Bible Dictionaries
Force

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"firm, secure," is translated "of force" (present usage would translate it "in force") in Hebrews 9:17 , of a testament, or covenant, in relation to a death. See FIRM.

"to snatch away, carry off by force," is used in the next sentence in Matthew 11:12 , to that referred to under No. 1, "men of violence (AV 'the violent') take it by force," the meaning being, as determined by the preceding clause, that those who are possessed of eagerness and zeal, instead of yielding to the opposition of religious foes, such as the scribes and Pharisees, press their way into the kingdom, so as to possess themselves of it. It is elsewhere similarly rendered in John 6:15 , of those who attempted to seize the Lord, and in Acts 23:10 , of the chief captain's command to the soldiers to rescue Paul. See CATCH , PLUCK , PULL. Cp. diarpazo, "to plunder," e.g., Matthew 12:29 , and sunarpazo, "to seize and carry away," e.g., Acts 6:12 , and harpax, "rapacious, ravening," e.g., Matthew 7:15 .

Notes: (1) Biazo, "to force" (from bia, "force"), is used in the Passive Voice in Matthew 11:12 , of the kingdom of heaven as 'suffering violence;' so in Luke 16:16 , "entereth violently into it," here in the Middle Voice, expressive of the special interest which the doer of the act has in what he is doing. This meaning is abundantly confirmed by the similar use in the papyri. Moulton and Milligan (Vocab.) remark that Luke's statement can be naturally rendered "everyone is entering it violently." See VIOLENCE.

(2) In Matthew 11:12 , the corresponding noun, biastes, "violence," is rendered "men of violence," RV (see No. 2). See VIOLENCE.