing Old Testament law

Tithing at 10% is not a biblical New Testament requirement, though generous giving absolutely is

Q&A: whether the tithe is biblically mandated for Christians

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Parental authority over adult children: diminishes naturally with age; adult children make their own decisions while still honoring parents

Q from Joel Larson about how much authority a father has over adult children, and whether it differs for sons vs. daughters.

Genesis 2 Numbers 30 Genesis 2 honoring parents parental authority

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Parallelomania: ancient Near Eastern parallels (flood, creation) do not prove the Bible borrowed; similarities are explained by common events or themes

Q from Folky about how to respond to claims that the OT is not true because the Bible copied surrounding cultures (flood, Exodus).

Genesis 1 Genesis 1 biblical inerrancy Enuma Elish

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

Evidence for the Exodus exists and is growing; Inspiring Philosophy preparing a detailed video on the topic

Continued response on OT historical reliability, specifically the Exodus.

Exodus biblical inerrancy Exodus archaeology

Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Old Testament sacrifices seasoned with salt — salt as covenant symbol and godly character

Question from Molly Thompson about the spiritual/messianic meaning of salting OT sacrifices.

Mark 9:49-50 Old Testament typology discipleship

Malachi 3:8 Malachi 3:10 hermeneutics tithing Malachi 3:8

Malachi 3:8 is the most-cited pro-tithe verse but is addressed to the nation of Israel under the Mosaic law, not to Christians

Examining the primary Old Testament tithing passage used to support Christian tithing

hermeneutics tithing Levites

In the Old Testament law the tithe went to Levites and priests, not to local pastors — so enforcing a 10% tithe should logically send money to Jewish Levites

Continuing the argument against applying the Malachi tithe to modern churches

violence Old Testament ethics self-defense

Christians have a biblical duty to protect others — pacifism taken to its logical extreme is evil

Question from Spazzy Jazzy about the extent to which Christians should protect and retaliate against abuse