Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Can you forgive yourself? Were the Samaritans really Israelites? And what actually happened at Jesus' Ascension?
In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird answer three thoughtful listener questions about forgiveness, biblical history and one of the most overlooked events in the life of Jesus. Along the way, they explore healing from guilt, the relationship between Jews and Samaritans, and why the Ascension is central to understanding Christ's reign today.
00:00 Welcome to Ask NT Wright Anything
01:09 Yolanda Petronelli asks: Does the Bible teach self-forgiveness?
03:46 If God forgives you, do you need to forgive yourself?
06:02 Moral injury, guilt and why forgiveness matters
09:12 Edward Curran asks: Were the Samaritans really Israelites?
12:19 Jesus, the Samaritans and an ancient ethnic divide
14:17 Why Jesus made a Samaritan the hero
17:32 David Waterhouse asks: Why did Jesus ascend “up” into heaven?
18:27 Was the Ascension just ancient cosmology?
22:43 The real meaning of Jesus’ Ascension
23:22 Tom Wright: “Heaven is the CEO’s office”
25:57 Mike Bird: “Make the Ascension great again”
Support & Subscribe
👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡
❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com
👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here
Follow us
Instagram: instagram.com/premierunbelievable
Facebook: facebook.com/premierunbelievable
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable
X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)
Can you forgive yourself? Were the Samaritans really Israelites? And what actually happened at Jesus' Ascension?
In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird answer three thoughtful listener questions about forgiveness, biblical history and one of the most overlooked events in the life of Jesus. Along the way, they explore healing from guilt, the relationship between Jews and Samaritans, and why the Ascension is central to understanding Christ's reign today.
00:00 Welcome to Ask NT Wright Anything
01:09 Yolanda Petronelli asks: Does the Bible teach self-forgiveness?
03:46 If God forgives you, do you need to forgive yourself?
06:02 Moral injury, guilt and why forgiveness matters
09:12 Edward Curran asks: Were the Samaritans really Israelites?
12:19 Jesus, the Samaritans and an ancient ethnic divide
14:17 Why Jesus made a Samaritan the hero
17:32 David Waterhouse asks: Why did Jesus ascend “up” into heaven?
18:27 Was the Ascension just ancient cosmology?
22:43 The real meaning of Jesus’ Ascension
23:22 Tom Wright: “Heaven is the CEO’s office”
25:57 Mike Bird: “Make the Ascension great again”
Support & Subscribe
👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡
❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com
👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here
Follow us
Instagram: instagram.com/premierunbelievable
Facebook: facebook.com/premierunbelievable
Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable
X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)
