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THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE (PART IV)

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“Who Are the Violent Who Take It by Force” By Akin Ojumu Between the close of the Old Testament prophetic era and the opening events of the New Testament lay several centuries during which Scripture records no new prophetic revelation to Israel. Then the New Testament opens—and suddenly the silence is broken. The opening chapters of the Gospels are filled with extraordinary divine activity. An angel announces to Zechariah that his wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to John, the forerunner of the Messiah. Gabriel appears to Mary and announces that she will miraculously conceive and give birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High. John the Baptist then bursts onto the scene proclaiming: Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Something monumental was happening. The long-awaited Kingdom was drawing near. The Messiah had come. The forerunner was announcing His arrival. God’s redemptive purposes were unfolding dramatically before Israel. It is against this backdrop that Jesu...
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THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE (PART III)

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“Let’s Examine Matthew 11:12 in Context” By Akin Ojumu Matthew 11:12 is one of the more difficult verses in the New Testament to translate with precision. The Greek verb biazō , rendered “suffers violence” in the King James Version, appears in the form biazetai .  Grammatically, that form can be understood as either middle or passive. Because the forms are identical, the intended sense cannot be settled by grammar alone. It must be determined from the literary and historical context. That ambiguity explains why English translations render the verse so differently. Broadly speaking, biblical scholars have understood Matthew 11:12 through two major interpretive approaches. Although these interpretations differ in important respects, they agree on one crucial point: Neither interpretation presents physical or spiritual violence as a Christian virtue, nor does either authorize believers to seize political power, territory, blessings, destinies, or anything else by force. 1. Interpreta...
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THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE (PART II)

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“Matthew 12:11 Isn’t a Divine Mandate for Militant Christianity” By Akin Ojumu Few verses demonstrate the danger of careless interpretation more clearly than this Bible passage which is the subject of this commentary series. Across sections of the contemporary Church, Matthew 11:12 has been transformed into a slogan for aggression.  Some preachers invoke it to justify militant spirituality. Others employ it to sanctify confrontational political activism.  Still others speak as though Jesus were calling Christians to become spiritually “violent” people who must seize blessings, territories, positions, breakthroughs, or destinies by force. And some go even further, using the verse to provide a veneer of biblical legitimacy for physical aggression. All these individuals invoke Matthew 11:12 as proof text. Matthew 11:12 “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” But quoting a verse is not the same thing as interpreting it. And repeating the words “...
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CHRIST’S BLOOD IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

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By Akin Ojumu Brimming with extraordinary talent, possessing exceptional technical mastery, and blessed with a warm and engaging personality, Uvoh Ononiobe has, over the years I have known him, consistently demonstrated that he is a prodigious musical virtuoso. His beautiful song, “Your Blood Is Enough,” is yet another testament to his gifts as a Christian singer and songwriter. But what captivates me about this song goes far beyond the music. The beat is undeniably upbeat. The melody is genuinely beautiful. The arrangement is compelling, and Uvoh’s delivery is superb. Yet what arrests my attention most is something increasingly rare in contemporary Christian music: The theological precision of the lyrics and the doctrinal soundness of the message. Consider the central refrain: Your Blood is enough There’s nothing more to add The Body and the Blood of Christ Forever speaks for me And then: Your Blood is enough Your Blood is enough for me That is not merely a catchy chorus. That is the...
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THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE (PART I)

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“Understanding the Principles of Bible Interpretation” By Akin Ojumu The careful cultivation of the mind should rank among the highest priorities of every Christian. This is not intellectualism for intellectualism’s sake. Neither is it an exercise in academic pride. It is the disciplined practice of allowing the Word of God to occupy, shape, and govern every corner of the mind through diligent study, careful reflection, sound interpretation, and faithful application. Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” If the Word of Christ is to dwell in us richly, then we must labor to understand what that Word actually means. And that requires interpretation. THE DISCIPLINE OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION Scripture must be interpreted rationally, carefully, and responsibly, just as we would interpret a letter, historical document, speech, leg...
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