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Weeping v. Gnashing
Ligonier April 3 2011
Cited
Also in Matthew 25, Jesus says that those who will be cast into the outer darkness will experience “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This is a concrete image that any Jew would understand, and one I think we can all readily comprehend. There are different kinds of weeping. There is the weeping of those who mourn. There is the weeping of those who are in pain. And there is the weeping of those who are deliriously happy.
But when we add to this notion of weeping the idea of gnashing of teeth, it is obvious that Jesus is not describing a pleasant circumstance. He is talking about a deep, mournful kind of wailing. But the gnashing of teeth, as we see in the New Testament, is often associated with hatred. When the crowd heard Stephen proclaim the Word of God, they gnashed their teeth in fury (Acts 7:54).
Unseen Realities: Heaven, Hell, Angels and Demons, copyright 2011 by R.C. Sproul, Christian Focus Publications.
I just listened to this idea presented on Christian radio, from the late R.C. Sproul, as I drove around with meetings in the area.
Interesting. There is the use of figurative language here in the opinion of many scholars. I embrace this perspective.
Those that are weeping are doing so because he/she regrets the hellish circumstance in Hades (Luke 16). This is not to be confused with any kind of possible human repentance toward salvation.
One can hate being in prison for example, and still love and embrace being a criminal. At this point, biblically, repentance connected to salvation is no longer on the table as an offer. (See Hebrews 9: 27, there is one death then judgement).
This can interpreted as some religious persons that rejected the biblical God, the gospel, and the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ applied to believers by grace through faith, and by no human work, but for works in Christ (Ephesians 1-2, Romans 1-9, Galatians, James).
Instead these persons embraced attempts to please God by works righteousness.
Those weeping likely includes some of those who were not religious.
Those that are gnashing can be interpreted as those that have an everlasting hatred of the triune God, the everlasting life God provides and related. Perhaps these can be interpreted as the unregenerate that most obviously embrace satanic nature.
