The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written:

'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.'

"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all of the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

- Matthew 11:7-15

In yesterday's reading, two of John the Baptist's disciples come to Jesus. John is in prison, and they are sent to ask Jesus, "Are You the coming One, or do we look for another?" Jesus quoted from Isaiah the prophet, in words about the Messiah: "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses." Jesus is speaking about John the Baptist. As a preacher, proclaiming repentance before the Messiah, John clothed himself as did Elijah, in camel's hair and a leather belt. Matthew's gospel tells us he ate locusts and wild honey, and his place of preaching was the wilderness. Jesus makes the contrast between those in "soft garments" and John's ministry. An irony: John is imprisoned in a "king's house" by Herod Antipas.

"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'" Jesus proclaims John's status as a prophet -- "and more than a prophet." He quotes from Malachi. John is the messenger who prepares the way of the Lord, the Messiah.

"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." In the understanding of the coming of the kingdom, John is the greatest of the prophets. It is he who was sent to proclaim the coming of the Messiah. But now a new thing is happening: the kingdom and its presence is here, is near, and we can participate in it. Jesus is here to show the Way -- and thus a new covenant and a new age is inaugurated. In this new inauguration, those who are least in the kingdom of heaven are greater than John and his righteousness. My study bible says, "For by grace through faith under the New covenant we become children of God and partakers of the Holy Spirit. John is honored because (1) he was righteous, (2) he prepared the way for the first coming of the Lord, and (3) he baptized Christ."

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." We remember that Jesus is talking about a change, a New Covenant. Furthermore, He is speaking to the people about John, and John's arrest. Things are now turning against this kingdom, opposition is rising. Perhaps the crowds are scandalized by John now that there is formal opposition to him and he is imprisoned -- even though in the beginning of Matthew's gospel, we were told that even those in the religious leadership were coming out to be baptized. My study bible has a note which I will repeat: "Suffers violence may mean that the Kingdom is under attack by opponents of John the Baptist and Jesus, or other violent men -- messianic pretenders trying to bring in the Kingdom by using military force against the Romans. An ancient patristic interpretation is that the Kingdom itself breaks into this world 'violently.' For instance, through powerful miracles, alert and daring people take hold of it aggressively. Whoever is a hearer and lover of the Word of God takes the Kingdom 'by force,' exerting all earnestness and desire to enter the reality of the Kingdom. For this martyrs shed their blood, making their confession of faith, being 'made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men' (1 Cor. 4:9). The Kingdom of Heaven belongs not to the sleeping or lazy. Rather, the violent take it by force." In Luke 16:16, we read: "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it." The Greek word for force or violence is the same, but here translated as "pressing into it."

"For all of the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" The time of the prophets and the law was until John -- John is Elijah who is to come, the one who foresees the day of the Kingdom, the Messiah. It is a time of change, of "violent" change, if you will. The kingdom is coming whether people want it to or not; it is present, it has "come near" as He taught the Apostles to preach. It is breaking through. We turn again to Luke's gospel to read about John: "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

In the midst of the darkness, the kingdom is proclaimed. It is "breaking through" - the light shining in the darkness. It is a time of violence, and yet in its own way, the Kingdom bears its own sort of violence. It is coming upon them in a way that breaks through, shines through. It is coming whether people want it to or not, whether the leadership approves or not, and the result will be judgment in the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the world. All that is left is for people to "hear" or not, or to accept or not. In the gospel, we find ourselves in a time of gathering darkness and opposition, in which the forces of violence are moving against Jesus, against John. But this kingdom bears its own violence in its own sense: it doesn't wait for permission. It is here. It is proclaimed. It is the sword that Jesus spoke about in Thursday's reading. And so, people are faced with a choice. Will they be offended because of Him? Are they scandalized by the roughness of John, and his imprisonment? The kingdom has come near with its own power and authority and presence, and those who bear it in the world do so forcefully. How do you seize hold of that kingdom for yourself today? How do you bear its light within yourself? How does the light "break through" for you?