From the days of John the Baptist until now 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 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,  we read that, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples (regarding their first apostolic mission), He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.  And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "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.  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."   My study bible explains that in terms of the law of the Old Testament, John is the greatest prophet.  But "the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ is of such incomparable value that everyone who shares in it is, as it were, greater than John.  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."  I think that the language is interesting here, because rarely does Jesus speak more powerfully than this, in terms of His defense of the Baptist, as He demands to know from the crowds what they expected to see when they were flocking to John to be baptized.  It's almost as if He's shocking them into the realization of what a great figure this man is -- who ministered in the wilderness, clothed in animal skins, and is now locked in prison.  And yet, Jesus promises something much greater.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."  My study bible has some particular explanations for this verse:  "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' (10:34, a part of Thursday's reading).  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."

"For all 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!"  My study bible tells us that the identification between John the Baptist and Elijah is quite explicit here.  It's not John who declares this, but Jesus is the One who assigns John this place in the history of salvation.  "John fulfilled the mission of Elijah (Luke 1:17, 76) and his destiny was similar to Elijah's.  Yet John is honored over Elijah, for Jesus in comparing the prophets said, 'There has not risen one greater than John'" (above, in verse 11).  By declaring John to be "Elijah who is to come" Jesus is also alluding or testifying to His own identity as Messiah, and even affirming His role as judge -- because the return of Elijah was a popular expectation before the coming of the Messiah.

Recent readings emphasize relationship:  the disciples sent out two by two, the teaching they are told to say, "The kingdom of heaven has come near."  Jesus has told them that where they go, He is also -- and that those who receive them receive Him.  They will stay in the homes where they are first welcomed, and their peace will rest on those who will receive it -- but not on those who don't.  The emphasis is on relationship.  And here, too, in today's reading, the emphasis is on relationship.  Because John is "Elijah who is to come" there is a powerful implication for this crowd of people, these multitudes, as to just who Jesus is.  He's come to declare a Kingdom breaking into the world, and John was Elijah returned, its Herald.  What are we to make of this?  The powerful and forceful language isn't that of Jesus as an image of meekness, but one of power.  When He rails to the crowds asking them, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?" He's emphatically preaching the Word using great power.  He's just sent out the Twelve on their first mission, and part of their relatedness to Him is in this powerful Kingdom in which He is judge.  Here, the Baptist who is now locked up in prison, who lived his ministry in the wilderness, is hailed as the greatest of all men born to women, the greatest of the prophets, and Elijah returned.  Jesus speaks of power -- the spiritual power of the Kingdom.   "The kingdom of heaven come near" is right here, it's imminent, it's breaking into the world.  An act of great violence is happening here, but these crowds can't see it; they're being informed of it.  This sort of violence is not the negative violence we normally associate with material violence.  This violence is more akin to that of a kind of spiritual force and power, one that especially encourages us to wake up and to seize the day.  The moment is here.  "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." He's telling the crowds to wake up, and seize what is being offered to them, because only those who really and truly want it will enter.  Jesus has just sent out the Twelve Apostles on their first mission, and they are bringing the Kingdom near wherever they go.  But it is up to those to whom they are sent to minister whether or not they will receive them.  This is an illustration of our capability to act with power, to boldly enter into this kingdom, because it is brought near to us -- and we must respond to that gift.  We must joyfully seize the moment, and make the choice to enter in.  This is an emphatic and bold action as portrayed here in the words of Jesus; it's something for which He encourages us to use our power to take action, to assert what we really want, and to enter.  He's perhaps shocking the crowds out of their complacency, and teaching them that they must wake up, make choices, as others are already doing.  John was a forceful person who preached repentance in preparation for the Kingdom; but those who come after will be greater.  They are those who act on their desire for this Kingdom, who turn passion to God, and to the things of the Kingdom.  In the tradition of the monastic world, this phrase (the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force) is taken to imply spiritual struggle, a life of asceticism for the love of God, for the citizenship in that Kingdom.  It is echoed in St. Paul's words, when he teaches that he has "fought the good fight."  Faith requires our desire, our love for God, for Christ, our willingness also to fight that good fight, and to realize that life calls upon us to make choices all the time.  Jesus comes into the world and breaks His Kingdom into the world, startling all the establishment around Him.  But He calls on us to be like Him in our love for God, in our willingness to make those strong choices to live as He did, to seize this Kingdom by choosing to be a part of it, and to live the life He offers us.  That's not simple; it involves a struggle, a passion for God and God's way of life.  To choose love is often a difficult and even lonely struggle, one that does not call for complacency, and may take us right out of the rules the world sets down for us.  The good fight may ask us to make sacrifice, and to be courageous, to seize the moment that is right before us.  He calls us to be like Him, and to grab hold of this precious, priceless gift He offers.