Overview of Ask NT Wright Anything (Premier Unbelievable)
In this episode, Mike Bird and N.T. Wright tackle three major theological questions: the authority of church councils, the meaning of “righteousness” in the Bible, and what the Ascension of Jesus actually means. Wright consistently argues that Scripture—not councils, systems, or theological schemes—is the final authority, while councils and creeds serve as wise, historically situated guides. He also explains that biblical righteousness is deeply tied to covenant, justice, and “being in the right,” and he frames the Ascension as Jesus’ exaltation into God’s dimension, where heaven and earth are joined in him.
Church Councils: Authority, Limits, and Usefulness
Wright begins by saying the most important “council” he would have liked to attend is Acts 15, where the early church wrestled with whether Gentile believers must be circumcised.
Main points
- Scripture has the highest authority because it bears witness to Jesus.
- Councils matter, but they are not equal to Scripture.
- Creeds and councils are best understood as:
- summaries of faithful reflection,
- guardrails against error,
- and historically contingent responses to specific controversies.
- Wright warns against treating theological systems as if they were the faith itself simply because they include scriptural footnotes.
- He sees value in councils like Nicaea and Chalcedon, but insists they must always be tested by Scripture and revisited with fresh exegesis.
Key takeaway
Councils are helpful and often wise, but they are subordinate to Scripture and should never end theological conversation.
Righteousness, Covenant, and Biblical Language
A major section of the episode addresses what biblical “righteousness” means, especially in Paul.
Main points
- Wright stresses that terms like:
- Hebrew tzedek / tzedakah
- Greek dikaiosynē are broad, flexible words that pick up multiple layers of meaning across cultures and contexts.
- He rejects a purely medieval or abstract notion of righteousness as a kind of moral “credit account.”
- In many biblical texts, righteousness means something closer to:
- being in the right,
- covenant justice,
- or faithful action that puts things right.
Examples discussed
- Genesis 15:6 — Abraham’s faith is “credited as righteousness.”
- Numbers 25 / Psalm 106 — Phinehas’ action is credited as righteousness in connection with covenant continuity.
- Genesis 38 — Judah says Tamar is “more righteous than I,” meaning she is in the right in the dispute.
- Romans 4 — Paul is talking about God’s promises to Abraham being fulfilled in Jesus for Jew and Gentile alike.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 — Wright rejects the idea that this is simply “imputed righteousness”; instead, he sees it as tied to apostolic ministry as an embodiment of God’s covenant faithfulness.
Translation insight
Wright says terms like “covenant justice” or “covenant faithfulness” can be helpful, but no English phrase captures everything. The meaning must always be determined by context.
Key takeaway
Righteousness in the Bible is not just private morality; it is deeply bound up with God’s covenant purposes, justice, and the putting-right of the world.
The Ascension of Jesus: Heaven and Earth Joined
The final question asks what physically happened when Jesus ascended in Acts 1.
Main points
- Wright resists overly literalistic or sci-fi explanations like portals or wormholes.
- He describes the Ascension as a visual, symbolic, and mysterious event that signals Jesus’ exaltation.
- Acts 1:9 simply says Jesus was “taken up”; it does not describe a travel path through the sky.
- Wright prefers to think in terms of dimensions rather than a simple “upstairs/downstairs” model.
Theological meaning
- Heaven and earth are the two created spheres of God’s good creation.
- In Jesus, those realms are being brought together.
- Key supporting texts:
- Matthew 28 — all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.
- Ephesians 1 — God’s plan is to sum up all things in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15 — Christ reigns until all enemies are under his feet.
- The Ascension means Jesus is not absent in a distant place; he is enthroned and active as Lord of heaven and earth.
Practical implication
The Ascension calls Christians to live as kingdom people—shaped by the Sermon on the Mount and Matthew 25—under the authority of the risen and ascended Christ.
Key takeaway
The Ascension is not mainly about geography; it is about Jesus’ reign, the union of heaven and earth, and his continuing lordship over creation.
Big Takeaways
- Scripture is primary; councils and creeds are important but secondary.
- Biblical righteousness is relational, covenantal, and about God putting the world right.
- The Ascension means Jesus is enthroned, not absent.
- Wright repeatedly emphasizes that Christian theology should return to the Bible’s original context rather than relying on later systems or overly neat formulas.
Notable Emphases from Wright
- “Jesus is the substance of the faith.”
- Councils are “guidelines,” not the foundation.
- Righteousness should be read through the lens of Genesis, the Psalms, Paul, and Second Temple Judaism.
- The Ascension reveals that Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth, and therefore active in history now.