Notes on the texts for Reformation Sunday-Matthew 11
10/27/06 16:52
In the Gospel lesson
for this Sunday, the one verse that seems to give
people trouble is verse 12 in which Jesus says
Matt. 11:12 And from
the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of
heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by
force.
(NKJV)
The question which this text prompts is, who is it that seems to be attacking the kingdom of God? Are the enemies of God attacking the kingdom of heaven, or is Jesus referring to the saints of God, those who become heirs of the kingdom? How can one resolve this question? The ambiguity seems difficult to remove, no matter what direction you go with the text. However, I have a hard time ignoring a certain aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is tied to violence.
What violence do I refer to? Well, the kingdom of heaven, as we come to know it, is clearly tied to violence. Man lost the kingdom through the fall, and in its place suffered the violence of sin. Sin brings upon man disease, pain, etc, and finally death, the most violent of all things we suffer in this world. The cure for sin involves violence. Lamb after lamb, sacrifice after sacrifice, death after death, blood shed daily, offered in faith, looking forward to the ultimate act of violence, Christ's death on the cross. Even as Christ, John, and the Church suffered violence from the false teachers, Roman government, so God's plan would take shape and be fulfilled. Even one who enters the kingdom of heaven, enters through the violence of the cross in our behalf. The violent snatch the kingdom, in an interesting way, in the sense that they lay hold of the violence done to Christ, as suffered on their behalf. They, the ones who are violent, murders, receive the peace of God, through the work of Christ.
I think that the ambiguity in the text really expresses, in some ways, how the violence of men/devil was used by God, as His instrument, to accomplish the salvation of men, through Christ.
What do you think?
The question which this text prompts is, who is it that seems to be attacking the kingdom of God? Are the enemies of God attacking the kingdom of heaven, or is Jesus referring to the saints of God, those who become heirs of the kingdom? How can one resolve this question? The ambiguity seems difficult to remove, no matter what direction you go with the text. However, I have a hard time ignoring a certain aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is tied to violence.
What violence do I refer to? Well, the kingdom of heaven, as we come to know it, is clearly tied to violence. Man lost the kingdom through the fall, and in its place suffered the violence of sin. Sin brings upon man disease, pain, etc, and finally death, the most violent of all things we suffer in this world. The cure for sin involves violence. Lamb after lamb, sacrifice after sacrifice, death after death, blood shed daily, offered in faith, looking forward to the ultimate act of violence, Christ's death on the cross. Even as Christ, John, and the Church suffered violence from the false teachers, Roman government, so God's plan would take shape and be fulfilled. Even one who enters the kingdom of heaven, enters through the violence of the cross in our behalf. The violent snatch the kingdom, in an interesting way, in the sense that they lay hold of the violence done to Christ, as suffered on their behalf. They, the ones who are violent, murders, receive the peace of God, through the work of Christ.
I think that the ambiguity in the text really expresses, in some ways, how the violence of men/devil was used by God, as His instrument, to accomplish the salvation of men, through Christ.
What do you think?
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