(My friend) keeps talking about faith all the time and always quotes this Scripture in a pathetic attempt to bring fear into my heart: "you can force your way in to the kingdom of God because the Bible says that since the days of John the baptist the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent shall take it by force. Be vigilant and take the kingdom by force." Justin

Just the fact that he is attempting to bring fear into your heart should tell you more than anything else. I think I did address this verse briefly before, but I'll share some more thoughts on both it and on his crazy explanation. The verse is part of Jesus' testimony of John the Baptist.

As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces! But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, 'BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.' Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." Matthew 11:7-19

What would make anybody suspect that Jesus was advocating violence as a means to gain God's kingdom? That comes from man's violent reasoning, and the violent have interpreted Jesus' words to fit their own designs and impulses. This is the same interpretation that drove the violent "Holy Wars" against the "infidels" in Jerusalem during what later became known as the Dark Ages. Their thinking parallels your friend's thinking.

While John was still in prison before being beheaded, Jesus had addressed these people about him. You see, John was so very different from the religious leaders who spoke in the proper places of assembly. The only violent ones Jesus might be referring to would have been understood all too well. They were those who had opposed John. They were the ones who conspired against John and had him thrown in Herod's prison in order to get him out of the way. The same ones who were soon to do the same to Jesus.

The KJV reads, "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." The kingdom of God, as preached by John, was suffering violence. This is not an endorsement, it is an indictment. Violence was being imposed upon it through their persecution of the one who preached this kingdom of God. The violent were taking it by doing away with the one who preached it. They were claiming it for their own. They were forcing themselves upon it.

But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' Matthew 11:16-19

Here, Jesus ties it all together as he describes the generation that was under the leadership of the violent. The people expected others to perform for them according to their own fickleness. Neither John nor Jesus would meet up to their expectations even though they were so totally different. The people would find a suitable excuse to reject both of them, and they would follow the lead of violence in doing away with the messenger and the one he proclaimed.