From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 12. Suffereth violence, and so forth It is not to be obtained but by main force, by using violence upon ourselves, by mortification and penance, and resisting our perverse inclinations. Challoner.—Certainly it is great violence for a man to look for a seat in heaven, and to obtain that by his virtue which was refused him by his nature. S. Jerom in S. Thos. Aquin.—The kingdom of heaven, and so forth That is, the kingdom of heaven is to be obtained by mortification, penance, poverty, and those practices of austerity which John, both by word and example, pointed out. According to this interpretation, the kingdom of heaven means eternal life. Or the meaning may be, the kingdom of heaven is taken by the violent, because it is not now confined, as in the old law, to one people, but open to all, that whoever will may enter in and take possession of it. The kingdom of heaven, in this interpretation, is taken for the Church of Christ, for the gospel, and also for eternal life. Menochius.
or, plunder it.