The Gospel According to Matthew offers a contrast in religious zeal (or lack of it) to its original primarily Jewish-Christian readers. The message of John the Baptist was one of urgency and firey strength, which some of his followers were adopting as their style of the Kingdom of heaven. Others were being passive and "waiting" for something to happen. Jesus praises John the Baptist but places "the least in the Kingdom of heaven" ahead of him. That "least" might be a child, as Jeus points out elsewhere in this gospel [Matthew 19:14].
The history of Christianity is marked with violence done in the name of faith. This is one of the reasons some people reject the Church or Christianity in general. Religious zeal can be dangerous. Flannery O'Connor's short story, The violent shall bear it away, offers a startling example in a child evangelist who drowns his idiot little brother while trying to baptize him!
Jesus offers the best example of evangelism and offers the contrasting vision of preaching. His message is challenging and firm but gentle in application. As he says in this same gospel, "My yoke is easy and my burden light." We await this way of life at the same time as we endeavor to live it during Advent. AMEN