Search — Theology Explorer

Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 11:7-10 creation order primogeniture Genesis 2

Paul's second argument: creation order supports head covering (verses 7-10)

Mike identifies the creation-based argument for head coverings.

1 Corinthians 11:8-9 Genesis 2:18 creation order ezer 1 Corinthians 11:8-9

Two principles in verses 8-9: who came from who (order) and who was made for who (purpose)

Mike distinguishes two separate arguments Paul derives from Genesis 2.

Ephesians 5 1 Peter 3 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 Ephesians 5 1 Peter 3 1 Corinthians 11:11-12

Verses 11-12: mutual dependence balances headship -- not refutation but nuance

Mike explains the 'however' of verses 11-12 in the traditional view.

1 Corinthians 11:9 Craig Keener translation comparison 1 Corinthians 11:9

Keener translates verse 9 as 'through' instead of 'for the sake of,' absorbing it into verse 8

Mike identifies Keener's handling of the problematic verse 9.

Plutarch Elaine Fantham Valerius Maximus

Plutarch's error about older customs doesn't invalidate his knowledge of his own time

Mike addresses Plutarch's misunderstanding about pre-150 BC customs.

Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 creation order Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 11:8-9

Question 7: What is Paul's point about creation order and purpose in verses 8-9?

Mike addresses the most decisive question for the complementarian/egalitarian debate.

Romans 1:26-27 Galatians 4:8 Romans 2:14 Tom Schreiner physis Romans 1:26-27

Paul uses physis nine times consistently: never means 'custom'

Mike examines all of Paul's uses of physis.

1 Corinthians 11:10 1 Corinthians 11:10 exousia kalumma

Early textual variant substitutes 'covering' (kalumma) for 'authority' (exousia) in verse 10

Mike provides additional evidence from manuscript tradition.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 textual criticism 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 interpolation theory

Introduction of View 1: The Interpolation View

Mike introduces the first of five views, which argues these verses do not belong in the Bible at all.

textual criticism hinge points methodology

Outline of the teaching: hinge points for each view

Mike explains his format for analyzing each view through key 'hinge points' that each view depends upon.

1 Corinthians 14:40 textual criticism 1 Corinthians 14:40 manuscript relocation

The relocation of verses to after verse 40 in some manuscripts

Mike explains that while no manuscripts omit the verses, some relocate them after verse 40.

textual criticism Gordon Fee A.C. Wire

The displacement manuscripts likely derive from a single source

Mike explains that the handful of manuscripts with relocated verses may trace back to one scribal change.

textual criticism manuscript 88 A.C. Wire

Manuscript 88 is a 12th-century copy and carries little weight

Mike addresses the outlier manuscript 88 which does not fit the same connected manuscript tradition.

lectio difficilior textual criticism principles

Textual criticism principle: the reading that explains the other readings is likely original

Mike applies a standard textual criticism principle to the manuscript evidence.

Beth Allison Barr The Making of Biblical Womanhood quotation-refutation view

View 2 analysis: The Quotation-Refutation View and Beth Allison Barr's promotion of it

Mike begins analyzing the quotation-refutation view, noting Beth Allison Barr as a key proponent.

Romans 3:28-29 e/eta (disjunctive particle) Romans 3:28-29 rhetorical reinforcement

The disjunctive particle 'e' reinforces rather than refutes what precedes it, shown from Romans 3:28-29

Mike demonstrates how the Greek particle functions using Romans 3:28-29 as an example.

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Analogy to overturned German scholarship on the Gospels and Greek myths

Mike argues that entire schools of scholarly thought can be wrong and get overturned.

German scholarship Gospel origins anti-Semitism in scholarship

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Adam bears primary responsibility for sin — 1 Corinthians 15:22 and Romans 5:14-19

Mike argues Adam's greater representational role and accountability shows his greater authority.

Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 15:22 Romans 5:14-19 ezer Genesis 2 1 Corinthians 15:22

Mike Winger idea 2023-11-22

Critique of the Kroegers' 'I Suffer Not a Woman'

Mike provides detailed scholarly critique of the Kroegers' influential but problematic book.

authenteo Philip Payne Richard Kroeger

Mike Winger idea 2023-11-22

Cognate analysis: authentes, authentikos, authentia, authentein

Mike examines words related to authenteo to establish the semantic range of the word family.

authentein semantic range Al Wolters

Mike Winger idea 2023-11-22

Egalitarian scholars' classifications of authenteo meanings

Mike examines how egalitarian scholars categorize the various proposed meanings.

authenteo Linda Belleville Cynthia Long Westfall

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-14

How Bill Johnson started the prophetic in Weaverville: asking people around a table 'what do you think Jesus would say?' then declaring they had just prophesied

Mike plays a direct video clip of Johnson explaining his methodology for launching the prophetic ministry

Bill Johnson spiritual gifts prophecy

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Pearl of Great Price

Introduction to the Book of Abraham as the key test case for Mormonism

Setting up the argument

Joseph Smith Pearl of Great Price Egyptology

The original papyri were thought lost in the Great Chicago Fire; facsimile copies in Smith's own hand survive

The preservation history of the papyri evidence

Joseph Smith LDS Church Egyptology

Early Egyptologist critics were dismissed because the original papyri could not be examined

How the LDS Church handled early scholarly criticism

LDS Church papyrus Metropolitan Museum of Art

The original papyri were discovered in 1966–1967 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and given to BYU

The rediscovery of the Joseph Smith Papyri

translation comparison Joseph Smith testability of religious claims

Unlike the Book of Mormon (golden plates taken away), the Book of Abraham papyri CAN be tested — this is unique

The Book of Abraham as a uniquely testable LDS truth claim

Joseph Smith LDS Church Book of Abraham

The Joseph Smith Papers project published the Egyptian Grammar and Alphabet documents, exposing them to scholarly scrutiny

Recent LDS document releases and their apologetic implications

Book of Abraham Great Chicago Fire Metropolitan Museum of Art

LDS apologist argument #1: the 'Short Scroll Theory' — the recovered fragments are only part of a longer scroll

Review of LDS apologetic responses to the papyri problem

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

Historical timeline: The blood transfusion ban originated in Watchtower publications in 1945 and escalated to a disfellowshipping offense in 1961.

Mike traces the doctrinal history of the JW blood transfusion policy to show it is a human invention, not an ancient or consistent teaching.

Jehovah's Witnesses Watchtower blood transfusion ban history

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

The allowance of fractions proves the Governing Body is a man-led organization doing damage control rather than applying consistent biblical interpretation.

Mike argues the logic of permitting fractions while banning their source components exposes the arbitrary, human origin of the policy.

Governing Body blood fractions doctrinal hypocrisy

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-18

Reason 3: We allow people to break interpretive rules when handling prophecy — eisegesis masquerading as exegesis

Third reason people fall for false predictions.

eisegesis hermeneutics prophecy interpretation

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-24

Mormon definition of the gospel: a complex set of new teachings restored by Joseph Smith that must be learned and performed — not 'good news' but a difficult path.

The Mormon gospel adds a body of doctrine and performance requirements that make it not 'good news' in any conventional sense.

Pharisaism Joseph Smith works-based salvation

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-24

Q&A (off-topic): Divorced woman who was cheated on and physically abused asks if remarrying would be adultery after her ex-husband has now married his fifth wife.

Viewer question from 'Truth Watch' about remarriage after divorce involving infidelity and abuse.

1 Corinthians 7 1 Corinthians 7 divorce and remarriage adultery

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-14

Hebrew 'Elohim' is even more flexible — used for angels, human judges, deities, and the God of Israel

Extending the semantic range discussion to the Hebrew word for God

semantic range Elohim Hebrew vocabulary

Gospel origins Richard Carrier ad hoc reasoning

Carrier constructs a 'Frankenstein theory' drawing on ancient literature to claim Gospel narratives were plagiarized from myths

Carrier's literary dependence argument for the Gospel narratives

Markan priority Gospel origins resurrection Dan Barker

Barker's legendary growth argument cherry-picks data — each Gospel sometimes has more miraculous content, sometimes less

Mike's critique of Barker's fourth objection

1 Chronicles 20 translation differences 1 Chronicles 20 NKJV

1 Chronicles 20 or 23 — translation differences between NKJV, ESV, and NASB: Mike defers to post-livestream comment response

Q&A — Joseph May's question about translation discrepancies in 1 Chronicles