Matthew 11:12

Matthew 11:12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now. A period of not much more than a year, it is supposed.

The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, or ‘is assaulted by storm' (in a good sense, referring to the excitement and earnest endeavor awakened in the brief period since John appeared), and the violent (those making the effort) take it by force (actually succeed in entering in). Although John belonged to the old economy, the new (‘the kingdom of heaven') was already on earth, and the first evidence of its coming was the preaching of John and the excited interest it had aroused. This is in praise of John, but designed especially to convey the idea that a new era had already dawned, which deserved the endeavor that had been aroused. Some, with less ground, suppose John and Christ to be referred to by ‘the violent' The verse states a historical fact, suggesting that earnest endeavor is necessary in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.