From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. The difficult verse about the kingdom's violence has been interpreted in multiple ways: as a description of the opposition the kingdom is facing (violent men attack it), or as a commendation of those who press urgently into it. The context — praise of John, commendation of those who accept the kingdom — suggests the latter emphasis: from John's ministry forward, the kingdom requires the kind of urgent, determined response that is sometimes called violent in its intensity.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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