Matthew 11:12-13
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
What does this passage mean? Let's go to another statement by Jehoshua to get an idea:
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.
In Luke 13:24 Jehoshua says to strive to enter into the narrow gate of the Kingdom. The word "strive" denotes immense effort which would correlate to taking the Kingdom of heaven with violence. This is a spiritual violence not a physical violence.
Jehoshua identifies John the Baptist as the capstone of the old testament prophets in Matthew 11.
The pressing multitudes that had followed John continued to follow Jehoshua's Kingdom mission (Luke 5:15; 12:1). This is the key to understanding Jehoshua's statement that the kingdom of God suffers violence. Pointing to the huge crowds that followed John and that were now following Him, Jehoshua likens them to an invading army surrounding a city to capture it.
Entering the Kingdom of heaven is not supposed to be an easy light task as it is not just handed out like a piece of candy but rather one must be willing to do anything to obtain it:
Matthew 13:45-46
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: 46 and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
This is an example of violently taking the Kingdom of heaven as in this parable the man sold all that he had to obtain it. There is an opposite real life example of this during Jehoshua's mission:
Matthew 19:21-22
21 Jehoshua said unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 22 But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sorrowful; for he was one that had great possessions.
The young rich ruler, although a commandment keeper, was not willing to sell all he had to obtain the pear of great price which is the Kingdom of heaven. He was not willing to strive (strenuous effort, fight) to enter the Kingdom of God.
Jehoshua's teachings are all geared towards striving to enter in the narrow gate of the Kingdom. These teachings are summed up in the sermon on the mount (Matthew chapters 5-7).
Matthew 10:24-25
24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household!
Being willing to pick up our cross and be hated for the name of Jehoshua is the way to the Kingdom. This is what Jehoshua means when he says he is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). This is the narrow road that we must strive to walk down until the end. That narrow road to the Kingdom of God is paved with suffering:
Philippians 1:29
"because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Messiah, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf"
Suffering is an intregal part of being in the Kingdom of God as it proves that we are worthy of the Kingdom:
Acts 14:21-22
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
Only those who endure to the end will be saved according to the Son of God. We will need endurance in our pressing into the Kingdom as part and parcel of entering into the Kingdom is going through tribulations.
Revelation 1:9
"I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jehoshua Messiah, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jehoshua Messiah."
Tribulation is an essential seal of being in the Kingdom of Jehoshua Messiah as only going through it can you partake of the Kingdom. Patience also is an identifying seal of being in the Kingdom because enduring tribulation produces patience. This also shows that the Kingdom of Messiah was already a reality in the 1st century.
Matthew 24:24-26
24Then said Jehoshua unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.25 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.26For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life.
Those who desire to follow the Son of God must deny themselves (stop doing their own will and pleasure) and pick up their cross (suffer for Jehoshua) and follow him. To follow Messiah means to keep his commandments (John 14:15). His commandments are the new covenant law and they are all commandments that call for us to deny ourselves. To be a follower of the Son of God we must be willing to do what the young rich ruler wasn't and that is to lose our life in this world with it's riches, pride and lusts. Many a so called Christian has chosen to gain the world, however on judgment day they will learn that although they may have gained the world they lost their life in the age to come.
Luke 14:26-27
26 If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
This is the ultimate example of violently taking the Kingdom of heaven by force and that is to hate the lives of your family members that are not submitted to the Son of God. This means that you utterly detest (hate) the part of their lives that are against the commandments of Jehoshua. This means we are not let even our wives and children pull us away one inch from obeying Jehoshua in mindset and action. This includes mother and father.
All of the family members mentioned above are often the biggest opposers of true sold out disciples of the Son of God. We are not to give in to them at all if they are asking us to compromise our loyalty to Jehoshua and his commandments. If we allow our wives, children and parents to have us compromise even an inch Jehoshua says that we are not worthy of being his disciple. To hate the veey lives of our family members and even our own life is the ultimate example of bearing our cross. If we cannot do this (hate the lives of our family members) then we cannot be his disciple. Jehoshua does not give an out, you must be willing to do this and choose following Jehoshua's commandments over giving in to the worldly desires of your wife ormco signing on the sinful lifestyles of your brothers and sisters.
