In the Gospels, Jesus says things that many view as promoting a form of pacifism,

the idea that violence is always unjustified, no matter the situation.

But is that really what Jesus was teaching?

And how should we square Jesus' command to love our enemies

with the way that God's people were

commanded to conquer and even devote to destruction their enemies in the Old Testament.

In our interview today, I'm talking with Tom Shriner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of

New Testament Interpretation and Associate Dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Tom is also the author of a commentary on the Book of Revelation in Crossway's ESV

Expository Commentary Series. Let's get started. Well, Tom, thank you so much for joining

me today on the Crossway podcast.

That's great to be with you, Matt. I'm looking forward to our conversation.

Yeah, so today we're going to talk about Jesus' teaching on peace and nonviolence in the New Testament,

and how that does or doesn't fit with what we see in the Old Testament, and then how we as

Christians should actually apply that teaching to our lives today.

And there's a lot there to cover.

So I wanted to start first with looking at some of those key passages in the New Testament, where we get a glimpse into what many would say is Jesus' pacifism, his pacifistic

ethic, so to speak.

So one of those passages is in Luke 6.

And so I wonder, actually, if you could start us by reading Luke chapter 6 verses 27 to 30.

Sure. But I say to you who listen love your enemies do what is good to those who

hate you bless those who curse you pray for those who mistreat you if anyone hits you on the cheek

...