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All (37) Mike Winger (37)
Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Keener's only example of defensive household codes: Josephus' Against Apion

Mike examines the sole concrete example Keener offers.

Craig Keener Josephus Against Apion (Contra Apion)
Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Josephus' household code actually supports complementarian view, not egalitarian

Mike argues the Josephus example backfires on the egalitarian case.

household codes Josephus Against Apion
Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Multiple problems with reading Ephesians 5 as cultural defense

Mike lists remaining issues with the cultural-bowing interpretation.

Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 cultural bowing Josephus parallel
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-01

Historical evidence that Herod the Great was extremely paranoid and murderous — he killed three of his own sons and executed hundreds on suspicion alone, making the Massacre of the Innocents entirely consistent with his character

Mike builds a positive case that Herod killing children in Bethlehem is historically plausible

Matthew 2 apologetics historicity Herod the Great
Mike Winger idea 2018-12-01

Refutation of 'Romans never removed crucifixion victims': Josephus explicitly records that in Jerusalem, Jews were permitted by Romans to take down crucified bodies and bury them before sunset — directly supporting the Gospel burial account

Mike counters the 'no burial possible' claim with Josephus

resurrection apologetics crucifixion
Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Ancient historians' three-tiered hierarchy of sources: first-person, interrogated eyewitness, written account

Historical methodology framework used by ancient historians, applied to understanding Papias.

Richard Bauckham Josephus historical method
Mike Winger idea 2019-02-20

Luke does not criticize prior Gospel narratives; he adds to them with more data

Distinguishing Luke's prologue from other ancient authors who criticize predecessors.

Luke 1:1-4 Luke Josephus Gospel reliability ancient historiography
Mike Winger idea 2019-02-27

Women as witnesses - criterion of embarrassment in male-centered culture

Why early Christians would not invent women as the first witnesses

Bart Ehrman Women witnesses Criterion of embarrassment
Mike Winger idea 2019-02-27

Roman crucifixion burial practice rebutted by Josephus and archaeological evidence

Addressing main historical objection to empty tomb

Josephus Roman burial practices
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-14

Refutation of Paulogia's claim that Romans denied honorable burial to crucifixion victims: Josephus explicitly says Romans made an exception for Jews

Mike provides a specific example of responding to a resurrection objection

Josephus empty tomb swoon theory
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Josephus, Antiquities 20: The death of James, brother of Jesus who was called Christ, under High Priest Ananus — a non-Christian, undisputed historical source

The strongest external confirmation of James's martyrdom — from a non-Christian Jewish historian

James the brother of Jesus Josephus apostolic martyrdom non-Christian attestation
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

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

James the brother of Jesus apostolic martyrdom James the brother of Jesus Stephen the martyr
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-03

Darrell Bock on the charge against James: "breaking the law" refers to his Christological allegiances and likely a blasphemy charge, paralleling Stephen's case

Scholarly interpretation of the legal charge against James in Josephus

James the brother of Jesus apostolic martyrdom James the brother of Jesus Stephen the martyr
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

General reliability of the Gospels and Acts as a fourth argument

Winger and McLatchie introduce the general historical reliability of the Gospels and Acts as an additional, related argument.

methodological naturalism Jonathan McLatchie historicity of the Gospels
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Extra-biblical corroboration: Herod Archelaus and Matthew 2:22

McLatchie gives Josephus as extra-biblical corroboration explaining Matthew's otherwise puzzling reference to Herod Archelaus.

Matthew 2:22 Josephus Herod Antipas Antiquities of the Jews
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

Extra-biblical corroboration: Mark 10 — why Jesus taught about divorce in that context

McLatchie uses Mark 10's divorce passage to show Josephus provides context explaining why the teaching is historically plausible.

John the Baptist Mark 10:2-12 Josephus John the Baptist Herod Antipas
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 2019-05-16

Acts corroboration: Ananias falsely acting as high priest — Acts 23

McLatchie gives a final Acts example showing extra-biblical corroboration explaining an apparent difficulty in the text.

Acts 23:1-5 Josephus Jonathan McLatchie historicity of Acts
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-16

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.

Acts 1 James the brother of Jesus John 7:5 Josephus resurrection of Jesus Acts 1
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-22

Acts 10: Cornelius is introduced -- the first non-proselyte Gentile to receive the gospel. He is a God-fearer but not circumcised and not under the law.

Survey of Acts chapter 10, Cornelius

Acts 10:1-2 Craig Keener Cornelius Josephus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Non-Christian sources for Jesus: Josephus, Tacitus, and Lucian of Samosata all mention Jesus

Overview of non-Christian historical sources for Jesus

Josephus Tacitus historicity of Jesus
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 2019-06-19

Louis Feldman (leading Josephus scholar, Jewish, non-Christian) believed Josephus mentioned Jesus in both passages, estimated 3-to-1 or 5-to-1 ratio of scholars who agree

Expert Josephus scholarly opinion on the authenticity question

John Meier Josephus historicity of Jesus Testimonium Flavianum
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

The dying and rising gods parallel argument fails because Paul and non-Christian sources still have to be explained independently of the Gospels

Initial response to the Greco-Roman dying/rising gods parallel argument

Paul Jesus mythicism historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Refutation: Paul and Jesus use "brothers" for all believers, but Matthew names four brothers of Jesus including James — confirmed by Josephus

Multiple source attestation for James as biological brother of Jesus

Galatians James (brother of Jesus) Matthew 13:55 Josephus Galatians multiple attestation
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Multiple independent attestation from Paul, Matthew, John (special L), and Josephus — the strongest form of historical evidence — confirms Jesus's brothers including James

Summary of multiple attestation for Jesus's brothers

James (brother of Jesus) Josephus multiple attestation James (brother of Jesus)
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Roman historians didn't mention Jesus more because he wasn't significant to Roman history — they didn't even mention Pontius Pilate, known only from Philo, Josephus, and NT sources

Explaining the relative silence of Roman sources about Jesus

argument from silence Josephus Philo
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Argument from silence illustrated: Josephus omits his own capture by Romans from his autobiography; Grant's memoirs never mention the Emancipation Proclamation

Further examples showing argument from silence is a weak form of evidence

argument from silence Josephus historicity of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Suetonius's report of Claudius expelling Jews from Rome matches Acts 18 — illustrating how omissions in one source don't prove falsehood; Josephus doesn't mention this expulsion

Cross-referencing Suetonius and Acts; illustrating argument from silence

Acts 18 argument from silence Josephus extra-biblical sources
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-23

The claim that Jesus was based on Jesus ben Ananias (from Josephus) is historically untenable given the robust bedrock consensus of historical facts about Jesus.

Q16 from Aaron Rampersad: what do you think about the claim that Jesus Christ was based on Jesus ben Ananias in Josephus's Jewish War?

Josephus apologetics Richard Carrier
Mike Winger idea 2020-05-06

The actual historical evidence for specific apostolic martyrdoms: strong for Peter, Paul, James son of Zebedee, James brother of Jesus (early, multiple sources). Possible for Thomas (some 2nd century evidence). For the rest (Bartholomew, Matthew, Matthias etc.) — 3rd-5th century accounts that are contradictory and likely fictional. McDowell and Moss agree on the later accounts being unreliable.

Evidence tiers for apostolic martyrdoms

James brother of Jesus James son of Zebedee James brother of Jesus Sean McDowell James son of Zebedee
Mike Winger idea 2020-05-21

Geographic knowledge in the gospels: the four gospel writers demonstrate detailed knowledge of Palestinian geography — small villages (Bethany, Bethphage, Chorazin), sub-village locations (Garden of Gethsemane = "oil press" on the Mount of Olives), topography ("went DOWN from Jerusalem to Jericho" — correct elevation change), and traveling times. This knowledge couldn't come from other ancient sources (Strabo, Pliny, Josephus don't have this level of detail). Only two explanations: the writers visited or spoke with eyewitnesses.

Geographic evidence — local knowledge test

gospel reliability geographic evidence Palestinian geography
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-19

The trap: Pharisees and Herodians (sent by the Sanhedrin) use flattery to pressure Jesus into a direct yes/no answer. They want either criminal charges (sedition) or depopularization (alienating zealot followers).

Analysis of the trap question setup in Mark 12:13-16

Mark 12:13-17 Acts 5:37 Proverbs 29:5 Josephus Josephus Sanhedrin
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-16

The Sadducees: no resurrection, no judgment, no afterlife, no angels/spirits; aristocratic minority of educated elites; publicly pretended to be faithful Jews while privately rejecting core beliefs. Modern progressives follow the exact same pattern.

Detailed profile of the Sadducees and their modern parallels

John Dominic Crossan Alisa Childers Josephus Josephus
Mike Winger idea 2022-03-11

Reconciling the Accounts of Jesus’ Birth: How can the accounts of Jesus' birth in Matthew and Luke be reconciled when Josephus says that Quirinius didn't become governor until after the banishment of Archelaus?

Q&A question: Reconciling the Accounts of Jesus’ Birth

Matthew Joseph Josephus Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2021-08-02

Pilate demonstrably cared about Jewish sensitivities — he removed Roman standards from Jerusalem when Jews protested, and Rome generally allowed subject peoples to maintain their customs (Josephus, Against Apion 2.73). The argument that Pilate would ignore Jewish burial customs for crucified victims contradicts the historical pattern of Roman governance in Judea.

Pilate's demonstrated sensitivity to Jewish customs undermines Ehrman's argument

Joseph Josephus Pilate