Verses 28-29
The phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth" elsewhere describes eternal punishment in hell (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30). [Note: See Pagenkemper, pp. 183-86, 188-90.] There is no reason to conclude that it means something else here. Weeping expresses sorrow (cf. Luke 6:25; Acts 20:37; James 4:9; James 5:1) and gnashing or grinding the teeth pictures anger and hatred (cf. Job 16:10; Psalms 35:16; Psalms 37:12; Psalms 112:10; Lamentations 2:16; Acts 7:54). These feelings will arise in people outside the kingdom as they view others within it.
The judgment at the beginning of the kingdom is in view. Evidently God will raise dead Old Testament saints then to enter the kingdom (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2).
The Old Testament revealed that Gentiles would also participate in the messianic banquet that will inaugurate Messiah’s earthly reign (cf. Isaiah 25:6-7; Isaiah 60; Isaiah 62:2-9; Isaiah 65:13-14; Ezekiel 34:12-14; Ezekiel 39:17-20). People coming from the four compass points would be Gentiles rather than the Jews, who lived primarily in Palestine. Jesus said that many Jews would not enter the kingdom (cf. Matthew 8:10-12). Many of Jesus’ hearers were undoubtedly trusting in their Jewish blood and heritage to get them into the kingdom, so Jesus’ words would have shocked them.
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