I suppose the perspective that I am about to expound is already buried deep within one of the answers and/or comments of the following 2 stackoverflow Q & A postings, but I wanted to narrow down and emphasize in this posting in order to see if said perspective is accurate and/or correct:
Matthew 11:11-15 (NASB)
11 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 [m]least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven [n]suffers violence, and violent men [o]take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who [p]was to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, [q]let him hear.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Nestle 1904
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάνου τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort 1881
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάνου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort / [NA27 and UBS4 variants]
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάνου / Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Greek Orthodox Church
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Tischendorf 8th Edition
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 11:12 Greek NT: Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν Matthew 11:12 Greek Study Bible (Apostolic / Interlinear) ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν.
Could we say that Matthew 11:12 can be rephrased and/or viewed as
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven [is teeming with activities/events within said kingdom and around said kingdom, and the various activities/events could be good and/or bad], and [good and/or bad people involved in said activities/events are very passionate about said activities/events]
To elaborate on my perspective, wherever Jesus Christ's kingdom is active, there will always be some kind of activities/events that are bad and/or good where the good activities/events might be for the Kingdom of heaven, and the bad are against the kingdom of heaven.
Let's add some bible scripture to prove the aforementioned perspective:
Example of good activity/event that benefits and expands the kingdom of heaven in bible scripture:
Matthew 3
.....John the Baptist *[a]came, [b]preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven [c]is at hand.”.......5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
Example of bad activity/event going against the kingdom of heaven in bible scripture:
Matthew 14
3 For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip...................“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of [e]his dinner guests. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison..............
LOL, I suppose I'm just asking:
Is Matthew 11:12 saying that the kingdom of heaven is surrounded by exciting and meaningful events regardless if they are for or against the kingdom of heaven? (Are there important purposes associated with said events? )
In other words, it's Not some silly philosophical thought experiment that raises questions regarding observation and perception like:
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?