‘Weeping and gnashing of teeth’ - who are warned?

In at least seven occasions, the Lord Jesus warned
of a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth."

"Weeping and gnashing of teeth"
- who are warned by Christ in these passages?

In at least seven occasions, the Lord Jesus warned of a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth." That place is often designated as "the furnace of fire" or "outer darkness".

Who are warned in these passages by the Lord Jesus Christ?
Below are those seven passages, and some comments after each one.

1. Matthew 8:12 (8:5-13)

12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Verse 10 reads "When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Jesus did not say there was none with faith in Israel, but none with SO GREAT FAITH manifested by the Gentile centurion. Jesus is censuring the little faith of His redeemed people among the Jews. Jesus was not looking for faith among the unregenerate where no faith is to be found! The Lord Jesus Christ would NOT look for grapes among the thorn bushes, then curses the thorn bushes for not bearing grapes?

Just who are "the children of the kingdom" that the Lord Jesus expected faith from - those dead in trespasses and sins, or those of God's children?

Jesus is rebuking the faithlessness of those who should have great faith in him, given all the privileges and advantages. To whom much is given, much is expected!!! It is those unbelieving among God's children that shall suffer that dire consequences for their unbelief when there solemn duty to believe the truth of Christ Jesus being their Messiah. 


2. Matthew 13:42 (13:24-43)

42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The verse before reads, "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity."

Obviously Jesus Christ is dealing with those in His kingdom... those in His kingdom that do all things that offend, and them which do iniquity! This is a reality that the Lord Jesus sets before His church. In His kingdom there are those that do iniquity, who practice things that are offensive to him. The story of the tares is to powerfully illustrate the consequences of those in his kingdom that do such things.

It is easy to just dismiss these people as not children of God on the basis that God's children can't possibly behave like that.

BUT it is a solemn warning to those in his kingdom - them which do iniquity, and all things that offend God shall shall be punished.

Christ said, "So shall it be at the end of this world..." (v40) - the end of WHICH world is Jesus speaking of?


3. Matthew 13:50 (13:47-50)

50  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

In this parable of the kingdom of heaven, the Lord Jesus stated the plain fact that of ALL the people gathered in the by gospel ministry, there shall be good and bad among them - there would be the wise and the foolish, the faithful and the unfaithful, the watchful and the slothful, etc.

This is HARSH reality about the kingdom of heaven. Not everyone of the kingdom of heaven is wise, or faithful, or watchful, etc. They shall be divided, and the bad ones suffer accordingly.

Christ said, "So shall it be at the end of the world..." (v49). The end of which world - the Jewish world, or the human world?


4. Luke 13:28 (13:24-30)

28  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

The paragraph begins with: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

This gives us a plain and clear indication of the people under consideration - those that are seeking to enter the kingdom of God (v28).

Who are those many who will seek to enter the kingdom of God, or the Lord's house, v25? I believe the answer is obvious. What is the Lord Jesus telling such people? Strive to enter at the strait/narrow gate... the way appointed by the Father, not your own fancies!  Children of God are exhorted to enter in at the strait gate. Otherwise they shall not enter, but be thrust out.

Is the kingdom of God spoken of in v28 the same as eternal heaven? Striving to enter the strait gate is a necessary condition to enter the kingdom of God. Entry into the eternal heaven is secured by jesus Christ alone.


5. Matthew 22:13 (22:1-14)

13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Who is he that shall be cast into outer darkness?

In this parable of the kingdom of heaven, Jesus tells about "those that WERE bidden to the wedding" by the king. The question then is, who were those many that WERE bidden (kaleō) by the king that are to be invited to the wedding of his son? They were God's children among the Jews. They were already the bidden ones of their king. They are to be invited to the wedding of his son through the gospel ministry. The time was at hand.

"For many were called  (klā-to's, invited), but few are chosen."

Who are the many that are invited by the gospel ministry? Are they the redeemed, or those that are still dead in trespasses and sins?

Many [not all!] of God's children (already such) are called by the gospel ministry to enter the kingdom of heaven.  But few are chosen - "chosen" is an adjective, [e.g. as in "but few are big"]. Some of the MANY invited to the wedding of the king's son did come... but of those that come few abided by the rule of adorning the wedding garment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone. Few indeed are those that enter into the blessings of the kingdom of heaven.

Who is he that shall be cast into outer darkness? Those for whom the king prepared the marriage supper of his sons.


6. Matthew 24:51 (24:42-51)

51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Who is he that shall be cut asunder? It is none other than one of the servants of the Lord. He is cut asunder for being an unfaithful servant.

The solemn call to be watchful and faithful is addressed to the redeemed, and none else. It is nonsensical to say such call is addressed to those dead in trespasses and sins. Can't call such unto spiritual activities!


7 Matthew 25:30 (25:14-30)

30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Who is he that shall be cast into outer darkness? It is none other than the Lord's own servant, but an unprofitable servant of the Lord. He is a man to whom the Lord Himself entrusted His goods, "... who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods... to every man according to his several ability." 

The solemn call to be watchful and faithful is addressed to the redeemed, His own servants. Not all the Lord's servants are faithful is a HARSH reality! It would be easier to say that they are not the Lord's servants!

In this parable, the Lord Jesus declares plainly another aspect of the kingdom of heaven, i.e. there are faithful servants, and there are unfaithful in the kingdom of heaven, and a solemn call to His servants to be faithful, and the warned of the terrible consequences for unfaithful servants.

Those not redeemed are not in the picture!!! 

What is that place of weeping and gnashing of teeth?

Is it the temporal hell between death and resurrection to glory?

Is it the eternal lake of fire after resurrection?

Do you have any light? Feel free to tell us.