“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?

“Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region” (Matthew 8:34).

“Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus.” – That’s good
“They saw him…” – So far, so good.
“Then they pleaded with him to leave them” – Say what?

Why would anyone do that? Why would anyone ask Jesus to leave? What’s that about?

What makes this even crazier is that this is right after Jesus cast out two demon-possessed men who had been violently terrorizing the people in the region of the Gadarenes. Jesus casting out demons from demon-possessed men who had been terrorizing people is a good thing, right? It’s good for the demon-possessed people and it’s good for the people who had been terrorized by them, right?

So, why would the people who had seen this miracle ask Jesus to leave?

Because the cost of freeing these two demon-possessed men was their livelihood. The demons went into the town’s pigs and the entire village’s herd drowned in the Sea of Galilee.

When following Jesus hurts, costs too much, when Jesus begins to meddle, when Jesus offends…people ask Jesus to leave, when Jesus impacts our pocketbooks and bank accounts.

We say we love Jesus, but take a look at your lives and see how many things distract you from fully following and obeying him. Are you doing what Jesus asks? Does it show in your life?

Consider the cost of following Jesus.

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

Jesus declares there are two conditions to entering the kingdom of heaven. Unless we meet these two requirements, Jesus says “you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Wow. Never. Never? Yeah, never.

Ok. This means we better pay attention if we have any interest in entering the kingdom of heaven. That’s why Jesus starts with the phrase, “Truly I tell you…” Whenever Jesus wanted to emphasize something, he started his sentences with this word, “Truly.” Do you know what that word is in the Greek? What we translate as “Truly” is the Greek word amen. It literally means, “so be it,” “so it really is.”

What are the two conditions for entrance into the kingdom of heaven?

First, we must change. “Unless you change…,” Jesus tells us. It is absolutely true that Jesus loves us and dies for us, just as we are. AND Jesus loves us and dies for us, just as we are, so that we do not remain in the same condition as he found us. Knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, following Jesus changes us. Jesus loves us and dies for us, just as we are, so that he can make us more like him as we follow him.

The other thing about the Greek word for “change” is that it is written in the aorist passive voice. What that means is that change is not a one time event. We must continually change. That’s what the aorist verbs mean. The passive voice means that change does not originate with us. The ability to change lies with Jesus. We don’t become “changing” people because we try harder. We change when we follow and obey Jesus. When we follow and obey Jesus, obeying Jesus changes us.

The first requirement for entrance to the kingdom of heaven is that we must change.

Secondly, we must become like little children. This doesn’t mean that we must become childish. Jesus tells us that we are to be totally trusting like little children. Little children believe and trust their parents. They have no reason not to. And, so it is with us. We are to be like little children who believe and trust our heavenly Father. With little children, believing and trusting has little to do with understanding. They know they don’t understand. Little children believe and trust simply because their moms or dads told them so.

ONLY those who change and become like little children enter the kingdom of heaven. That’s what Jesus said.