“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”
Matthew 11:12 — Greek Interlinear
Church Fathers on Matthew 11:12
That what He had last said should not lead any to suppose that John was an alien from the kingdom of heaven, He corrects this by adding, 'From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.'
By the kingdom of heaven is meant the heavenly throne, wither when sinners defiled with any evil deed return in penitence, and amend themselves, they enter as sinners into the place of another, and take by violence the kingdom of heaven.
Because John the Baptist was the first who preached repentance to the people, saying, 'Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;' rightly therefore from that day forth it may be said, that 'the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.' For great indeed is the violence, when we who are born of earth, seek an abode in heaven, and obtain by excellence what we have not by nature.