What the Heck Does this Mean?

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it” (Matthew 11:12).

Okay. What the heck do these words mean? What is Jesus talking about? This sounds kinda crazy.

Whenever you come across a text that is confusing or not clear, there are several things students of the Bible ought to do.
First, take a look at the context.
Second, compare other translations.
Third, look at reputable commentaries.

First, context. What is Jesus talking about in this section? Jesus is talking about John the Baptist and his role in proclaiming the kingdom of heaven. John is the foremost of all the prophets who ever lived. Yet, Jesus says, whoever is the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

That’s how awesome and important the kingdom of God is.

Second, let’s see what the other translations say:

• NIV – “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.”
• NRSV – “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.”
• NASB – “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”
• Message – “For a long time now people have tried to force themselves into God’s kingdom.”

“From the days of John the Baptist until now…”

• John the Baptist awakened a spiritual hunger and void that had been dormant. And now people are eagerly seeking the kingdom of heaven.

“The kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it”

• This does not mean that violent people have been forcing their way into God’s kingdom using violence. That would mean that God was powerless to protect his kingdom from the violent men. That’s preposterous.
• What Jesus is talking about has more to do with how people who hunger for God and his kingdom are pursuing that kingdom with the utmost desperation and eagerness.
• This speaks more to how desperately and eagerly we are to seek God and his kingdom.

So, does that – utmost desperation and utmost eagerness – describe the way we are pursuing God and his kingdom?