Matthew 8:11,12
I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
One claims: "'Weeping and gnashing of teeth' is language Jesus uses regularly to describe the suffering in hell." Another, evidently noting that Jesus speaks of "outer darkness" claims: "Hell is a place of complete darkness." One offers these verses as proof that Jesus spoke of the soul as being alive in hell, and that there is conscious suffering in hell. We have been asked: "how can someone who is dead, weep and gnash their teeth?" The questioner also asks us to see Matthew 22:13; 24:51; 25:30 and luke 13:28. God willing and as he permits, we will examine all these verses. Another claims that Jesus in Matthew 8:12 says that there will be gnashing of teeth in Gehenna.
The reality is that Jesus is not speaking about dead people at all. Jesus does not say anything about the soul being alive in Hades or Gehenna; he does not mention "soul" at all, nor does he mention "hades" or "Gehenna" in these verses. Jesus certainly does not speak of dead people who have immortal living souls or immortal living spirits that are in a death condition of being tortured for all eternity. Indeed, he is not speaking of dead people at all, but of people who alive here on this earth.
The idea generally presented is based on the idea that man has a soul or spirit that continues to conscious after death, claiming that only the body dies, but this immortal soul or spirit cannot die, and thus must continue to live somewhere while the only the body of the person is dead. Imaginative and/or mystical ideas are given to "outer darkness" as allegedly applied to those in hades or Gehenna.
It is claimed that the question for all people to ask is: “what will happen to my soul/spirit when it leaves my physical body?” It is further claimed that when we die, our spirits leave our body and will either spend eternity with Jesus in heaven, or we will go to hell to spend eternity in "outer darkness" where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12 is cited.
There reality is that Bible does not speak of the soul or spirit as being sentient when the body dies; it does speak of the soul as being dead, a soul that no longer is iving, and it no longer has sentiency. The word "spirit" is used with many different shades of meaning in the Bible. The Bible tells us that at death the "spirit" returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7); this is a reversal of Genesis 2:7. The spirit of all, even that of the most horrible sinner, returns to God (now through Jesus) who gave it. Without that spirit the person no longer has any life at all; he is dead. He is no longer a living soul.
Matthew 8:12 says nothing at all about anyone being alive while dead, or a spirit or soul that continues to live after the death of the body. It does not speak of hades/sheol at all. Nor is there any mention of Gehenna. Indeed, Matthew 8:12 is not speaking of anyone weeping and gnashing their teeth while dead, but it speaks of the Jews' being thrown into outer darkness due to their rejection of their Messiah. They remain in this outer darkness until they proclaim of Jesus: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah." -- Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalms 118:26; Matthew 23:2=38,39.
The spirit of all, both good and bad, return to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7) Without that spirit there is nothing living that goes anywhere. However, due to Jesus' sacrifice, God will return that spirit in the resurrection. The ONLY hope of future life given in the Bible is the resurrection in the last day, the age to come. (Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:47,48) If there is no resurrection, there is no future life at all, and all who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished, and will not be alive anywhere. -- 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
Furthermore, Jesus does not say anything in these verses about the weeping and gnashing of teeth in the Bible hell (hades/sheol). Nor does he say anything about weeping and gnashing of teeth in Gehenna. Nor does he say that these are weeping and gnashing their teeth while in an alleged condition of being alive while dead. Nor did he say anything about these having immortal spirits or souls that continue to be conscious while the body is dead. All of this has to be imagined, assumed, added to, and read into what Jesus said.
Jesus was, by his words recorded in Matthew 8:10-12 and Luke 13:28-30, probably depicting the result of the Jewish rejection of their Messiah in the resurrection. The Kingdom was taken from them and given to a “nation” producing its fruitage. (Matthew 21:43) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are figured as sitting in this kingdom because it is this “nation” that becomes the seed of Abraham, not by blood and flesh, but by faith. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Of course, the language of the parable is pictorial, not to be taken literally. The children of the kingdom, the Jews as a whole, were cast out into outer darkness. While the faithful of the Jews will share that Kingdom with Jesus, the nation as a whole was rejected from divine favor and cast into "outer darkness" – the same darkness which has covered the Gentiles, the world in general. (Isaiah 60:2; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4) They have had weeping and gnashing of teeth for about nineteen centuries and, according to the Scriptures, will suffer further yet before the time shall come when God will graciously forgive their sin and save them from their national blindness and make them, in connection with the Millennial Kingdom, his earthly instruments for blessing all the families of the earth. Nevertheless, they were cast out when Jesus stated: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem you who killed the prophets, and stoned them that were sent to you how often I would have gathered your children together, as hen gathers her offspring under her wings, but you would not allow it! Look, your house is left to you in desolation. Truly I say to that you will not see until the time comes when you will say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah!'” — Luke 13:34,35.
Some notice that Jesus spoke of himself as being with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Thus they claim that this prove that the soul is immortal and that the soul of the righteous go to heaven when they die. Contrary to the thoughts of many, Jesus is not saying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be in heaven. The expression “Kingdom of Heaven” does not mean “in heaven”, but it is so designated to emphasize that it is not a man-made government, but is of heavenly origin, a kingdom that is established by God who is in heaven. – Daniel 2:44
Daniel 2 likens God’s kingdom to a stone that grows until it fills the whole earth. And Isaiah refers several times to the blessings of that kingdom as being on the earth, not in heaven. (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:9; 25:6-8) Nevertheless, there will be those who; will rule as joint-heirs with Christ in the heavens and there will be those who will rule as princes in all the earth. (Romans 8:17; Revelation 14:1; Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the ancient worthies will be the chief ministers of that Kingdom in the world of mankind, and all mankind will be invited to come into harmony with the Kingdom of heaven, that God’s will may be done in this on earth as it is done in heaven. -- Matthew 6:10.
Consequently, it appears that this reclining with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob may refer to those who become the seed of Abraham in this age. If so, it is certainly not referring to being in heaven; they recline in a reckoned sense with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob since they are reckoned as being translated to the kingdom of Jesus. (Colossians 1:13) The Jews of whom Jesus was speaking, however, although the natural seed of Abraham, have been cast aside, so as not to receive the inheritance with the seed of faith. (Galatians 4:22-31) This inheritance covers rewards both with life on earth and in heaven, but this is not what is being discussed in Matthew 8:11. Jesus is speaking of the cast-off condition of Israel as opposed to the favor shown the Gentiles, who are being invited into the Kingdom, thus to recline with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in receiving the promises of an inheritance as the seed of Abraham, while the “sons of the kingdom” according to the flesh have found themselves outside these blessings, and indeed they received the curses of the Law as foretold, resulting in the destruction of Jerusalem. Of course, the problems that have come upon the natural “sons of the kingdom” in their cast-off condition has caused them great weeping and gnashing of teeth.
However, it also possible that Jesus could have been referring to the world's day of judgment. In the age to come, many of those Jews who had seen Jesus will evidently think that they should be of the "kingdom" rulers, but they will find themselves outside of the royal house; they will be wondering why they, being Jews who had walked and ate with Jesus, are left out. Jesus points to those Jews who had seen him but had not fully committed to being his disciples, and Jesus speaks of them as though saying to Jesus in the day of judgment: "We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets" (Luke 13:26), as though this meant that they should be inheritors of the kingdom. These, in their own estimation, should have been inheritors of the kingdom with Jesus, and this causes them great distress in the age to come, with weeping and gnashing of teeth that they were not included in the kingdom. The result would be that they would be cast temporarily into the outer darkness, and thus the obtaining of the The Gospel message first went to the Jews, but later it included Gentiles. Elsewhere Jesus expanded on this, and identifies the time will the door will be shut, saying:
However, it also possible that Jesus could have been referring to the world's day of judgment. In the age to come, many of those Jews who had seen Jesus will evidently think that they should be of the "kingdom" rulers, but they will find themselves outside of the royal house; they will be wondering why they, being Jews who had walked and ate with Jesus, are left out. Jesus points to those Jews who had seen him but had not fully committed to being his disciples, and Jesus speaks of them as though saying to Jesus in the day of judgment: "We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets" (Luke 13:26), as though this meant that they should be inheritors of the kingdom. These, in their own estimation, should have been inheritors of the kingdom with Jesus, and this causes them great distress in the age to come, with weeping and gnashing of teeth that they were not included in the kingdom. The result would be that they would be cast temporarily into the outer darkness, and thus the obtaining of the The Gospel message first went to the Jews, but later it included Gentiles. Elsewhere Jesus expanded on this, and identifies the time will the door will be shut, saying:
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Matthew 7:22 Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy by your name, by your name cast out demons, and by your name do many mighty works?'Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity [work without legal authority].'
From this standpoint, it is "in that day", the millennial day, the day of judgment, when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob can be seen ruling, that the door is shut, and it is "in that day", the millennial day, that many will be trying to get into the kingdom who will not able to enter therein.
We should not, however, read into Jesus' words that such are barred from salvation, or that he was sentencing them to some eternal doom. Indeed, the very fact that they are there "in that day" to ask the questions Jesus spoke of shows that the ransom sacrifice of Jesus had been applied for them so that they were raised in the resurrection of the unjust to receive a new judgment based on the books that are opened at that time. Their attitude, however, makes it difficult to be in the circle of the inner light that will then flood the earth. Like many who rejected Christ while he was in the days of his flesh, it will more tolerable in that day of judgment for the people of Sodom, Gomorrah, Sidon and Tyre, than for such. -- Matthew 10:15; 11:22,24; Mark 16:11; Luke 10:12; John 5:28,29; 12:47,48; Acts 24:15; Romans 5:21-22; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 20:12.
There is, however, definitely nothing in Matthew 8:10-12 or Luke 13:28-30, that refers to a hell where alleged human souls or spirits of the dead that God supposedly keeps alive for all eternity so that God may inflict horrific anguish and suffering upon them beyond anything that anyone may suffer while alive, and that constantly and forever without any end.
Matthew 22:13
Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.” — World English
This is part of the parable concerning the wedding feast. As a parable, it is not to be taken literally, but rather figuratively. One came into the feast without a wedding garment, and the king tells the servants to throw him into outer darkness. Nothing is said about him being thrown into hell, or into an eternity of suffering. He is thrown into outer darkness – he is not in the light of the truth, where he does suffer weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We are all familiar with weeping, as the poet has expressed it:
“Now the world is full of suffering,
Sounds of woe fall on our ears.”
It is the “gnashing of teeth” or “grinding of teeth” that seems to be the unusual feature, and it is this expression that many seem to interpret as meaning “eternal suffering” or “eternal torture”. Nevertheless, is there really anything in the expression that denotes eternal suffering? True, it is not a common expression in our day, but we can readily see that it signifies chagrin, and disappointment. We have the same phrase used elsewhere in the Scriptures, not as representing a future torment, but by men in the present life. For instance, when Stephen, the first Christian martyr, preached to his opponents, we read – “When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.” (Acts 7:54) The expression, “gnashed at him with their teeth,” is evidently no more of a figurative expression than the associated one, “they were cut to the heart.” The meaning is evident: they were angered, vexed, chagrined, and manifested their feelings outwardly. We should not attach any other than this correct meaning to the words of our text, and any other analogous statement.
Regardless, there is nothing in this scripture about anyone suffering for eternity in hell. There is nothing about anyone being alive while dead, or about hell, or about an immortal soul that continues to be alive after the death of the body, etc.
Matthew 24:51
Matthew 24:47 Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
Matthew 24:48 But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
Matthew 24:49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,
Matthew 24:50 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,
Matthew 24:51 and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
This is part of Jesus' parable of a wise servant and an evil servant as given by Matthew. Luke's account adds two more servants (Luke 12:47,48), thus we refer to the parable as the parable of the four servants. Jesus is obviously speaking figuratively as he usually does when speaking a parable The evil (or "bad") servant becomes impatient and begins to figuratively beat his fellow servants, evidently to bring them into subjection to their authority. Such become as figuratively drunk evidently with the idea of setting up God's Kingdom themselves or with the idea of having control over others, and of being highly esteemed by others, etc., traits of the hypocrites. The master of the household assigns him a portion with the hypocrites, bringing him into a condition that results in the weeping and grinding of teeth. There have been many Christians throughout the Gospel Age who have demonstrated such traits. The weeping and gnashing of teeth figuratively speaks of sorrow, disappointment and perplexity. Those who fall into this category as spoken in this parable evidently, after Satan is abyssed, will share with those that Jesus spoke of as recorded in Matthew 7:22,23 and Luke 13:25-27. Such will figuratively be weeping and grinding their teeth in disappointment that they were not included as being joint-heirs with Christ.
The parable, however, does not say that they would be weeping and grinding their teeth for eternity. It says nothing about this weeping and grinding of teeth as taking place in hades or Gehenna. Nothing is said about this weeping and gnashing of teeth as taking place while they are dead. Nothing is said about any alleged immortal soul or spirit that continues to be alive and conscious while the body of the person had died.
The parable, however, does not say that they would be weeping and grinding their teeth for eternity. It says nothing about this weeping and grinding of teeth as taking place in hades or Gehenna. Nothing is said about this weeping and gnashing of teeth as taking place while they are dead. Nothing is said about any alleged immortal soul or spirit that continues to be alive and conscious while the body of the person had died.
Matthew 25:30
Luke 13:28
See Matthew 8:11,12 above.
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