Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 8:12

"but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." — Matthew 8:12 (ASV)

The children of the kingdom—This phrase is a Hebraism. Like the term “the children of the bride-chamber,” it refers to those who belonged to the kingdom—in this case, the Israelites. The kingdom of heaven had first been promised to them, the natural heirs who had forfeited their inheritance.

Into outer darkness—Strictly, this means the outer darkness. The words continue the imagery of a royal banquet, contrasting the darkness outside the king’s palace with the brightly lit interior, blazing with lamps and torches.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth—In the Greek, both words have the definite article, signifying “the weeping” and “the gnashing” in a preeminent sense. The two words are found together six times in Matthew and once in Luke (Luke 13:28). Literally, they express the most intense form of human anguish, a suffering so deep it becomes inarticulate. The word for “gnashing” (or its related verb) is also used to express rage (Acts 7:54). We naturally connect their spiritual meaning with the misery of those excluded from the joy and blessedness of the completed kingdom, which is doubtless their ultimate significance.

We must remember, however, that the “kingdom of heaven” was a term with various layers of meaning. Our Lord proclaimed that this kingdom was at hand and taught people, through parables and other means, that it involved more than just the life after death. Accordingly, we should also look for what might be called the “springing and germinating” fulfillments of these words in history.

For instance, people came “from the east and west” when the Gentiles were admitted into the Church of Christ. At the same time, the children of the kingdom were left in the “outer darkness” when they excluded themselves from fellowship with the Church and its work among the nations. The outbursts of envy and rage recorded in the book of Acts (Acts 5:33; Acts 13:45) illustrate this historical aspect of “the weeping and gnashing of teeth.”