But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 8.12)
Typical preaching casts the words outer darkness as a reference to hell. After centuries of forging this interpretation into the minds of believers, it somehow now seems unnatural for the mind not to gravitate towards this seemingly simple analogy. But, it’s wrong!
Believe it or not, of the three mentions in the NT of outer darkness, and the five mentions of the phrase weeping and gnashing of teeth, not even one of them was a reference to hell. (There are also two mentions of the phrase wailing and gnashing of teeth in the NT – As these do speak of hell in particular, I will cover them in a future article.)
Oddly, one minister promotes the opposite view affirming that, “the outer darkness described in this passage is not a description of hell, but is likely a lesser status in God’s kingdom. Unfaithful Christians will see more diligent Christians rule and reign with Christ. . .”
Need I say it? Wrong again!
The first key to understanding what Jesus meant by outer darkness, as usual, is the context in which it was used. In Matt. 8 Jesus capitalized on his encounter with the Roman Centurion, a gentile, by contrasting his extraordinary faith with those whom He called “children of the kingdom.” Making His point He said,
I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 8.11)
Because of the contrast He was employing at that moment, many shall come from the east and west was an obvious foreshadowing of the gospel being preached among the gentiles. On the opposite end of the same point were the Jews, the natural born descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was of them, the Jews, that Jesus was referring to when He continued by saying,
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 8.12)
At first glance you might conclude that the Jews’ rejection of the Messiah would naturally land them in hell, in which case, outer darkness would simply be the analogy that Jesus used here. On the other hand, if that really is what He meant, why would He still call them the children of the kingdom? I’m not endorsing dual covenant theology by any means. All who die without Christ will face eternal damnation, including the Jews. Paul’s remarks in Romans 9:1-6 make that clear. However, keep in mind the Jews Jesus was referring to in the above verse are those who will not have accepted Christ and will still be ALIVE at the time when His kingdom comes.
In order to better discern what Jesus meant by outer darkness, let’s look at the other two mentions of it in the NT. Relating the same point while employing a different contrast, Jesus told the parable of the marriage feast (Matt. 22.1-14). Here again, the prospect of attaining entrance into the kingdom of heaven when it comes is the issue at hand, the analogy of it being like a marriage. The invitation to attend the marriage was sent out, the requirement for entrance being, the wearing of a wedding garment. Paul’s epistles shed the necessary light to see that the wedding garment was meant to illustrate being clothed with Christ.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal. 3.27)
When we back up one chapter to Matt. 21, the context of Jesus’ parable of the marriage feast is blatantly clear. Addressing the Jews and their rejection of the Messiah, which Jesus called “the stone the builders rejected” (Matt. 21.42), He was merely highlighting that very fact. Continuing on that note He went on to tell them,
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matt. 21.43)
This context provides us the framework to determine that those who were not worthy to enter the marriage feast (the kingdom of heaven), is a specific reference to the Jews who will be alive at the onset of the kingdom of heaven but have not yet accepted Christ.
The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden (the Jews) were not worthy. (Matt. 22.8)
So then, the obvious point of this parable is not general in nature, but a specific analogy pointing to the Jews of whom would reject Christ. With that in mind, Jesus said,
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. (Matt. 22.13)
The third mention of outer darkness brings even more clarity on its meaning. In the parable of the talents there are three servants mentioned. Of the third servant that buried his talent it is said,
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 25.30)
This parable, just like the others we discussed, was emphasizing the commencement of the kingdom of heaven, who would be granted entrance, and who would not. Even though this last parable states the unprofitable servant is also cast into outer darkness, it is significant that, even though unprofitable, he is still called a servant. All three mentions of outer darkness, therefore, point to the Jews who miss out on the inception of the kingdom of heaven. Just a side note, but a very important one. There’s no mention of anyone actually dying in these three parables. That’s only the assumption of those who view the outer darkness describing hell. There are, however, many people who will remain alive during and after the transition of the coming of the kingdom of heaven.
From here it’s plain that the timing of the inception of the kingdom of heaven would lend more help in determining the meaning of outer darkness. Fortunately, Revelation chapter 11 outlines the inception of the kingdom of heaven under the blowing of the seventh trumpet.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 11.15)
In a previous article, Timing of the Seventh Trumpet, I explain why the seventh trumpet is blown at mid-point of the last seven years. Since many Jews will not be prepared for the kingdom of Christ at that moment, they will be cast into outer darkness. For that reason, the words outer darkness are not referring to hell or a lesser status in God’s kingdom, but to a specific period of time Jesus called the great tribulation (Matt. 24.21), or the last three and a half years of Daniel’s 70th week. It will be a time of great persecution for the Jews (Rev. 12.17, Matt. 24.16) and gives meaning to Jeremiah calling it the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30.7.) In fact, speaking directly of those last three and a half years Jesus said,
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matt. 24.21)
Considering the Bible’s mention of extreme level of persecution directed towards the Jewish people during that dark time, it’s understandable why Jesus would chose the words outer darkness to describe it.
Numerous prophesies show forth the reaction that the Jews will undergo when they finally realize that Jesus is the Messiah. Paul stated that the time would come that all Israel would be saved (Rom. 11.26) which I’m confident he gleaned, at least in part, from Zechariah where it says,
and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn . . . (Zech. 12.10-12)
In Revelation chapter 1, speaking of Jesus’ appearing and the start of His kingdom, it says,
and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. (Rev. 1.7)
The second part of being cast into outer darkness is that there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The verses above indicate this to be the response of the Jews to their recognition of Jesus as Messiah. It seems Jesus was simply using these parable to reiterate Zachariah’s prophecy as well.
Assuming the mention of outer darkness is a metaphor for hell does not make it so. The context certainly emphasizes the outer darkness to be the plight of the Jews which have not been clothed upon with Christ. If hell was its meaning, why would Jesus single out just the Jews the way He did?
All that just to shed a little light on the outer darkness.
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Good article, John. I just realized we are like archeologists, digging and finding evidence of the truth. Keep up the digging, brother!