What does one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars have to say to anyone who is tired, waiting, and wondering if God is coming back for them? In this episode of the Jesus Over Everything podcast, Lisa Whittle sits down with Dr. N.T. Wright, author of over 80 books and senior research fellow at Wycliffe Hall Oxford, for a conversation rooted in his new book Into the Heart of Isaiah: The Meaning and Message of Isaiah 40 through 55. Dr. Wright unpacks the two great themes running through Isaiah’s central poem, what biblical comfort actually meant to people in exile, why the point of Christianity is not for your soul to go to heaven when you die, what Isaiah 40:31 really means for those who are waiting on God, and what Jesus commissioning Mary Magdalene has to do with women using their gifts today. Scholarly, warm, and surprisingly personal, this is a conversation that will deepen your love for Scripture and steady your soul.
Listen in to learn more:
(3:01) Why Dr. Wright was compelled to write about Isaiah 40 to 55, and why it reads like a Beethoven symphony
(4:50) The two great themes running through Isaiah’s central poem
(7:14) The three-lens approach to reading and understanding Isaiah
(10:14) What “comfort" meant to exiles in Babylon versus what it means to us today
(13:44) What is the actual message of the Bible? (Dr. Wright’s answer may surprise you!)
(16:30) Why we can get things dangerously wrong when reading Scripture out of context
(20:16) Dr. Wright's explanation: two views of "waiting" on the Lord
(26:20) Who is the servant of Isaiah?
(28:06) Dr. Wright on women using their gifts in the church
(31:24) What Isaiah 40 to 55 says to anyone who feels far from God right now
(35:28) The one thing Dr. Wright would say about Jesus
Mentioned in the Episode:
Book – Into the Heart of Isaiah by Dr. N.T. Wright: https://zondervanacademic.com/products/into-the-heart-of-isaiah
One-on-One Coaching with Lisa: https://www.lisawhittle.com/coaching-with-lisa
Invite Lisa to Speak: https://www.lisawhittle.com/speaking
Connect with Dr. N.T. Wright:
Website: https://ntwrightpage.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntwrightonline/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialNTWright/
Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.lisawhittle.com
Substack: https://letsbeclear.substack.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lisawhittleofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisawhittle