Why This Strange Story Still Matters

If you’ve ever stumbled across Genesis 6:1–4 during your Bible reading, you’ve probably paused and wondered, “What is going on here?” These verses mention mysterious figures called the sons of God, their union with the daughters of men, and the birth of the Nephilim—giants or “mighty men of old.” It’s just four verses long, but it’s puzzled and fascinated readers for centuries.

Pastor Mike Winger, known for his longform Bible studies on YouTube, tackles this passage with a steady, biblical approach. While he’s not known for diving into fringe or speculative ideas, he doesn’t shy away from the more unusual parts of Scripture either. In this article, we’ll walk through what he says, why it matters, and how it fits into a bigger picture of biblical and historical interpretation.

Who Are the “Sons of God” in Genesis 6?

This is the million-dollar question. Genesis 6:2 says:

“The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.”

But who were these “sons of God”? Here’s where it gets interesting.

Mike Winger’s View: Probably Angels

Winger carefully leans toward the view that these were supernatural beings — specifically, angels. He’s not dogmatic about it, but he makes it clear that this is the interpretation he finds most convincing:

About 5 hours into the video, he’s covering the strange verse that Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians.

💬 “Genesis 6:2… it does refer to angels, it seems, marrying women… I’m inclined to believe that these were angelic beings in this passage.”

He also points to 1 Peter and Jude, both of which mention angels who sinned and were later imprisoned — possibly referencing the events of Genesis 6.

Other Theories

To be fair, not everyone agrees. There are several alternate interpretations out there, such as:

• The Sethite view: that the sons of God were descendants of Seth (the godly line) marrying women from the line of Cain.
  
• The demonic possession view: that fallen angels possessed human men.
  
• A royalty view: that the “sons of God” were powerful human rulers who overstepped their boundaries.
  

Each view tries to make sense of this puzzling passage, but Winger finds the angelic explanation more consistent with both the language and ancient understanding.

The Nephilim: Just Giants?

Then there are the Nephilim. Genesis 6:4 tells us:

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days… They were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

The word “Nephilim” has been translated variously as “giants,” “fallen ones,” or simply “heroes of old.” The Bible doesn’t tell us much about them, just that they were around before the Flood and somehow connected to the sons of God and daughters of men.

Winger doesn’t go overboard here. He notes that while the idea of angel-human offspring sounds strange, it can’t be ruled out biblically. He acknowledges it’s an unusual story, but also notes that ancient readers wouldn’t have thought it so strange. In fact, most early Jewish and Christian writers accepted the angelic view as the norm.

“Because of the Angels”: A Surprising Link

One of Mike Winger’s deep-dive teachings is on 1 Corinthians 11, where Paul tells women to wear a head covering “because of the angels.”

This odd phrase has puzzled commentators for centuries. Some say it ties back to Genesis 6—that Paul was warning against the kind of angelic lust described there. Winger addresses that idea but ultimately disagrees:

💬 “There’s nothing in the passage that mentions lust. Not once… We change the focus of the passage when we make it about lust.”

Still, the Genesis 6 discussion gives him a chance to explain why he leans toward the angelic interpretation. He’s cautious, but clear.

Extra-Biblical Books: Useful, but Not Scripture

Winger also comments on ancient Jewish texts like the Book of Enoch, which expands on the Genesis 6 story in dramatic detail. These books talk about angels called the Watchers, Mount Hermon, and the birth of literal giants. But Mike is careful here:

💬 “Be careful that when you find out about the views of people of the time, you’re not just teleporting those views into Scripture as though they’re proclamations of Scripture.”

In another study on 1 Peter 3:16 – 22, Mike Winger discusses his thoughts and concerns about the interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4 in more detail. (starts around 33:33)

In other words, extra-biblical writings can help us understand the cultural background, but we shouldn’t treat them as equal to Scripture.

What Do Other Scholars Think?

Winger’s view isn’t new. It’s actually quite old — and shared by many modern theologians, too.

• Dr. Michael Heiser: “The sons of God are supernatural beings… members of the heavenly host who transgressed the boundaries of heaven and earth.”
  
• Philo and Josephus: Ancient Jewish thinkers who accepted the angel view without much debate.
  
• Church Fathers like Tertullian and Irenaeus: Also believed angels were the “sons of God.”
  

It wasn’t until Augustine, around 400 AD, that the Sethite view became popular. And even then, it wasn’t because of a strong biblical argument—it was partly to avoid the supernatural implications.

Why This Matters (and Why It’s Worth Talking About)

At first glance, Genesis 6 might seem like a strange footnote. But it actually ties into broader biblical themes: the spread of wickedness, God’s judgment, and spiritual rebellion. It also shows how ancient people understood the relationship between heaven and earth.

💬 “After 25 years of digging into Genesis 6, I’ve learned that balance matters… Let’s interpret it in light of Scripture and history, not pop culture.” – Jake Mooney

Too often, this topic gets either sensationalized or ignored. What Mike Winger offers—and what we’re trying to do here—is a balanced, respectful exploration of a fascinating part of the Bible.

Join the Conversation

We hope this gave you a clearer understanding of how Mike Winger approaches Genesis 6, the sons of God, and the Nephilim. It’s okay to hold different views—as long as we stay grounded in Scripture and historical context.

💬 What’s your take on Genesis 6? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!