Storge, Justice, and the Ten Commandments: Rethinking Biblical Love (Mike Tolliver) Ep. #201

Is loving your family first a biblical idea—or a betrayal of Jesus’ call to love your neighbor? In this thought-provoking episode, Mike Tolliver—Executive Director of the Center for Hebraic Thought—joins Dru Johnson to explore his developing PhD thesis on Storge (family love), the kinsman-redeemer, and what biblical justice actually looks like. Drawing on Torah, philosophy, and early Christian texts, Mike argues that Storge love is not only natural—it’s essential to a functioning society, and that Israel’s family-based justice system was designed to eliminate categories like “orphan” and “widow.” He explores why Paul uses the metaphor of adoption—and not kinsman-redeemer—for Gentile inclusion, and why the Ten Commandments are saturated with family ethics. From Sophie's Choice-style sermon illustrations to questions about circumcision, baptism, and ethnic election, this episode unpacks the implications of what it means to love your kin without devaluing the stranger. As Mike prepares for PhD work, his big question is: What does rightly ordered family love look like in Scripture—and what happens when it gets misordered? We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles:https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThoughtInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthoughtThreads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthoughtX: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThoughtBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Exploring Academic Pursuits and Career Paths05:47 The Kinsman Redeemer: A Social Safety Net14:35 Storge and Kinsman Redeemer in Biblical Context19:54 Theological Implications of Kinship and Election27:34 Exploring the Promise of Descendancy29:03 Navigating the Path to a PhD30:56 The Challenge of Proposal Writing31:57 Understanding Storge in Hebraic Thought39:07 The Role of Storge in the Ten Commandments41:07 Stranger Love vs. Family Love43:55 Moral Dilemmas in Love49:56 The Future of Intergenerational Family Focus