Overview of Ask NT Write Anything with Mike Bird and Tom Wright
In this episode of Ask NT Write Anything, Mike Bird and Tom Wright tackle three big Bible-related questions: whether Christians should worry about “missing” books in different biblical canons, whether Roman Catholics can truly be saved if they don’t affirm classic Protestant sola fide language, and whether end-times prophecy requires a future “third temple.” Wright’s answers consistently push listeners back to the center: Jesus, the New Testament’s own canonical shape, and the corporate life of the church.
Bible Canon, Extra Books, and Translation Questions
Main point
Wright argues that Christians should not treat the canon as a vague or unstable collection. There is a clear broad consensus across historic Christianity about the core books of Scripture:
- Old Testament foundations: the Pentateuch, Prophets, Psalms
- New Testament center: the four Gospels and the apostolic epistles
He emphasizes that the “big, solid things in the middle” are not in serious doubt.
On extra books like Enoch, Jubilees, Maccabees, and Hermas
Wright says these texts are not canonical for church doctrine, but they are still valuable:
- They help explain the historical and cultural background of Jesus and the apostles
- They illuminate how many Jews in the Second Temple period thought
- They are useful for understanding symbols, language, and interpretive habits in the New Testament
His basic view: read them, learn from them, but don’t build doctrine on them.
On the KJV and Bible versions
He rejects the idea that the King James Version was created mainly out of fear of rebellion. Instead, it was an authorized English Bible intended to unify church and kingdom amid competing translations. He also notes that disputes over Bible versions are an old distraction, not a modern novelty.
Takeaway
Wright’s advice is to stop obsessing over whether some text “counts” as Bible in the same way as the canonical books. The better question is: Does it help us understand Scripture and the world in which Scripture was written?
Catholics, Justification, and Whether They Can Be Saved
Main point
Wright pushes back against the claim that Roman Catholics cannot have saving faith because they don’t use Protestant language exactly right.
His key correction is:
- We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ
- We are not justified by believing in the doctrine of justification by faith
That distinction matters a lot in the discussion.
What he says about Catholic faith
Wright argues that many sincere Catholics have genuinely trusted Christ, even if their theology is muddled in places. He draws on Richard Hooker’s response to similar late-16th-century arguments: medieval Christians may have been confused about doctrine, but that does not mean they were all unfaithful or outside God’s mercy.
What justification is really about
Wright stresses that Paul’s teaching on justification is not only about:
- my private standing before God
It is also about:
- the creation of one family of Jews and Gentiles in Christ
- belonging at the same table
- the church as a new humanity shaped by Jesus
Warning against cheap assurance
He also warns that some Protestant presentations of salvation can become dangerously shallow:
- “Say this prayer, and you’re done”
- “Nothing you do afterward matters”
Wright strongly rejects that. Justification brings believers into God’s family, which means the Spirit-shaped life matters.
On sacraments and Catholic practice
He suggests that receiving sacraments should not automatically be seen as “earning” salvation. The deeper question is whether a person is clinging to Christ. Many modern Catholics, he says, would affirm exactly that.
Takeaway
Wright’s stance is open but not uncritical: real faith in Jesus matters more than perfect doctrinal precision, and Christian unity should be grounded in shared trust in Christ.
The Third Temple and End-Times Theology
Main point
Wright is sharply critical of dispensationalist expectations about a future third temple in Jerusalem.
He calls the entire logic a chain of misunderstandings built on top of misunderstandings.
Why he rejects the third-temple idea
Wright argues that the New Testament already presents the temple as fulfilled in:
- Jesus himself
- the gift of the Spirit
- the church as God’s temple
He points to passages such as:
- John 1: Jesus “tabernacles” among us
- Acts 2: the Spirit filling the house and the disciples
- Paul’s letters: believers as God’s temple
- 2 Corinthians 1: all God’s promises find their “yes” in Christ
In this framework, a rebuilt physical temple is not the next step. It is a turning back of the biblical clock.
His strongest critique
Wright says that imagining a new holy land and a restored temple system after Jesus is, in his view, theologically mistaken and potentially blasphemous. The New Testament says the whole world now belongs to God; holiness is no longer tied to one sacred building in Jerusalem.
Practical concern
He also notes that supporting a third temple would be politically explosive and would not promote peace in the Middle East.
Takeaway
For Wright, Christians should not look for a future temple as if Jesus and the Spirit had not already fulfilled the temple story.
Key Themes and Takeaways
1. Scripture must be read canonically and historically
Wright wants Christians to hold together:
- the authority of the Bible
- the usefulness of surrounding Jewish and Christian literature
- the historical context in which Scripture was written
2. Salvation is centered on Jesus, not on perfect theological labeling
The real question is not whether someone can recite the right doctrine of justification, but whether they trust Jesus.
3. The church is a shared table
Justification by faith is not merely an individual legal status; it is about forming a multiethnic people of God who belong together in Christ.
4. Temple theology is fulfilled in Christ
The New Testament does not leave Christians waiting for a literal third temple to complete the story. The fulfillment is already found in Jesus, the Spirit, and the church.
Notable Practical Advice
- Read the major biblical books deeply before chasing fringe texts
- Use non-canonical works as historical background, not doctrinal foundations
- Be cautious about turning salvation into a formula or slogan
- When discussing Catholics, ask first whether they trust Christ
- Don’t build end-times schemes on dispensational assumptions that the New Testament itself does not require
Closing Note
The episode closes by inviting listeners to submit questions at askntright.com and to subscribe to the Ask NT Wright Anything YouTube channel. The overall message of the episode is clear: keep your eyes on Jesus, read Scripture wisely, and don’t let peripheral debates distract from the center of Christian faith.