Search — Theology Explorer

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis ontological grounding nature vs. assignment

Rebuttal: women's submission is not ontologically grounded — it is not rooted in women's nature making them inherently submissive.

Mistake #4: Rebutting 'ontologically grounded'

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis Levites priestly roles

The Levite analogy: Levites had exclusive priestly roles based on tribal lineage (nature), not ability — yet non-Levites were not less human. Groothuis addresses but does not defeat this.

Mistake #4: Levite analogy against Groothuis

Levites nature-based roles temporary vs. permanent

If countless generations under Levitical role restrictions for hundreds of years is acceptable, why would one lifetime of gender-based role differences be dehumanizing?

Mistake #4: Levite analogy continued

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis nature-based roles Davidic kingship

Additional analogy: only a son of David could be king of Israel — this eliminates most people from the highest authority by nature, yet does not make them less human.

Mistake #4: Davidic kingship analogy

nature-based roles Israel as chosen nation election

Israel as God's chosen nation is another example: other nations could not qualify no matter how faithful, yet this does not make them less human.

Mistake #4: Chosen nation analogy

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis associated vs. grounded divine assignment

A possibility Groothuis ignores: role can be associated with nature but not grounded in nature — God assigns roles by association, not by saying one nature is inferior.

Mistake #4: The overlooked possibility

Philip Payne Man and Woman, One in Christ equality in Christ

Philip Payne's related argument in 'Man and Woman, One in Christ': if we are equal in Christ, we cannot exclude anyone from leadership based on gender.

Mistake #4: Payne's variant of the philosophical argument

eldership Philip Payne equality in Christ

Mike's rebuttal to Payne: role differences are about God's calling/assignment, not nature or equality in Christ. Payne's logic would make eldership part of what it means to be Christian.

Mistake #4: Rebutting Payne

bypassing scripture Philip Payne biblical authority

Both Groothuis and Payne's philosophical arguments kill Bible study by leaving only two options: the Bible supports egalitarianism, or the Bible is wrong.

Mistake #4: Conclusion

creation order 1 Tim 2:12-13 Paul

1 Timothy 2:12-13 as New Testament commentary on Genesis 2: Paul draws on Adam being formed first as relevant to male-female relationships.

NT support for creation order argument

Tom Schreiner Phyllis Trible qara

Schreiner's response to Trible: demanding both 'call' and 'name' is too rigid; the repetition of 'qara' (call) in Gen 2:19-23 links animal naming to Eve's naming.

Complementarian rebuttal on naming formula

Genesis 3:16 -- the ultimate debated passage: 'your desire shall be for/contrary to your husband, and he shall rule over you' -- translation differences examined.

Introduction to Genesis 3:16 debate

Gen 3:16 teshukah mashal

Gen 3:16 Gen 2 post-fall conflict

Mike's view: before the fall there was harmonious, tensionless leadership; now the curse introduces conflict -- the solution is alleviating abuse, not eliminating the nature of authority.

Mike's synthesis of Genesis 2-3 on authority

voluntary submission reverse pain not nature abuse of authority

Key application: reverse the PAIN of the fall (abuse, domineering, rebellion) but not the NATURE of the relationship (different roles). Fight thorns, not farming; fight abuse, not authority.

Final practical application

Discovering Biblical Equality universal priesthood of believers Stanley Grenz

Grenz's positive case: whoever is a priest should be able to be an elder

After Grenz dismantles the complementarian argument, he builds his own: women are priests, therefore they can be elders.

1 Timothy 3 soft complementarianism 1 Timothy 3 prophecy argument

The egalitarian move 'prophecy involves teaching, therefore all teaching is acceptable, therefore prophecy equals eldership' blurs God-given distinctions

Mike warns against the slippery-slope reasoning some egalitarians use.

church governance prophet vs. elder office Bethel Church

Elders govern the church; prophets do not — prophets are not appointed to an ongoing office

Mike contrasts the governing authority of elders with the non-governing nature of prophets.

2 Samuel 7 David Craig Keener Nathan

Prophecy is passive in nature — the prophet is not supposed to speak beyond what God gave them

Mike cites Craig Keener in support of this point about the passive nature of prophecy.

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Paul's own practice of restrained authority as a model (2 Corinthians 13:10)

Mike draws a parallel from Paul's apostolic practice.

2 Corinthians 13:10 2 Corinthians 13:10 restrained authority godly authority

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Aristotle actually distinguishes between reasons for female submission and slave obedience

Mike analyzes Aristotle's actual text on the slavery-marriage connection.

Aristotle Politics (Aristotle) deliberative faculty

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Biblical justifications for wifely submission vs slave obedience are completely different

Mike lists the actual biblical reasons for each and compares them.

Titus 2:5 1 Corinthians 14:34 1 Corinthians 11:3 creation order Titus 2:5 1 Corinthians 14:34

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Prophecy has a passive element: the prophet relays God's instructions but does not have authority to make decisions for God.

Nature of prophetic authority vs. governmental authority

eldership David Nathan

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Deborah functioned as a supreme-court type judge handling hard cases — this is public, magisterial authority, not private counseling.

Affirming the public nature of Deborah's authority

Deborah Levitical priests judicial authority

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Did Deborah command Barak? She relayed God's command ('has not the Lord commanded you?') but Judges 4:14 shows her using her own words more forcefully.

Analyzing the nature of Deborah's authority over Barak

Judges 4:6 Judges 4:14 Deborah Barak prophetic authority

1 Corinthians 11:2-16 NASB 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Full reading of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 without commentary

Mike reads the entire passage from the NASB translation to establish familiarity before analysis.

1 Corinthians 11:13-15 1 Corinthians 11:13-15 physis nature argument

Paul's fourth argument: nature gives women long hair as a covering (verses 13-15)

Mike explains the argument from nature for head coverings.

1 Corinthians 11:11-12 Philip Payne egalitarianism 1 Corinthians 11:11-12

Payne on verses 11-12: Paul repudiates hierarchy of man over woman

Mike presents how Payne makes the passage actively egalitarian.

kephale Craig Keener cloth covering view

Craig Keener's cloth covering egalitarian view

Mike presents the fifth interpretive approach.

1 Corinthians 11:14 F.F. Bruce Plutarch physis

Question 8: What does 'nature' (physis) mean in verse 14?

Mike examines the meaning of Paul's appeal to nature.

Craig Keener physis nature vs. custom

Craig Keener acknowledges 'nature' normally means the opposite of custom

Mike shows that even egalitarians concede the normal meaning.

logical fallacy custom vs. nature hair length

Something being custom doesn't make it only custom; it may also be grounded in nature

Mike prevents a logical fallacy in interpreting the nature argument.

Numbers 6 Craig Keener Samson Epictetus

Exceptions to hair length rules: Nazirite vows, philosophers, and the principle behind exceptions

Mike discusses how exceptions to the general rule were understood.

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.

Craig Keener hair length gender distinctions

Hair length is probably a transcultural moral obligation; application to today

Mike draws practical conclusions from the nature argument.

Mark Goodacre testicle theory Troy Martin peribolaion

Question 13: The testicle theory -- Troy Martin's claim about peribolaion

Mike introduces the most controversial recent interpretation.

peribolaion Preston Massie testicle theory refuted

How the testicle view does NOT fit 1 Corinthians 11: five additional problems

Mike presents his own challenges to the view from the passage itself.

head covering movement transcultural application Elizabeth Farians

Question 14: How does it apply today? The argument FOR transcultural head coverings (7 points)

Mike seriously engages the pro-head-covering position.

hermeneutical principle cultural vs. transcultural symbolic meaning

The argument AGAINST transcultural head coverings: Paul never argues for the MEANING of head coverings

Mike presents his personal case for cultural application.

physis hair length gender distinctions

Hair length IS probably transcultural since Paul argues for it directly from nature

Mike distinguishes hair length from head coverings in terms of ongoing application.

1 Corinthians 9:22 hermeneutical principle symbolic meaning cultural application argument

The cultural view is not arbitrary: five facts support it

Mike defends his position against charges of mere cultural accommodation.

Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

The doctrinal/theological nature of testing prophecy from 1 John 4:1-3

Mike shows that testing prophecy involved theological evaluation.

1 John 4:1-3 Mormonism 1 John 4:1-3 Christology test

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Egalitarians treat their position as a moral mission, not just a theological view

Mike describes the activist nature of egalitarian scholarship.

egalitarianism scholarly methodology social justice

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women in ministry is a secondary issue but with huge practical application

Mike addresses the importance level of this theological disagreement.

secondary issue Christian unity practical application

Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Genesis 1:26-28 — both male and female are given dominion over the earth

Mike grounds Pillar 3 in Genesis 1.

Genesis 1:26-28 image of God dominion Genesis 1:26-28

Mike Winger idea 2023-11-22

Conclusion 3: This is apostolic ruling, not Paul's personal opinion

Mike reaffirms the authoritative nature of the restriction.

1 Timothy 2:12 apostolic authority 1 Timothy 2:12 universal application

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-10

1 Timothy 6:16 misquoted: JW use of ellipsis to hide context

JW misuse of Scripture to support spirit-only existence

1 Timothy 6:16 1 Timothy 6:16 Immortality Deity of Christ

Bill Johnson charismatic movement House of Generals

House of Generals: a planned museum of revival artifacts and relics for prayer and 'receiving anointing'

Mike describes a specific Bethel infrastructure project and its theological implications

Bill Johnson hermeneutics christocentrism

Bill Johnson: 'It is theologically immoral to allow an Old Testament revelation of God's nature to surpass the manifestation found in Jesus Christ'

Direct quote from Bill Johnson establishing his hermeneutical hierarchy

Revelation 2:23 Exodus 3 Bill Johnson hermeneutics christocentrism

Bill Johnson: 'Jesus is perfect theology' — any revelation about God that contradicts what you see in Jesus must not be allowed to shape your theology; 'what storms did Jesus bless?'

Mike plays a third Johnson video reinforcing the hermeneutical pillar and unpacks its practical implications