VERSION 2.0
Revised 2022
Revised 2022
PROVE ALL THINGS, HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD
1 Thessalonians 5:21
1 Thessalonians 5:21
SECTION II NOTES
Verses Which Speak of Physical Torment: Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth
Matthew 13:40-42
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this age. 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; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. |
These verses are the most significant of this section because they speak of a 'furnace of fire' which brings about 'weeping and gnashing of teeth', thus equating them with 'hell' in the minds of many.
This reasoning, however, stands on the flimsy assumption that all references to fire must refer to 'hell'. This view also ignores the fact that Jesus is discussing events which are to happen specifically at the close of THIS AGE, and the punishments to befall those wicked who are alive at that time. These verses are not generalized descriptions of what 'hell' is like, but specific prophecies for the end of the age although they are almost never preached in this way. In the end of the age the angels will gather the wicked then living and cast them into 'a furnace of fire'. You can bet that when living, breathing men and women are cast into whatever punishment 'furnace of fire' signifies, there will indeed be 'weeping and gnashing of teeth'. There is however nothing to suggest that such a fire is 'hell', or that it continues eternally. |
The phrase 'weeping and gnashing' of teeth is NEVER used to describe Gehenna or hell generally. Please see our work "The Furnace of Fire and the Wrath of God" for a detailed study of these events.
The exact fulfillment of these verses is given in the book of Revelation showing that the 'furnace of fire' is not 'hell', but the 'great winepress of the wrath of God'; much of which is signified as a fiery torment. The judgments await the end of the current age.
This winepress is representative of the seven last plagues God pours out upon the earth just prior to the close of the age. As Jesus himself said 'As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this age.' Compare Jesus words of these events to those described in Revelation 14-16. How is it that so many Christians miss the obvious application of this passage?
This winepress is representative of the seven last plagues God pours out upon the earth just prior to the close of the age. As Jesus himself said 'As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this age.' Compare Jesus words of these events to those described in Revelation 14-16. How is it that so many Christians miss the obvious application of this passage?
Malachi 4:1, Matthew 13:50
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; And all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, That it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1) |
Compare this passage to that above. Mal 4:1 is a prophecy concerning the end of the JEWISH AGE. Note the description and warning of a fiery judgment. The fulfillment of this prophecy came to pass in 70 AD with the desolation of the Jewish nation and the destruction of their temple after a horrific slaughter of the Jewish people. Matthew 13:40-42 is describing events prophesied for the end of this current age. The Jewish people and their destruction are an example of the fiery judgment awaiting the end of this current age at our Lord's return. Still these verses have nothing to do with the doctrine of eternal torment.
Matthew 13:50 should be understood within this same context, and carries the same meaning as Matthew 13:40-42 shown above. |
Matthew 8:12, Matthew 22:13, Luke 13:28
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12) |
To use these verses, and the condition 'outer darkness' to teach the doctrine of eternal conscious torment is to miss the entire point for which they were written. As in the two previous verses, these are speaking of a specific group of people, the Jewish nation and in particular its leaders who had rejected Jesus. The key to proper understanding lies in the context of Matthew 21-22:
"When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons... Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof... And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them... And Jesus answered and spake unto them (the Pharisees) again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come... But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 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. For many are called, but few are chosen. Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk." |
These verses were aimed directly at the Jewish national leaders, the Pharisees. By rejecting their Messiah., the Jewish nation was cast into 'outer darkness' for the past 20 centuries, and has endured untold persecution, weeping, and gnashing of teeth at the hands of gentile nations. The parable of the 'wedding garment' shows that the Jewish nation was powerless to stop this without submitting to the authority and righteousness of their Messiah. Their status as 'children of the kingdom' would not get them into the 'wedding', and they were thrust out.
The Pharisees knew that Jesus was speaking of them. How is it that most modern evangelicals do not? We can praise God that the Jewish nation will be restored in the coming kingdom age; thus 'outer darkness' is not 'hell', nor is it a permanent condition. Then again, the Bible never said it was.
Let the reader mark well this point; The Jewish nation is used time and again as an example of God's wrath towards wickedness. Those severe types of judgment, NOT HELL, is what is being described in these passages.
The Pharisees knew that Jesus was speaking of them. How is it that most modern evangelicals do not? We can praise God that the Jewish nation will be restored in the coming kingdom age; thus 'outer darkness' is not 'hell', nor is it a permanent condition. Then again, the Bible never said it was.
Let the reader mark well this point; The Jewish nation is used time and again as an example of God's wrath towards wickedness. Those severe types of judgment, NOT HELL, is what is being described in these passages.
Matthew 24:51
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
This verse correlates with Matthew 13:42-50 shown above. The 'hypocrites' are literally 'counterfeits' and correspond with the 'tares' of Matthew 13. This is a warning towards an unprofitable servant in the end of the age who begins to beat and make gain of his fellow servants, reasoning that Jesus is delaying his return.
Jesus warns that they will meet the same fate as the hypocrites (the tares) when he returns. This punishment refers to the same 'furnace of fire' described in Matthew 13 and detailed in Revelation 14-16. 'Cut asunder' refers to the most brutal of the Roman forms of scourging; a fitting symbol for the wrath of God that such a one will be made to endure. Even so, the verse in no way states that this punishment is incurred by any other than the living, nor does it teach that the named punishment is eternal. |
Matthew 25:30
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
This verse, from the parable of the talents carries with it the same type of warning which Jesus made toward the Jewish national leaders.
In this case, however, the warning is for anyone who would aspire to attain the kingdom which was first offered to the Jews, then afterward to 'a nation which would bring forth fruit meet for repentance'. Jesus warns that any man who fails to use the talents God has granted him will find themselves debased and under judgment (in 'outer darkness'). They will weep bitterly when confronted with the reality of the position from which they have fallen, and judged according to the amount of light they sinned against. |
This is shown by the parallel of this verse as given in Luke 12: 46-48 which contains the following information: And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
For further explanation see Section III. Again, nothing indicates this is an eternal condition. and no mention is made of 'hell'. For more information see also Man Became a Living Soul Chapter 9: The Day of Judgment.
For further explanation see Section III. Again, nothing indicates this is an eternal condition. and no mention is made of 'hell'. For more information see also Man Became a Living Soul Chapter 9: The Day of Judgment.
