The Kingdom Progressively Advancing
By Jonathan Mitchell
Jesus' statement, in Mat. 11:12, has normally been translated with the first verb of the main clause being rendered in the passive voice. For example, the KJV reads: "the kingdom of heaven suffers violence..." This is not a wrong translation, but it is not the only possible reading of the Greek text. The form of the verb, 'biazetai,' can also be read as a middle voice, which means that the subject ("the kingdom") does the acting "for itself," or even, "on itself."
Here is my rendering, with a note in square brackets as to it also being read as a passive:
"Now from the days of John the Immerser until right now, the Empire. Realm, Reign, and Dominion, of the heavens (or: sovereign influence and activities of the Kingdom from these atmospheres) is itself continuously pressing (or: is progressively pressing and forcing itself) forward with urgency, and those urging and pressing forward [toward the goal] are one after another grasping it and then drawing it up [to themselves]."
[note: I have rendered 'biazetai' (pressing and forcing itself) as a middle; it can also be rendered as a passive] The middle voice rendering gives a very different picture and, to our mind, makes better sense.
Let us observe how Lu. 16:16 records this statement:
"The Law [= Torah] and the Prophets [were in effect] until John [the Baptist]. From that time on (or: Since then), the Reign and Realm of God (royal rule from God; kingdom which is God; God's kingship, sovereign influence and activity) is being progressively brought and declared as the good news of well-being, ease and goodness - and everyone (or: all humanity) is one after another being pressed and forced into it (or, as a middle voice: and so, without any recourse to law or customary right, everyone is progressively crowding himself into it)!!"
Note the final clause of Luke's version: "and everyone (or: all humanity) is one after another being pressed and forced into it (or, as a middle voice: and so, without any recourse to law or customary right, everyone is progressively crowding himself into it)." Even the KJV reads: "and every man presses into it." The same verb form, 'biazetai', is used in both Matthew's Gospel and Luke's. Luke adds 'pas' (all; everyone; all humanity) as the subject of this clause. The passive rendering - "all are being pressed and forced into it" - is an astounding statement! It certainly speaks to God's sovereignty, and to the destiny of all mankind.
In Matthew's version, both the Kingdom (sovereign influence) and people do the acting. In Luke's version, it is people who either are acted upon, or do the acting. In both Gospels, the idea of "violence" need not be included in what Jesus said. A different verb is used in Lu. 13:24, but we see the same idea of "pressing" in Jesus' words:
"You folks be continually struggling and constantly exerting yourselves vigorously even to the point of agonizing, as contestants in the public games, to at once enter through the narrow gate, or door (or: cramped entry) ..."Now, this is NOT "struggling" to be saved (or: delivered) and born again. Those actions are the sovereign work of God, through the cross and Grace: they happen apart from any action on our part. But, in contrast, the topic of this paper, which is this "pressing forward [toward the goal and] one after another grasping it and then drawing it up [to themselves]," IS a part of the excellent works for which we were created (Eph. 2:10) as the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus said to His first apprentices, "Follow Me" (Mat. 9:9; Lu. 5:27). In Mat. 4:19, He told them, "Come here, back behind (or: after) Me! I will also make you men fishers of humans." That implies action, on their part. We also read, in Mk. 2:14, "Keep on following with Me (or: Start following and continue coming after Me, walking the same road with Me)." Then, in Mat. 16:24, we read,
"At that point Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone continues intending (purposing; willing; wanting) to come on behind Me, let him at once completely say, 'No,' to, deny and disown himself, and then in one move lift up his execution stake (pole for suspending a corpse; cross), and after that proceed to be by habit continuously following after (with) Me!" [cf Lu. 9:23]
This applies to apprenticeship (or: discipleship) and indicates a way of life once a person has been raised up into Christ (Eph. 2:6). In. Jn. 14:12, Jesus told them,
"The person habitually trusting and progressively believing into Me, the works (actions; deeds) which I Myself am constantly doing (habitually performing; progressively making, constructing, creating or forming) that person also will proceed doing (performing; making; creating; producing), and he or she will progressively be doing and producing greater than these, because I Myself am progressively journeying (going from one place to another; [cf vss. 2-3, above]) toward (or: facing; face-to-face with) the Father."
This speaks to the perception of the Kingdom progressively advancing.
Those who have heard God's call - the "upward calling from God" - are called to action and a way of life (in the Spirit - Gal. 5:16). Paul put it this way, in Phil. 3:14,
"I am continuously pressing forward and bearing down on [the; or: an] object in view (progressively pursuing along the line of a mark on which the eye is fixed, and in the sphere of a goal): with a view to, and into the midst of, the awarded contest prize of God's (or: the award from, and which is, God's) invitation to an above place (or: the prize pertaining to, and which is, the upward calling from, and which is, the God) centered within the midst of, and in union with, Christ Jesus." [cf 2 Tim. 4:7-8]
In all of these verses, there seems evident a working together of both the Kingdom, and those called to enter the Kingdom. We see this kind of co-operation in 1 Cor. 3:
8. Now the one continually planting and the one continually irrigating are one (exist being a unit; are one [process]), yet each one will receive his own wage (pay; compensation; meed) corresponding to his own labor (in the sphere of, and to the level of, his or her personal toil).
9. For you see, we are God's fellow-workers (or: we are co-workers of, and from, God, and are people who work together with God; we exist being workings-together who belong to God, synergies of God; attending deeds which are God). You folks are God's farm (or: field under cultivation; [cf Heb. 6:7-8]), God's building (or: a construction project from God; a structure which is God; or: an act of building pertaining to God). [cf Eccl. 3:3b, 5a; note: being a farm or a building means being acted upon]
10. Corresponding to, in accord with, to the level of, and in the sphere of, God's Grace and Favor [which are] being given to (or: by; [cf Rom. 12:3]) me, as [being] a skillful master-carpenter (wise chief-builder; clever head-artisan; learned, competent leading-stonemason; like a wise architect, engineer, foreman or director of works) I lay [other MSS: have laid] a foundation (or: laid a foundation [Stone]), yet now another, of the same kind, is progressively building a house upon [it]. So now, let each one continue watching to observe (take a comprehensive and considered look at, regard and take care; [cf 1:26, above]) how he keeps on building the house upon [it] (or: she proceeds constructing further upon the house; [note: thus, people also act]).
The Kingdom is active, and people who have been made alive and have been joined to the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17) are also active.
"Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end." (Isa. 9:7a; RV)
Or, from the LXX,
"Great [is] His primacy and rule (or: headship; sovereignty; government), as well as His peace from the joining: there is no limit or boundary..." (JM)
Jonathan
PS: John Gavazzoni points us to Jesus, in Jn. 14:10b, as a summation regarding what we do (or, our work) in the Kingdom of God's sovereign influence:
"the Father, continuously dwelling and remaining (abiding; staying; residing) within the midst of, and in union with, Me, is habitually (constantly) doing "(making; constructing; creating; forming; performing; producing) His works (actions; deeds)."The same is true for us. To this we add Paul's words in Phil. 2:13,
"For it follows that (or: for you see,) God is the One habitually operating with inward activity, repeatedly working within, constantly causing function and progressively producing effects within, among, and in union with, you folks - both the [condition] to be habitually willing (wanting; intending; purposing; resolving) and the [situation] to be continuously effecting the action, repeatedly operating to cause function, and habitually setting at work so as to produce - for the sake of, and over, the pleasing good form and this thinking of goodness, in delightful imagination of what is desirable." [cf Heb. 13:20-21]
Return To Jonathan Mitchell's Page