Why doesn’t the Bible punish men for adultery? Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast

Why does the Old Testament sometimes appear to treat women unfairly in cases of adultery? What was the purpose of the Nazirite vow, and why would anyone choose it? And what does it really mean to say that Christ is “present” in the Eucharist?

Today, Tom Wright and Mike Bird dive in on Ask NT Wright Anything to answer your three challenging and deeply human questions about law, holiness, and sacrament. Tom explores how Israel’s legal codes functioned within their ancient social world, how Jesus radically reframes judgment and mercy, and why Christians no longer apply Old Testament penalties in the same way. He then reflects on the Nazirite vow as an ancient form of radical consecration, an Israelite counterpart to later monastic devotion.

Throughout, Tom insists that Scripture must be read as a coherent story rather than isolated proof texts, and that Christian faith is shaped not by abstract theories but by lived practices: meals, vows, forgiveness, and embodied worship.

Q1 00:44 What should I make of the lack of consequence for the men involved in adultery, compared to the public humiliation of women, via the cursed water, whether they did it or not?

Q2 01:10 Why would anyone choose to be a Nazarite? What did it mean to them?

Q3 13:29 Is Jesus actually present in the Eucharist?

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