Spiritual Reflection

The Kingdom of God is God's good reign, which has visibly entered the world in Jesus Christ. Already in the Old Testament, God is portrayed as King over creation, history, and the nations. Nevertheless, Israel wanted human kings, most of whom did not rule according to God's will. At the same time, hope grew that God's reign would visibly bring peace, justice, and salvation. With Jesus, this promise begins to be fulfilled: He proclaims the Kingdom of God, heals the sick, sets the bound free, forgives sins, and calls people to follow Him. Yet this Kingdom does not come as human kingdoms do, through coercion, political power, or religious violence (John 18:36), but through the crucified and risen King. Jesus' sacrifice delivers people from the dominion of darkness and transfers them into His Kingdom (Col. 1:13–14). Suffering, death, and sickness are still at work, but through the cross and resurrection Jesus has overcome them and will bring them to an end (John 16:33; Rev. 21:4).

In Matthew 11:11–12, Jesus speaks about this Kingdom in an unusual way. From prison, John the Baptist had sent his disciples to ask whether Jesus was the Messiah (Matt. 11:2–3). Jesus points to His works (Matt. 11:4–6), which echo messianic promises (Isa. 35:5–6; 61:1). He then corrects the listeners' assumptions about John: John is neither fickle and easily swayed (Matt. 11:7) nor a court official (Matt. 11:8), but a prophet, the Messiah's forerunner, and the promised Elijah (Matt. 11:9–10, 14–15). Elijah's return was intended to lead people to repentance so that God would not have to strike the land with destruction (Mal. 4:5–6 [3:23–24 in some editions]). Yet that generation rejects both John and Jesus (Matt. 11:16–19), and the people in the towns do not repent despite Jesus' mighty works (Matt. 11:20–23). The announcement of judgment follows (Matt. 11:24). Faith, then, is not merely a matter of religious belonging (Matt. 3:9; Rom. 2:28–29), but of knowing God (John 17:3), acknowledging His rule (Ps. 2:11–12; Luke 6:46), and doing His will (Matt. 7:21; James 1:22).

In Matthew 11:11, Jesus declares that no one greater than John has arisen, yet the least in the Kingdom is greater than he. This is an unusual statement if “Kingdom of God” is understood merely as “being in heaven” or “going to heaven.” The Law and the Prophets extend up to John (Matt. 11:13). John still belongs to the old covenant and prepares the way for the new, but does not himself perform a sign of the Kingdom of God (John 10:41). Since the new covenant is superior to the old, even the least in the new covenant and in God's Kingdom is greater than the greatest under the old covenant.

The following verse (Matt. 11:12) is even more difficult linguistically and exegetically. Older translations speak of the Kingdom of God suffering violence (Greek biazetai) and violent people (biastai) seizing it (expressed by the verb harpazō). More recent translations render these three Greek words differently in some cases. Biazetai and biastai are related: one is a verb, the other denotes people who act accordingly. Moreover, biazetai can be understood passively—something is being done to the Kingdom—or in a middle or intransitive sense—the Kingdom acts or advances powerfully. This Greek ambiguity cannot be captured in a single English formulation. Possible interpretations include:

1. “The Kingdom is being attacked by opponents, and violent people assault it.” One argument for this is that harpazō often means taking something by force: the evil one snatches away the seed (Matt. 13:19), the wolf snatches sheep, and no one can snatch Jesus' sheep out of God's hand (John 10:12, 28–29). This fits the context, because John is imprisoned and people oppose God's rule. The difficulty is that neither human beings nor the devil can take possession of God's Kingdom or ultimately prevent His reign.
2. “People are pressing determinedly into the Kingdom.” This is supported by the parallel passage, which says that everyone is pressing into it (Luke 16:16). John's call to repentance has set in motion a movement preparing people for the Kingdom. The difficulty is that this reading gives too little weight to the opposition to John and Jesus.
3. “The Kingdom of God is breaking through powerfully, and determined people seize hold of it.” This interpretation draws on Old Testament texts in which the Hebrew root p-r-ṣ evokes images of breakthrough, kingship, and David's victory over enemies (2 Sam. 5:20; 1 Chr. 14:11; Mic. 2:12–13). Jesus' deeds in the surrounding context likewise show the powerful effects of the Kingdom (Matt. 12:28). The difficulty is that the ancient Greek translation (the Septuagint) renders p-r-ṣ using other terms.
4. “The Kingdom comes powerfully and at the same time provokes violent resistance.” This combination of the first and third interpretations fits the context best. It accounts both for the Kingdom's powerful presence in Jesus and for the rejection of John and Jesus. In addition to the difficulties already mentioned, however, it requires the related words to be understood once positively (biazetai) and once negatively (biastai).

Before settling on an interpretation, two questions matter. Could the ambiguity have been avoided linguistically? Yes: Jesus or Matthew could have expressed the thought more clearly. The ambiguity may therefore be intentional. Could a similar ambiguity have arisen if Jesus had spoken Hebrew or Aramaic? Again, yes. Alongside p-r-ṣ, g-z-l can also describe taking something violently (Mic. 2:2). A comparable ambiguity would have been possible in Aramaic, though less neatly than in Greek. Every translation therefore involves interpretive decisions and cannot always convey all the possibilities of the original text. Matthew 11:12 illustrates how carefully difficult biblical passages must be interpreted.

It is problematic to assume that one's own understanding and a translation are sufficient to interpret every biblical text adequately on one's own (Prov. 3:5, 7). It is equally wrong to accept others' teaching without examination or to reject it hastily without sufficient knowledge. Not all Christians are teachers (1 Cor. 12:29). Everyone should test teaching spiritually (1 Thess. 5:21): through prayer (Ps. 119:18); by listening to the Spirit, who reveals spiritual truths (1 Cor. 2:10–15) and enlightens hearts (Eph. 1:17–18); by examining Scripture (Acts 17:11); with the help of translations, language skills, and digital tools; and with the guidance of trustworthy teachers (Eph. 4:11–14). Teachers bear responsibility and will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). Sound teaching must never rest on a single isolated verse. At the same time, a verse may have more than one true meaning intended by God (Gen. 2:24 and Eph. 5:31–32; Hos. 11:1 and Matt. 2:15).

So what is the relationship between God's Kingdom and violence? Matthew 11:12 can be understood to mean that God's Kingdom is breaking in with power. Jesus' deeds and the authority He gives His disciples demonstrate this (Matt. 4:23–24; Luke 10:17–19; Acts 10:38); no one can stop God's purposes (Job 42:2; Isa. 14:27). Through the Holy Spirit you are born again and enter God's Kingdom (John 3:3, 5). God transfers you into the Kingdom of His Son (Col. 1:13). There you experience the work of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38–39; Rom. 14:17; Eph. 2:18, 22), although you may not always live consciously under God's rule. Therefore, pray for His Kingdom to come, seek it first, and act resolutely in carrying out His commission (Matt. 6:10, 33; 28:18–20; Luke 9:1–2; 10:8–9). Expect the hatred of the world (John 15:18–20), opposition from within the community (Acts 20:29–30), and persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Nevertheless, listen for where God calls you to proclaim His Kingdom, and act resolutely in His strength.