In this thread have been arguing that Jesus was decidedly a revolutionary:  he despised the current system (government) (both Roman and Jewish) and hoped for/anticipated its complete overthrow.  But he was not in support of rebellion.  That seems a bit odd, since most revolutionaries are precisely trying to incite either a violent or peaceful coup for a new system to be put in place. Jesus was different precisely because of his apocalyptic views:  governments were necessarily human institutions, the humans in power were part of a cosmic-wide network of evil and corruption, and the powers ultimately in control (above their human minions) could not be dismantled by human effort.  Only an intervention of God would resolve the world’s plight, and he would do so not through human initiative but in an act of divine judgment, to be brought by a cosmic figure, the Son of Man. What mattered for Jesus was not one government or another; one governmental policy or that, this corrupt official or that, a particular systemic problem or another – [...]

When my book Love They Stranger came out a few months ago, I was honored to be interviewed for a Swedish podcast about my major theses and how I support them.  It was one episode in a multi-part series, and has now just recently been aired. I thought it was a particularly interesting back and forth, and the producers have given us permission to share it here on the blog. I hope you enjoy it!  (My host begins by welcoming his audience in Swedish -- but have no fear!  He has very fine English and breaks into it at about the 1.30 mark.)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxkCnMyBqaQ