Jesus was promising a heaven and hell

JESUS WAS PROMISING A HEAVEN AND HELL
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 8:11 11
I say to you that many will come from the
east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 8:12 12
But the subjects of the kingdom will be
thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
A Faith That CausedSurprise
Matthew 8:10
R. Tuck That upon which the Son of God fastened. as worthy of admiration
was not the centurion's benevolence, norhis perseverance,but his faith. And
so speaks the whole New Testament, giving a specialdignity to faith. Our
Lord found something unusual in this man's faith, which he contrasts with the
faith he had already observed. Evidently this man had risen above the
common ides or' faith, as a sort of magicalinfluence, which required some
personaltouch, or the working of some charm, to the idea of a delegated
power, depending only on the will of him who possessedit. The centurion's
expectationof instant obedience to his lightest command enabled him to
believe that Christ had a similar power and authority in relation to disease.
Considerthe requirement of faith.
I. THE PRIMARY DEMAND OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS FAITH.
Illustration in our Lord's demand from all those whom he healed. This is
sometimes very evident; it is always present, though needing to be searched
out. The first demand of Christianity may seemto be love; it is only love
because love carries and enshrines faith.

II. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS ARE NOW THE
OBJECTSOF FAITH. Just as the word of Jesus was forthe centurion. He
believed the word Jesus had spoken, and actedon the belief. The life and
death of Jesus
(1) reveal God, and ask me to believe that he is Love;
(2) reveal me, and ask me to believe that I am a sinner;
(3) reveal the glory and grace of Jesus as God's Sonand my Saviour.
III. CONVERSION IS FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH JESUS IS.
The strength and happiness of Christian life come from believing and obeying
the word which the living Jesus speaks. "Godhas given to us eternal life, and
this life is in his Son."
IV. FAITH IS A REAL AND PRACTICAL POWER IN COMMON HUMAN
CONDUCT. "We trust our senses;and that though they often deceive us. We
trust men; a battle must often be risked on the intelligence of a spy. A
merchant commits his ships, with all his fortunes on board, to a hired captain,
whose temptations are enormous. Without this principle societycould not
hold togetherfor a day. It would be a mere sand-heap. Such, too, is religious
faith; we trust on probabilities; and this though probabilities are often against
us."
V. FAITH IS THE LINK GOD HAS APPOINTED TO ATTACH US TO
HIMSELF FOR SALVATION AND STRENGTH. F.W. Robertsonsays,
"Faith is that which, when probabilities are equal, ventures on God's side, and
on the side of right; on the guarantee of a something within which makes the
thing seemto be true because it is loved." - R.T.
Biblical Illustrator
Many shall come from the eastand west.
Matthew 8:11, 12
The extent if God's family

J. W. Cunningham, M. A.I. THAT THE NUMBER OF THE SAVED SHALL
BE GREAT. "Many." Might expectthe contrary from aspectofsociety. God
has secretservants.
II. THAT THE LARGE COMPANYSHALL BE MADE UP OF MEN FROM
ALL NATIONS. "Fromthe eastand west."
III. THAT ALL THESE PERSONSSHALL BE UNITED IN HEAVEN IN
SOCIETY. "Sitdown together." The happiness of heaven will not be solitary;
it will not be without union.
IV. THIS CHANGE TAKES PLACE IN HEAVEN. Must not take earthly
conceptions ofthis celestialstate;it is a state connectedwith God.
V. WE MAY INFER SOMETHING WITHREGARD TO THE NATURE
AND COMPLETENESS OF THE HAPPINESS THAT WILL BE ENJOYED
BY THE SAINTS IN GLORY,
1. Rest. "Theyshall sit down."
2. Sovereignty. They shall sit on thrones as kings.
(J. W. Cunningham, M. A.)
The connection
A. Tucker.Christreceivesapplications from all sorts of characters. The
centurion — conscious ofpersonalunworthiness — concernedfor his
domestics — unbounded confidence in the capacityof Christ.
I. THE EXULTING PROPHECY. Implies that God is no respecterof persons
(Isaiah 45:6; Isaiah59:19; Malachi1:11); that many shall be saved;that
heaven is an exalted state of felicity, rest, and socialintercourse, etc.
(Chronicles 25:10;26:29; Luke 14:15; Luke 22:30:Revelation19:7-11). Loyal
submission to the King, enjoyment of His presence, admiration of His glories;
laud and magnify His name.
II. THE AGENCY BY WHICH IT SHALL BE EFFECTED. Manifold —
chiefly by the preaching of the gospel(1 Corinthians 1:21); adapted — to
every stage of human society, to every order of mind, and to every moral
condition; efficient — the power of the Holy Ghost, awakening, convicting,
etc. (1 Thessalonians1:5, &c.). "All the ends of the earth shall see the
salvationof our God."
(A. Tucker.)
Bigotry must not limit the number of the saved

Jay.The readiestwayin the world to thin heaven, and replenish the regions of
hell, is to callin the spirit of bigotry. This will immediately arraign, and
condemn, and execute all that do not bow down and worship the image of our
idolatry. Possessing exclusive prerogatives, it rejects everyother claim —
"Stand by, I am sounder than thou. The temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord, the temple of the Lord are we!" How many of the dead has this
intolerance sentencedto external misery, who will shine like stars in the
kingdom of our Father! How many living characters does itnot reprobate,
who are placing in it all their glory! No wonder, if under the influence of this
consuming zeal, we form lessening views of the number of the saved:"I only
am left — yes, they are few indeed, if none belong to them who do not belong
to your party — that do not see with your eyes — that do not believe election
with you, or universal redemption with you — that do not worship under a
steeple with you, Grin a meeting-house with you — that are not dipped with
you, or sprinkled with you! But hereafterwe shall find that the righteous were
not so circumscribed.
(Jay.)
Hen then convertsMosheu, anAfrican chief, visited Dr. Moffatat Kuruman.
The missionary availedhimself of the opportunity to speak of the "one thing
needful," but without apparent effect. After some time Mosheurepeatedhis
visit to Kuruman, bringing with him a very large retinue. He was agonizing to
enter the kingdom of God. "When first I visited you," he said to Dr. Moffat.
"I had only one heart, but now I have come with two. I cannot rest; my eyes
will not slumber, because ofthe greatnessofthe things you told me on nay
first visit."
Heaven and Hell
C. H. Spurgeon.I. A GLORIOUS PROMISE.
1. It is a land of rest — "sit down."
2. The good company they sit with, "Abraham and Isaac." etc.
3. Man? I shall come. I have no wish for a small heaven; many mansions.
4. Where they come from — from all places and classes, eventhe most
hopeless.
5. The certainty "shall."
II. THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM CAST OUT.
1. Those notedfor externals in religion.
2. The children of pious fathers and mothers.

3. They are to be castout. Where to?
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The heavenly state
H. Melvill, B. D.1. Many, will be there. What are " many " in the Divine
authentic? Must not lower the standard of admission.
2. The imagery that of a banquet, the attitude assignedto the assembly. Nest
and repose afterlabour and conflict.
3. The celestialcitizens are to know one another, else it would little avail to sit
down with Abraham, etc. The meeting-place of generations.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
The wonderful MThe Countess ofHuntingdon used to say, "She thanked God
for the wonderful letter M, for it turned 'any' into 'many;' thus the Word of
God reads, 'Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called'(1
Corinthians 1:26), therefore she could be found amongstthe 'not many.'" The
wonderful "M" shows forth the extent of God's grace. Mandoes not enter
heaven by virtue of his poverty or his riches, sufferings or rejoicings, morality
or immorality, but by virtue of the atonement and the shedding of the
precious blood of Christ. None can rightly say, "I have had so much trial and
trouble down here that I am sure God will provide a place for me;" nor can
they say, "I am so noble, and have such power in this world that I surely must
have a place above." God is no respecterof persons. All, whatever their
station or circumstances, find but one entrance into eternal glory, even
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — the only door, the one way, by
which alone any can. be saved,
The children of the kingdom
J. GarbettI. BY THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM ARE INTENDED
THE JEWS, who were God's peculiar people.
1. God was in an especialmanner their King. He revealedHimself as their
King and Saviour. He fought againsttheir enemies.
2. As a king He laid down laws which they were to follow.
3. They were not only subjects of the kingdom; they were to be children of it.
4. The justice of that sentence, which, after their ejection, deprived the
children of the kingdom of their glorious inheritance.
II. How WERE THEY CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS.

1. They were withdrawn immediately from that which is light even on earth
— the enjoyment of God's grace, and the enlightenment of His Holy Spirit.
This was outer darkness ofsoul.
2. They were driven into the darkness ofsorrow and affliction.
III. THE CAUSE why this happened — their unbelief. We are now the
children of the kingdom; have God's laws written in our hearts.
(J. Garbett)
COMMENTARIES
EXPOSITORY(ENGLISHBIBLE)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11)St. Luke does not give the
words that follow, and the omissionis significant. Either he did not know of
them, and then we must infer the entire independence of his record, or
knowing them, he, writing for Gentiles, thought it best to omit words here
which our Lord had afterwards repeated, and which he had therefore another
opportunity of recording (Luke 13:28). Such verbal reproduction of what had
been said before was, it will be remembered, entirely after our Lord’s
manner.
Many shall come from the eastand west.—Itis clearthat our Lord saw in the
centurion the first-fruits of the wide harvest of the future. Like the words of
the Baptistin Matthew 3:9, what He now said contained, by implication, the
whole gospelwhich St. Paul preachedto the Gentiles. “Eastand west,” even
without the formal addition of “north and south,” which we find in the
parallel passageof Luke 13:29, were used as limits that included all the
nations of the earth.
Shall sit down.—Literally, shall recline, as at the table of a feast;that being, as
in the phrase of Abraham’s bosom, the receivedparable of the blessednessof
the kingdom.
BensonCommentaryHYPERLINK "/context/matthew/8-11.htm"Matthew
8:11-12. From this exalted pitch of faith, found in a heathen, Jesus took
occasionto declare the merciful purpose which God entertained toward all the
Gentiles, namely, that he would accepttheir faith as readily as the faith of the
Jews, andadmit them, with the founders of the Jewishnation, to the privileges
and blessings ofhis kingdom. Many, says he, shall come from the eastand
west, &c. — Many, from the farthest parts of the earth, shall embrace the

terms, and enjoy the rewards, ofthe gospelcovenantestablishedwith
Abraham. But the Jews, who have the first title to them, shall be shut out
from the feast;from grace here, and glory hereafter. The words,
ανακλιθησονται μετα Αβρααμ, &c., properly signify, shall sit down at table
with Abraham, &c., a phraseologyoftenused in Scripture, which represents
the presentprivileges and future rewards of the righteous, and especiallythe
latter, under the idea of a sumptuous entertainment. See Luke 14:15;
Matthew 22:1; Revelation19:9. And, though the joys of heavenbe all of a
spiritual kind, this metaphor needs not be thought strange, since, as Le Clerc
observes, “we canneither speak ourselves, norunderstand others speaking of
our state in the life to come, unless phrases takenfrom the affairs of this life
be made use of.” But the children of the kingdom — So he terms the Jews,
even the unbelieving Jews, because theyhad been born and brought up within
the pale of the visible Church, and enjoyed all the advantages whichit
afforded its members: shall be castout into outer darkness — Our Lord here
alludes to the customwhich the ancients had of making their great
entertainments, for the most part, in the evening, with candlelight. And the
outer darkness, ordarkness without the house, signifies, 1st, the state of
heathenish darkness, or of ignorance and error, in which those are who are
without the pale of the Church of God, and into which, it is here foretold, the
Jews should be castfor their rejection of Christ; and, 2d, the state of future
misery, into which, as many of them as continued till death in impenitence and
unbelief, should finally be cast, with all hypocrites and unbelievers. And Jesus
said, Go thy way, &c. — Having spoken, as observedabove, he dismissedthe
centurion with an assurance thathis servantwas well; and at the same time
intimated that the miracle had been wrought in consequenceof, and
according to, his faith, which, though not the meritorious cause ofthe cure,
had been the means through which the Lord Jesus had been pleasedto effect
it. And his servant was healedin the self-same hour — Or, rather, in that
instant, as εν τη ωρα εκεινη, here evidently means.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary8:5-13 This centurion was a heathen, a
Roman soldier. Though he was a soldier, yet he was a godly man. No man's
calling or place will be an excuse for unbelief and sin. See how he states his
servant's case. We should concernourselves for the souls of our children and
servants, who are spiritually sick, who feel not spiritual evils, who know not
that which is spiritually good;and we should bring them to Christ by faith
and prayers. Observe his self-abasement. Humble souls are made more
humble by Christ's gracious dealings with them. Observe his greatfaith. The
more diffident we are of ourselves, the strongerwill be our confidence in

Christ. Herein the centurion owns him to have Divine power, and a full
command of all the creatures and powers of nature, as a master over his
servants. Such servants we all should be to God; we must go and come,
according to the directions of his word and the disposals of his providence.
But when the Sonof man comes he finds little faith, therefore he finds little
fruit. An outward professionmay cause us to be calledchildren of the
kingdom; but if we restin that, and have nothing else to show, we shall be cast
out. The servant gota cure of his disease, andthe mastergot the approval of
his faith. What was said to him, is said to all, Believe, and ye shall receive;
only believe. See the power of Christ, and the powerof faith. The healing of
our souls is at once the effectand evidence of our interest in the blood of
Christ.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleMany shall come from the east... - Jesus takes
occasionfrom the faith of a Roman centurion to state that this conversion
would not be solitary; that many pagans - many from the eastand westwould
be converted to the gospel, and be saved, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobwere.
The phrase "from the eastand from the west," in the Scripture, is used to
denote the "whole world," Isaiah 45:6; Isaiah59:19. The phrase, "shall sit
down," in the original, refers to the manner of sitting at meals (see the notes at
Matthew 23:6); and the enjoyments of heaven are described under the
similitude of a feastor banquet - a very common manner of speaking of it,
Matthew 26:29; Luke 14:15;Luke 22:30. It is used here to denote felicity,
enjoyment, or honor. To sit with those distinguished men was an honor, and
would be expressive of greatfelicity.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible CommentaryMt 8:5-13. Healing of the
Centurion's Servant. ( = Lu 7:1-10).
This incident belongs to a later stage. Forthe exposition, see on [1234]Lu 7:1-
10.
Matthew Poole's CommentarySee Poole on"Matthew 8:12".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd I sayunto you, that many shall come
from the eastand west,.... Onoccasionofthe faith of the centurion, who was a
Gentile, our Lord makes a short digression, concerning the callof the
Gentiles;and suggests, that what was seenin that man now, would be fulfilled
in greatnumbers of them in a little time: that many of them from the several
parts of the world, from the rising of the sun to the setting of it, from the four
points of the heaven, east, west, north, and south, as in Luke 13:29 and from
the four corners of the earth, should come and believe in him;

and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
signifying, that as the Gospelwould be preached in a short time to all nations,
many among them would believe in him, as Abraham, and the restof the
patriarchs did; and so would partake of the same blessings ofgrace with
them; such as, adoption, justification, pardon of sin, and the like;for "they
which be of faith, are blessedwith faithful Abraham", Galatians 3:9 now,
under the Gospeldispensation, though Gentiles; and shall enjoy with him the
same eternal glory and happiness he does, in the other world. Which shows,
that the faith of Old and New Testamentsaints, Jews and Gentiles, is the
same;their blessings the same, and so their eternal happiness; they have the
same God and Father, the same Mediatorand Redeemer, are actuatedand
influenced by the same Spirit, partake of the same grace, andshall share the
same glory. The allusion is to sitting, or rather lying along, which was the
posture of the ancients at meals, and is here expressed, ata table, at a meal, or
feast:and under the metaphor of a feastor plentiful table to set down to, are
representedthe blessings ofthe Gospel, and the joys of heaven; which are not
restrained to any particular nation, or setof people; not to the Jews, to the
exclusionof the Gentiles. Our Lord here, goes directly contrary to the notions
and practices ofthe Jews, who thought it a crime to sit down at table, and eat
with the Gentiles;see Acts 11:3 and yet Gentiles shall sit at table and eatwith
the principal men, the heads of their nation, in the kingdom of heaven, and
they themselves at the same time shut out.
Geneva Study BibleAnd I sayunto you, That many shall come from the east
and west, and shall {a} sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the
kingdom of heaven.
(a) A metaphor takenof banqueters, for they that sit down togetherare
fellows in the banquet.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT CommentaryHYPERLINK "/matthew/8-11.htm"Matthew8:11.
Ἀπὸ ἀνατ. καὶ δυσμ.] from the most widely separatedquarters of the world
Gentiles. Comp. Isaiah45:6; Malachi1:11.
According to Jewishideas, one of the main elements in the happiness of the
Messianic kingdomwas the privilege of participating in splendid festive
entertainments along with the patriarchs of the nation. Bertholdt, Christol. p.
196. Schoettgenon this passage.Jesusemploys the expressionin a symbolical
sense (Matthew 26:29;Luke 13:28; Luke 14:15;Revelation19:9; Matthew
22:30;1 Corinthians 15:50):many Gentiles will become believers, and so have

their part in the blessings ofthe Messianic kingdomin happy fellowship with
the patriarchs of the people of God. In sharp contrastto incarnate (Matthew
3:9) Jewishpride, Tanchum (in Schoettgen):“In mundo futuro, (dixit Deus)
mensam ingentem vobis sternam, quod gentiles videbunt et pudefient.”
Bertholdt, p. 176. Hilgenfeld sees in the whole narrative the milder
comprehensive Judaeo-Christianityof the author of the revisedGospel;but
Keim again, while upholding the accountin all other points, ascribes Matthew
8:11 f. to the hand that framed the later version, although, with Matthew 8:10,
preparing the way for them, the words neither interrupt the connectionnor
clashwith the then standpoint of Jesus (Matthew 3:9), seeing that in the
Sermon on the Mount (especiallyMatthew 7:21 f.) He has takenaway from
the kingdom of God anything like national limitation.
Expositor's Greek TestamentHYPERLINK"/context/matthew/8-
11.htm"Matthew 8:11-12. This logionis given by Luke (Luke 13:28-29)in a
different connection, and it may not be in its historicalplace here. But its
import is in thorough harmony with the preceding reflection on the spiritual
state of Israel. One who said the one thing was prepared to saythe other. At
whatevertime said it would give offence. It is one of the heavy burdens of the
prophet that he cannot be a mere patriot, or saycomplimentary things about
his nation or his Church. ἀνακλιθήσονται:Jesus expresses Himselfhere and
throughout this logionin the language ofHis time and people. The feastwith
the patriarchs, the outer darkness, the weeping and the gnashing of teeth
(observe the article before σκότος, κλαυθμὸς, βρυγμὸς, implying that all are
familiar ideas)are stock phrases. The imageryis Jewish, but the thought is
anti-Jewish, universalistic, of perennial truth and value.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges11. sitdown] i. e. recline at a feast.
The image of a banquet is often used to representthe joy of the kingdom of
heaven. Luke 14:15;Luke 22:29-30;Revelation19:9.
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK"/matthew/8-11.htm"Matthew 8:11. Πολλοὶ,
many) who, being not Jews, are similar to the centurion. This is intended to
awakenthe emulation of the Jews.—ἀπὸ ἁναταλῶν, from the east)see ch.
Matthew 2:1,—from the eastand from the west;an euphemism for “from the
Gentiles.”—ἥξουσι, shallcome)A prophecy: they shall come in spirit [and by
faith.—V. g.]—μετὰ, togetherwith) see Hebrews 12:23.[366]—ἘΝΤῇ
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊᾼ, in the kingdom) sc. in this life, and in that which is to come.
[366]With the Fathers in the faith, Hebrews 11:9—V. g.
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 11, 12. - In Luke (Luke 13:28, 29)not joined to this
miracle, but placed after the warning about mere professors (our Matthew

7:23). Also they are there given in the reverse order. Taking the other facts
(ver. 5, note) about this miracle into consideration, there can be little doubt
but that St. Matthew does not place these verses in their historical connexion.
He wishes to emphasize the teaching of the miracle, that Gentiles accept
Christ, though Jews rejecthim. Forthis reasonalso he gives the two verses in
the reverse order. And. In contrast(δέ) to this comparative absence ofbelief
in Israel. Many. Not in the parallel passagein Luke, but it agrees with the aim
of St. Matthew's Gospel. Shallcome. Though not emphatic, as it is in the
parallel passagein Luke, yet expressive of purpose and decision. From the
eastand (RevisedVersion. the) west. Notonly residents in Palestine, like this
centurion, but from the furthest limits of the earth. The thought was well
known; e.g. Malachi1:11; Isaiah59:19; also Jeremiah16:19;Zechariah 8:22.
And shall sit down; i.e. at a feast. The image, takenfrom Isaiah 25:6, is
exceedinglycommon in JewishHaggadic (i.e. mostly parabolic)teaching (cf.
Dr. Taylor's 'Sayings,'etc., 3:25; Schurer, II..2. 174). With Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. An early" Western" reading is,
"in the bosom of Abraham," etc. (cf. Luke 16:23). Probably a traditional form
current among JewishChristians. But the children; sons (RevisedVersion).
Those who ought rightfully to enjoy its privileges (Matthew 5:9, note). In
Matthew 13:38 those so calledanswerfully to the appellation. Of the
kingdom. "Ratherthan of the king; since many are in the kingdom, whom
notwithstanding the king rejects as traitors; whereas all the children of the
king are adopted as co-heirs with his only begottenSon" (Beza, in Ford). This
interpretation is attractive, but doubtless false. The Hebrew idiom enables the
writer to suggestthe idea of the Jews, who are by nature heirs of the Divine
kingdom, being notwithstanding excluded (cf Acts 13:46). Shall be castout
(RevisedVersion, forth); ἐκβκηθήσονται(Matthew 7:4, note). The "Western"
reading, ἐξελεύσονται, suggeststhat they shall go out by their own present act
of refusing blessing. Into (RevisedVersion, the) outer darkness. The form of
the expression, whichcomes only in Matthew (Matthew 22:13;Matthew
25:30), points to a double conception;they shall be castinto the darkness, and
castoutside the palace within which the feastis going on. Such is the loss in its
personal(εἰς τὸ σκότος)and in its social(τὸ ἐξώτερον) aspect. There shall be
(RevisedVersion, the) weeping and gnashing of teeth. The article, which
should strictly be repeatedbefore gnashing, points to a recognizedconception.
The phrase occurs (except in the parallel passage, Luke 13:28) only in St.
Matthew (Matthew 13:42, 50;Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew
25:30), in eachcase contrasting the place into which the wickedare sent with
that which they might have enjoyed. Observe the description of "hell" -

absence ofspiritual light; separationfrom the company of the saved;
lamentation; impotent rage. The secondcoupletcorresponds to the first.
Vincent's Word StudiesShallsit down (ἀνακλιθήσονται)
Lit., recline. The picture is that of a banquet. Jews as wellas Romans reclined
at table on couches.
VERSE 12
EXPOSITORY(ENGLISHBIBLE)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12)The children of the
kingdom.—The form of the phrase is a Hebraism, indicating, as in “the
children of the bride-chamber,” those who belongedto the kingdom, i.e., in
this case, the Israelites, to whom the kingdom of heaven had, in the first
instance, been promised, the natural heirs who had forfeited their inheritance.
Into outer darkness.—Strictly, the outer darkness. The words continue the
imagery of the previous clause, the darkness outside the king’s palace being
contrastedwith the interior, blazing with lamps and torches.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.—Bothwords in the Greek have
the emphasis of the article, “the weeping” par excellence.The two words are
found in combination six times in St. Matthew, and once in St. Luke (Luke
13:28). In their literal meaning they express that intensestform of human
anguish in which it ceasesto be articulate. The latter word, or rather the
cognate verb, is used also to express rage (Acts 7:54). Their spiritual meaning
we naturally connectwith the misery of those who are excluded from the joy
and blessednessofthe completedkingdom, and that is, doubtless, what they
ultimately point to. We must remember, however, that the “kingdomof
heaven” was a term of very varying significance, andthat our Lord had
proclaimed that that kingdom was at hand, and taught men, by parable and
otherwise, that it included more than the life after death. We may accordingly
rightly look for like “springing and germinant accomplishments” ofthe words
now before us. Men came “from the eastand west,” whenthe Gentiles were
admitted into the Church of Christ. The children of the kingdom were left in
the “outerdarkness” whenthey were self-excludedfrom fellowship with that
Church and its work among the nations. The outbursts of envy and rage
recordedin the Acts (Acts 5:33; Acts 13:45) illustrate this aspectof“the
weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary8:5-13 This centurion was a heathen, a
Roman soldier. Though he was a soldier, yet he was a godly man. No man's
calling or place will be an excuse for unbelief and sin. See how he states his
servant's case. We should concernourselves for the souls of our children and
servants, who are spiritually sick, who feel not spiritual evils, who know not
that which is spiritually good;and we should bring them to Christ by faith
and prayers. Observe his self-abasement. Humble souls are made more
humble by Christ's gracious dealings with them. Observe his greatfaith. The
more diffident we are of ourselves, the strongerwill be our confidence in
Christ. Herein the centurion owns him to have Divine power, and a full
command of all the creatures and powers of nature, as a master over his
servants. Such servants we all should be to God; we must go and come,
according to the directions of his word and the disposals of his providence.
But when the Sonof man comes he finds little faith, therefore he finds little
fruit. An outward professionmay cause us to be calledchildren of the
kingdom; but if we restin that, and have nothing else to show, we shall be cast
out. The servant gota cure of his disease, andthe mastergot the approval of
his faith. What was said to him, is said to all, Believe, and ye shall receive;
only believe. See the power of Christ, and the powerof faith. The healing of
our souls is at once the effectand evidence of our interest in the blood of
Christ.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleThe children of the kingdom - That is, the children,
or the people, who "expectedthe kingdom," or to whom it properly belonged;
or, in other words, the Jews. they supposedthemselves to be the special
favorites of heaven. They thought that the Messiahwould enlarge their nation
and spreadthe triumphs of their kingdom. They calledthemselves, therefore,
the children or the members of the kingdom of God, to the exclusion of the
Gentiles. Our Saviourused the manner of speechto which they were
accustomed, andsaid that "many of the pagans would be saved, and many
Jews lost.
Shall be castout into outer darkness ... - This is an image of future
punishment. It is not improbable that the image was taken from Roman
dungeons or prisons. They were commonly constructedunder ground. They
were shut out from the light of the sun. They were, of course, damp, dark, and
unhealthy, and probably most filthy. Masters were in the habit of constructing
such prisons for their slaves, where the unhappy prisoner, without light, or
company, or comfort, spent his days and nights in weeping from grief, and in
vainly gnashing his teeth from indignation. The image expresses the fact that
the wickedwho are lostwill be shut out from the light of heaven, and from

peace, and joy, and hope; will weepin hopeless grief, and will gnash their
teeth in indignation againstGod, and complain againsthis justice. What a
striking image of future woe!Go to a damp, dark, solitary, and squalid
dungeon; see a miserable and enragedvictim; add to his sufferings the idea of
eternity, and then remember that this, after all, is but an image, a faint image,
of hell! Compare the notes at Matthew 22:13.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible CommentaryMt 8:5-13. Healing of the
Centurion's Servant. ( = Lu 7:1-10).
This incident belongs to a later stage. Forthe exposition, see on [1234]Lu 7:1-
10.
Matthew Poole's CommentaryVer. 11,12. Thatis, in short, many of those who
are now heathens shall be saved; and many of the Jews shall be damned.
Many, not all,
shall come from the eastand west, from all parts, from the remotestparts in
the world. Luke saith, east, west, north, and south, Luke 13:29 Isaiah11:12
43:5,6.
And sit down with Abraham, Isaac, andJacobin the kingdom of God; in
heaven, where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the heads of the Jewishnation,
are, to whom the promises were made; or, in the church of God, for the
church triumphant and militant are both but one church. They shall
sit down with them, as men sit down at a banquet, an expressionoft used to
signify the rest and pleasure the saints shall have in heaven, Isaiah 25:6-8
Luke 22:29,30.
But the children of the kingdom, the Jews, who boastmuch that they are the
children of Abraham, and think themselves the only church, and the only
heirs of glory, and who are indeed the only church of God as yet,
shall be castout into outer darkness:either the darkness of errors, ignorance,
and superstition, the gospellight shall not shine upon them, they shall be no
more the church of God; or, the darkness of hell, where shall be nothing but
pain and misery, and lamentations for the gospel, and the grace thereof, first
offered to them, but unthankfully rejectedby them, by which they judge
themselves unworthy of the grace ofGod and of eternal life, Acts 13:46.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut the children of the kingdom,.... The
Jews, who were subjects of the kingdom, and commonwealthof Israel, from
which the Gentiles were aliens; and who were also in the church of God,
which is his kingdom on earth; and besides, had the promise of the Gospel
dispensation, sometimes calledthe kingdom of heaven, and by them, often the
world to come;and were by their own profession, and in their apprehension
and expectation, children, and heirs of the kingdom of glory. These phrases, ,
"a son of the world to come", and , "children of the world to come" (o), are
frequent in their writings: these, Christ says,
shall be castout; out of the land of Israel, as they were in a few years after,
and out of the church of God: these branches were brokenoff, and the
Gentiles grafted in, in their room; and will be excluded from the kingdom of
heaven, where they hoped to have a place,
and castinto outer darkness:into the Gentile world, and into judicial
blindness, and darkness ofmind, and into the blackness ofdarkness in hell,
where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Phrases expressiveof the
miserable state and condition of persons out of the kingdom of heaven; who
are weeping for what they have lost, and gnashing their teeth with the pain of
what they endure. The Jews say(p),
"he that studies not in the law in this world, but is defiled with the pollutions
of the world, he is taken , "and castwithout": this is hell itself, to which such
are condemned, who do not study the law.''
The allusion in the text is, to the customs of the ancients at their feasts and
entertainments; which were commonly made in the evening, when the hall or
dining room, in which they satdown, was very much illuminated with lamps
and torches;but without in the streets, were entire darkness:and where were
heard nothing but the cries of the poor, for something to be given them, and of
the persons that were turned out as unworthy guests;and the gnashing of
their teeth, either with cold in winter nights, or with indignation at their being
kept out. Christ may also be thought to speak in the language, and according
to the notions of the Jews, who ascribe gnashing of teeth to the devils in hell;
for they say (q), that
"for the flattery with which they flattered Korah, in the business of rioting,
"the prince of hell , gnashedhis teeth at them".''
The whole of this may be what they call , "the indignation", or "tumult of
hell" (r).

(o) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 4. 2. Taanith, fol. 22. 1. Megilla, fol. 28. 2. Yoma, fol.
88. 1. & Sanhedrim, fol. 88. 2. Raziel, fol. 37. 1. & 38. 1. Caphtor, fol. 15. 1. &
18. 2. & 60. 1. & 84. 2. Raya Mehimna, in Zohar in Lev. fol. 34. 2.((p) Zohar in
Gen. fol. 104. 3.((q) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 52. 1.((r) Targum in Job, iii 17.
Geneva Study BibleBut the children of the kingdom shall be castout into {b}
outer darkness:there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(b) Who are outside the kingdom: For in the kingdom is light, and outside the
kingdom is darkness.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT CommentaryHYPERLINK "/matthew/8-12.htm"Matthew8:12.
The sons of the kingdom: the Jews, in so far as, according to the divine
promise, they have the right, as the theocratic people, to the Messiah’s
kingdom (John 4:22; Romans 9:4-5; Romans 11:16 f.), and are, in
consequence,its potential subjects. The article describes them, summarily, in
a body, υἱός, ‫ב‬ֵּ‫,ן‬ as denoting physical or moral relationship, Winer, p. 223 [E.
T. 298]. The true υἱοὶ τ. βας., who are so in point of fact, see Matthew 13:38.
τὸ ἐξώτερον] which is outside the (illuminated) Messianic banqueting hall.
Wetsteinon this passage,comp. on ἐξώτερος, LXX. Exodus 26:4; Exodus
36:10;Ezekiel10:5; not found in Greek authors. Forthe thing, see Matthew
22:13, Matthew 25:30. It is not some specialdegree ofinfernal punishment
that is representedto us (Grotius), but the punishments themselves, and that
as poena damni et sensus at once.
ὁ κλαυθμὸς … ὀδόντων]indicating the wailof suffering, and the gnashing of
teeth that accompanies despair. The article points to the well-known(κατʼ
ἐξοχήν) misery reigning in hell (Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50, Matthew
22:13, Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:30). Found in Luke only at Matthew 13:28,
where the same expressionoccurs on a different occasion,—acircumstance
which is not in Luke’s favour (de Wette, Gfrörer), but is to be explained from
the factthat Jesus made frequent use of the figure of the Messianic reclining
at table, and of the expressionregarding the infernal κλαυθμός, etc.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges12. outerdarkness]i. e. the
darkness outside the house in which the banquet is going on.
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK"/matthew/8-12.htm"Matthew 8:12. Οἱ δὲ
υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας, but the children of the kingdom) i.e. nearestheirs to the
kingdom. The same title is employed with another meaning in ch. Matthew
13:38.—σκότος,darkness)Whateveris without the kingdom of God is outer:

for the kingdom of Godis light, and the kingdom of light. That darkness will
envelope not only the eye, but also the mind, with the grossestobscurity.—
ἐξώτερον, outer) the unbeliever has internal darkness in himself already, and
obtains, therefore, external darkness also as his fitting home. And the nearer
that any one might have approached[to the Divine presence], so much the
further will he be castforth into the depths of darkness.—ἐκεῖ, there)at
length [even though not here and now]. Without the brilliant scene of the feast
[the marriage supper so often mentioned].—ὁ) a remarkable article, used
emphatically.[367]In this life, grief is not yet really grief.—ΚΛΑΥΘΜῸς,
weeping)Then will weepheroes now ashamedto weep, from grief at the good
they have lost, and the evil they have incurred. Oh horrible sound of so many
wretchedbeings! how far more blessedto hear the sounds of heaven!—See
Revelation14 etc.—βρυγμὸς τῶνὀδόντων, gnashing of teeth) from impatience
and bitterest remorse, and indignation againstthemselves, as being the
authors of their own damnation.[368]Self-love, indulged on earth, will then be
transformed into self-hate, nor will the sufferer be ever able to depart from
himself. Nor is this weeping and gnashing of teeth combined with darkness
only, but also with fire, etc.; see ch. Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50; Luke
13:28. Another exposition is, the soft will weep, the stern will rage. The same
phrase occurs in Acts 7:54.[369]
[367]As though this were the true ideal of sorrow—the normal standard of
suffering—the archetypal reality of agony.—(I. B.)
[368]As also from a spiteful and malignant feeling againstothers, to whom
they enviously grudge the salvationwhich those others have obtained. Comp.
Psalm112:10.—V. g.
[369]Sc. they gnashedupon him [Stephen] with their teeth.—(I. B.)
Vincent's Word StudiesThe outer (τὸ ἐξώτερον)
The Greek order of words is very forcible. "Theyshall be eastforth into the
darkness, the outer (darkness). The picture is of an illuminated banqueting
chamber, outside of which is the thick darkness of night.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES

Heaven And Hell
“And I say unto you, that many shall come from the eastand westand
shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of
Heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be castout into outer
darkness. There shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 8:11, 12
THIS is a land where plain speaking is allowedand where the people are
willing to afford a fair hearing to anyone who cantell them that which is
worth their attention. Tonight I am quite certain of an attentive audience for I
know you too wellto suppose otherwise. This field, as you are all aware, is
private property. And I would just give a suggestionto those who go out in the
open air to preach–thatit is far better to get into a field or a plot of
unoccupied building ground than to block up the roads and stop business. It is
moreoverfar better to be somewhere under protection, so that we can at once
prevent disturbance.
Tonight I shall, I hope, encourage you to seek the road to Heaven. I shall also
have to utter some very sharp things concerning the end of the lost in the pit
of Hell. Upon both these subjects I will try and speak as God helps me. But I
beseechyou, as you love your souls, weighright and wrong this night. See
whether what I say is the Truth of God. If it is not, rejectit utterly and castit
away. But if it is, at your peril disregardit. For as you shall answerbefore
God, the greatJudge of Heaven and earth, it will go ill with you if the words
of His servant and of His Scripture are despised.
My text has two parts. The first is very agreeable to my mind and gives me
pleasure. The secondis terrible in the extreme. But since they are both the
Truth they must be preached. The first part of my text is, “I say unto you, that
many shall come from the eastand westand shall sit down with Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.” The sentence whichI call the
black, dark and threat part is this–“But the children of the kingdom shall be
castout into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”
1. Let us take the first part. Here is a MOST GLORIOUS PROMISE. I
will read it again–“Manyshallcome from the eastand westand shall sit
down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.” I
like that text because it tells me what Heaven is and gives me a beautiful
picture of it. It says it is a place where I shall sit down with Abraham
and Isaac and Jacob. O what a sweetthought that is for the working
man. He often wipes the hot sweatfrom his face and he wonders

whether there is a land where he shall have to toil no longer. He scarcely
ever eats a mouthful of bread that is not moistened with the sweatof his
brow.
Often he comes home weary and flings himself upon his couch, perhaps too
tired to sleep. He says, “Oh, is there no land where I canrest? Is there no
place where I cansit and for once let these weary limbs be still? Is there no
land where I can be quiet?” Yes, you son of toil and labor–
“There is a happy land
Far, far, away,”
where toil and labor are unknown. Beyond yon blue sky there is a city fair
and bright–its walls are jasperand its light is brighter than the sun. There
“the wearyare at rest and the wickedceasefrom troubling.” Immortal spirits
are yonder who never wipe sweatfrom their brow, for “they sow not, neither
do they reap.” They have not to toil and labor–
“There on a greenand flowery mount
Their weariedsouls shall sit–
And with transporting joys recount
The labors of their feet.”
To my mind one of the best views of Heaven is that it is a land of rest–
especiallyto the working man. Those who have not to work hard think they
will love Heavenas a place of service. Thatis very true. But to the working
man, to the Soon this voice will never be strained again–soonthese lungs will
never have to exert themselves beyond their power. Soonthis brain shall not
be rackedfor thought. But I shall sit at the banquet table of God. Yes, I shall
recline on the bosomof Abraham and be at ease forever.
Oh wearysons and daughters of Adam! You will not have to drive the
plowshare into the unthankful soil in Heaven. You will not need to rise to
daily toils before the sun has risen and labor still when the sun has long ago
gone to his rest. You shall be still, you shall be quiet, you shall restyourselves–
for all are rich in Heaven, all are happy there, all are peaceful. Toil, trouble,
travail and labor are words that cannot be spelled in Heaven. They have no
such things there for they always rest.
And mark the goodcompany they sit with. They are to “sit down with
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” Some people think that in Heavenwe shall
know nobody. But our text declares here that we “shall sit down with
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” ThenI am sure that we shall be aware that
they are Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. I have heard of a goodwoman who
askedher husband, when she was dying, “My dear, do you think you will

know me when you and I get to Heaven?” “ShallI know you?” he said. “Why,
I have always knownyou while I have been here and do you think I shall be a
greaterfoolwhen I getto Heaven?”
I think it was a very goodanswer. If we have known one another here, we
shall know one another there. I have dear departed friends up there and it is
always a sweet thought to me that when I shall put my foot, as I hope I may,
upon the threshold of Heaven, there will come my Brothers and Sisters to
claspme by the hand and say, “Yes, you loved one and you are here.” Dear
relatives that have been separated, you will meet againin Heaven. One of you
has losta mother–she is gone above. And if you follow the track of Jesus, you
shall meet her there.
Methinks I see yet another coming to meet you at the door of Paradise and
though the ties of natural affectionmay be in a measure forgotten–ifI may be
allowedto use a figure–how blessedwould she be as she turned to Godand
said, “Here am I and the children that you have given me.” We shall recognize
our friends–husband, you will know your wife again. Mother, you will know
those dear babes of yours–youmarked their features when they lay panting
and gasping for breath. You know how you hung over their graves when the
cold sod was sprinkled over them and it was said, “earthto earth, dust to dust
and ashes to ashes.”
But you shall hearthose loved voices again. You shall hear those sweetvoices
once more, you shall yet know that those whom you loved have been loved by
God. Would not that be a dreary Heavenfor us to inhabit where we should be
alike unknowing and unknown? I would not care to go to such a Heaven as
that. I believe that Heaven is a fellowshipof the saints and that we shall know
one another there. I have often thought I should love to see Isaiah. And as
soonas I get to Heaven, methinks, I would ask for him because he spoke more
of Jesus Christ than all the rest. I am sure I should want to find George
Whitfield–he who so continually preached to the people and wore himself out
with a more than seraphic zeal.
O yes! We shall have choice companyin Heaven when we get there. There will
be no distinction of learned and unlearned, clergyand laity–but we shall walk
freely one among another. We shall feel that we are Brethren. We shall–“sit
down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” I have heard of a lady who was
visited by a minister on her deathbed and she said to him, “I want to ask you
one question, now I am about to die.” “Well,” saidthe minister, “what is it?”
Oh,“ saidshe, in a very affectedway, "I want to know if there are two places
in Heaven, because I could not bear that Betsy in the kitchen should be in
Heaven along with me, she is so unrefined.”

The minister turned round and said, “O, don’t trouble yourself about that,
Madam. There is no fear of that, for until you get rid of your accursedpride
you will never enter Heaven at all.” We must all get rid of our pride. We must
come down and stand on an equality in the sight of God and see in every man
a Brother, every woman a Sisterbefore we can hope to be found in Glory.
Yes, we bless God, we thank Him that He will set down no separate table for
one and for another. The Jew and the Gentile will sit down together. The
greatand the small shall feed in the same pasture and we shall “sitdown with
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.”
But my text has a yet greaterdepth of sweetness, forit says, that “many shall
come and shall sit down.” Some narrow-minded bigots think that Heavenwill
be a very small place–where there will be a very few people–who wentto their
chapel or their church. I confess I have no wish for a very small Heaven and
love to read in the Scriptures that there are many mansions in my Father’s
house. How often do I hear people say, “Ah, ‘strait is the gate and narrow is
the wayand few there be that find it.’ There will be very few in Heaven. There
will be more lost.”
My Friend, I disagree with you. Do you think that Christ will let the devil beat
Him? That He will let the devil have more in Hell than there will be in
Heaven? No–itis impossible. For then Satanwould laugh at Christ. There will
be more in Heaven than there are among the lost. God says that “there will be
a number that no man can number who will be saved.” But He never says that
there will be a number that no man can number that will be lost. There will be
a host beyond all count who will getinto Heaven. What glad tidings for you
and for me! For if there are so many to be savedwhy should not I be saved?
Why should not you? Why should not yonder man, over there in the crowd,
say, “CannotI be one among the multitude?”
And may not that poor woman there take heart and say, “Well, if there were
but half-a-dozen saved, I might fear that I should not be one. But since many
are to come, why should not I also be saved?” Cheerup, disconsolate!Cheer
up, son of mourning, child of sorrow–thereis hope for you still! I can never
know that any man is past God’s grace. There are a few that have sinned that
sin that is unto death and Godgives them up–but the vast host of mankind are
yet within the reachof sovereignmercy–“And many of them shall come from
the eastand from the westand shall sit down in the kingdom of Heaven.”
Look at my text againand you will see where these people come from. They
are to “come from the eastand west.” The Jews saidthat they would all come
from Palestine, everysingle one of them, every man, woman and child. That
there would not be one in Heaven that was not a Jew. And the Pharisees

thought that if they were not all Phariseesthey could not be saved. But Jesus
Christ saidthere will be many that will come from the eastand from the west.
There will be a multitude from that far off land of China, for God is doing a
greatwork there and we hope that the Gospelwill yet be victorious in that
land.
There will be a multitude from this westernland of England. From the
westerncountry beyond the sea, in America. And from the south, in Australia.
And from the north, in Canada, Siberia and Russia. Fromthe uttermost parts
of the earth there shall come many to sit down in the kingdom of God. But I
do not think this text is to be understood so much geographicallyas
spiritually. When it says that they “shall come from the eastand west,” I think
it does not refer to nations particularly, but to different kinds of people. Now,
“the eastand the west” signify those who are the very furthest off from
religion. Yet many of them will be savedand getto Heaven.
There is a class ofpersons who will always be lookedupon as hopeless. Many
a time have I heard a man or woman say of such a one, “he cannot be saved–
he is too abandoned. What is he goodfor? Ask him to go to a place of
worship–he was drunk on Saturday night. What would be the use of reasoning
with him? There is no hope for him. He is a hardened fellow. See what he has
done these many years? What goodwill it be to speak to him?”
Now, hear this, you who think your fellows worse than yourselves–youwho
condemn others–youare often just as guilty! Jesus Christ says “many shall
come from the eastand west.” There will be many in Heaven that were
drunkards once. I believe, among that blood-bought throng, there are many
who reeledin and out the tavern half their lifetime. But by the powerof divine
grace they were able to dash the liquor cup to the ground. They renounced the
riot of intoxication–fledaway from it–and served God. Yes! There will be
many in Heavenwho were drunkards on earth. There will be many harlots–
some of the most abandoned will be found there.
You remember the story of Whitfield’s once saying that there would be some
in Heaven who were “the devil’s castaways”?Some that the devil would
hardly think goodenough for him and yet whom Christ would save? Lady
Huntingdon once gently hinted that such language was not quite proper. But
just at the time there happened to be heard a ring at the bell and Whitfield
went down stairs. Afterwards he came up and said, “Your Ladyship, what do
you think a poor woman had to sayto me just now? She was a sadprofligate
and she said, ‘O Mr. Whitfield, when you were preaching you told us that
Christ would take in the devil’s castaways and I am one of them,’ ” and that
was the means of her Lady’s salvation.

Shall anybody ever check us from preaching to the lowestof the low? I have
been accusedofgetting all the rabble of London around me. God bless the
rabble! God save the rabble! But suppose they are “the rabble!” Who needs
the Gospelmore than they do? Who requires to have Christ preachedto them
more than they do? We have lots of those who preach to ladies and gentlemen
and we want someone to preachto the rabble in these degenerate days. Oh,
here is comfort for me, for many of the rabble are to come from the eastand
from the west!
Oh, What would you think if you were to see the difference betweensome that
are in Heaven and some that shall be there? There might be found one whose
hair hangs across his eyes, his locks are matted, he looks horrible, his bloated
eyes start from his face, he grins almost like an idiot, he has drunk awayhis
very brain until life seems to have departed so far as sense and being are
concerned. Yet I would say to you, “that man is capable of salvation”–andin a
few years I might say “look up yonder,” see that bright star? Discernthat
man with a crownof pure gold upon his head? Do you notice that being clad
in robes of sapphire and in garments of light? That is the selfsame man who
satthere a poor benighted, almostidiotic being. Yet sovereigngraceand
mercy have saved him!
There are none, exceptthose as I have saidbefore who have sinned the
unpardonable sin, who are beyond God’s mercy–fetchme out the worst and
still I would preach the Gospelto them. Fetchme out the vilest, still I would
preach to them because I recollectmy master said, “Go you out into the
highways and hedges and compelthem to come in that My house may be
filled.” “Many shall come from the eastand westand shall sit down with
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.”
There is one more word I must notice before I have done with this sweet
portion–that is the word “shall.” Oh, I love God’s “shalls” and “wills.” There
is nothing comparable to them. Let a man say“shall,” what is it goodfor? “I
will,” says man and he never performs. “I shall,” says he and he breaks his
promise. But it is never so with God’s “shalls.” If He says, “shall,” it shall be.
When He says, “will,” it will be. Now He has said here, “many shall come.”
The devil says, “they shall not come” but “they shall come.” Theirsins say,
“you can’t come.” Godsays you “shallcome.” You, yourselves, say, “we won’t
come.” Godsays, “you shall come.”
Yes! There are some here who are laughing at salvation, who canscoffat
Christ and mock at the Gospel. But I tell you some of you shall come yet.
“What?” you say, “canGod make me become a Christian?” I tell you, yes, for
herein rests the power of the Gospel. It does not ask your consent, but it gets

it. It does not say will you have it, but it makes you willing in the day of God’s
power. Not againstyour will–but it makes you willing. It shows you its value–
and then you fall in love with it and straightwayyou run after it and have it.
Many people have said. “we will not have anything to do with religion,” yet
they have been converted.
I have heard of a man who once went to chapelto hear the singing and as soon
as the minister beganto preachhe put his fingers in his ears and would not
listen. But by-and-by some tiny insect settledon his face so that he was obliged
to take one finger out of his earto brush it away. Just then the minister said,
“he that has ears to hear, let him hear.” The man listened. And God met with
him at that moment to his soul’s conversion. He went out a new man, a
changedcharacter. He who came in to laugh retired to pray. He who came in
to mock went out to bend his knee in penitence–he who enteredto spend an
idle hour went home to spend an hour in devotion with his God.
The sinner became a saint. The profligate became a penitent. Who knows that
there may not be some like that here! The Gospelwants not your consent, it
gets it. It knocks the enmity out of your heart. You say, “I do not want to be
saved.” Christ says you shall be. He makes your will turn round and then you
cry, “Lord, save, or I perish.” Ah, might Heaven exclaim, “I knew I would
make you say that.” And then He rejoices overyou because He has changed
your will and made you willing in the day of His power. If Jesus Christ were
to stand on this platform tonight, what would many people do with Him?
“O!” say some, “we would make him a King.” I do not believe it.
They would crucify Him againif they had the opportunity. If He were to come
and say, “Here I am, I love you, will you be savedby Me?” Notone of you
would consentif you were left to your own will. If He should look upon you
with those eyes before whose powerthe lion would have crouched. If He spoke
with that voice which poured forth a cataractofeloquence like a streamof
nectarrolling down from the cliffs above not a single person would come to be
His disciple. No! It wants the powerof the Spirit to make men come to Jesus
Christ. He Himself said, “No man can come to Me exceptthe Fatherwho has
sent Me draw him.”
Ah, we want that. And here we have it. THEY SHALL COME!THEY
SHALL COME!You may laugh, you may despise us. But Jesus Christ shall
not die for nothing. If some of you reject Him there are some that will not. If
there are some that are not saved, others shall be. Christ shall see His seed, He
shall prolong His days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His
hands. Some think that Christ died and yet that some for whom He died will
be lost. I never could understand that doctrine. If Jesus, MySurety bore my

griefs and carried my sorrows, I believe myself to be as secure as the angels in
Heaven. Godcannot ask payment twice. If Christ paid my debt shall I have to
pay it again? No–
“Free from sin I walk at large,
The Savior’s blood’s my full discharge;
At His dear feet contentI lay,
A sinner savedand homage pay.”
THEY SHALL COME!THEY SHALL COME!And nothing in Heaven, nor
on earth, nor in Hell, canstop them from coming.
And now, you chief of sinners, listen one moment while I call you to Jesus.
There is one person here tonight who thinks himself the worstsoul that ever
lived. There is one who says to himself, “I do not deserve to be calledto Christ
I am sure!” Soul! I call you! You lost, most wretchedoutcast–this night, by
authority given me of God–I call you to come to my Savior!
Some time ago, when I went into the County Court to see whatthey were
doing, I heard a man’s name calledout and immediately the man said, “Make
way! make way! they call me!” And up he came. Now, I call the chief of
sinners tonight and let him say, “Make way!Make way doubts! Make way
fears!Make waysins! Christ calls me! And if Christ calls me, that is enough”–
“I’ll to His gracious feetapproach,
Whose sceptermercy gives;
Perhaps He may command my touch!”
And then the suppliant lives.
I can but perish if I go;
I am resolvedto try
For if I stay away, I know
I must forever die.
But, should I die with mercy sought,
When I the King have tried,
That were to die, (delightful thought!)
As sinner never died."
Go and try my Savior! Go and try my Savior!If He casts you awayafter you
have sought Him, tell it in Hell that Christ would not hear you. But that you
shall never be allowedto do. It would dishonor the mercy of the Covenant for
God to castawayone penitent sinner. And it never shall be while it is written
“many shall come from the eastand westand shall sit down with Abraham
and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.”

II. The secondpart of my text is heart-breaking. I could preachwith great
delight to myself from the first part. But here is a dreary task to my soul
because there are gloomywords here. But, as I have told you, what is written
in the Bible must be preached whether it be gloomy or cheerful.
There are some ministers who never mention anything about Hell. I heard of
a minister who once said to his congregation–“Ifyou do not love the Lord
Jesus Christ you will be sentto that place which it is not polite to mention.”
He ought not to have been allowedto preachagain, I am sure, if he could not
use plain words. Now, if I saw that house on fire overthere, do you think I
would stand and say. “I believe the operation of combustion is proceeding
yonder!” No. I would callout, “Fire!Fire!” and then everybody would know
what I meant. So, if the Bible says, “The children of the kingdom shall be cast
out into outer darkness,”amI to stand here and mince the matter at all? God
forbid!
We must speak the Truth as it is written. It is a terrible Truth, for it says, “the
children of the kingdom shall be castout”! Now, who are those children? I
will tell you–“The children of the kingdom” are those people who are noted
for the externals of piety, but who have nothing of the internals of it. People
whom you will see with their Bibles and Hymn Books marching off to chapel
as religiously as possible, or going to church as devoutly and demurely as they
can. They look as somberand serious as parish ushers and fancying that they
are quite sure to be savedthough their heart is not in the matter, nothing but
their bodies. These are the persons who are “the children of the kingdom.”
They have no grace, no life, no Christ–and they shall be castinto outer
darkness.
Again, these people are the children of pious fathers and mothers. There is
nothing touches a man’s heart, mark you, was always making some
disturbance whereverhe went. Once he went into a place of worship and no
one could keephim still. But a gentleman went up and said to him, “Jack, you
had a mother once.” With that the tears ran down his cheeks. Jacksaid, “Ha!
bless you, Sir, I had. And I brought her gray hairs with sorrow to the grave
and a pretty fellow I am to be here tonight.” He then satdown, quite sobered
and subdued by the very mention of his mother.
Ah, and there are some of you “children of the kingdom” who can remember
your mothers. Your mother took you on her knee and taught you early to
pray–your father tutored you in the ways of godliness. And yet you are here
tonight without grace in your heart–without hope of Heaven. You are going
downwards towards Hell as fast as your feet can carry you. There are some of
you who have brokenyour poor mother’s heart. Oh, if I could tell you what

she has suffered for you when you have at night been indulging in your sin. Do
you know what your guilt will be, you “children of the kingdom,” if you perish
after a pious mother’s prayers and tears have fallen upon you?
I can conceive ofno one entering Hell with a worse place than the man who
goes there with drops of his mother’s tears on his head and with his father’s
prayers following him at his heels. Some of you will inevitably endure this
doom. Some of you young men and women shall wake up one day and find
yourselves in outer darkness while your parents shall be up there in Heaven,
looking down upon you with upbraiding eyes, seeming to say, “What? After
all we did for you, all we said, are you come to this?” “Children of the
kingdom,” do not think that a pious mother can save you! Do not think
because your father was a member of such-and-such a church that his
godliness will save you!
I can suppose someone standing at Heaven’s gate and demanding, “Let me in!
Let me in!” What for? “Because my mother is in there.” Your mother had
nothing to do with you. If she was holy, she was holy for herself. If she was
evil, she was evil for herself. “But my grandfather prayed for me.” That is no
use–Didyou pray for yourself? “No. I did not.” Then grandfathers' prayers
and grandmothers' prayers and fathers' and mothers' prayers may be piled
on the top of one another till they reachthe stars but they never can make a
ladder for you to go to Heaven. You must seek Godfor yourself.
Or rather God must seek you. You must have vital experience of godliness in
your heart or else you are lost, even though all your friends were in Heaven.
That was a dreadful dream which a pious mother once had and told to her
children. She thought the Judgment Daywas come. The greatbooks were
opened. They all stoodbefore God. And Jesus Christ said, “Separate the chaff
from the wheat. Put the goats on the left hand and the sheepon the right.”
The mother dreamed that she and her children were standing just in the
middle of the great assembly. And the angelcame and said, “I must take the
mother–she is a sheep–she must go to the right hand. The children are goats–
they must go on the left.”
She thought as she went her children clutched her and said, “Mother, can we
part? Must we be separated?” She then put her arms around them and
seemedto say, “My children, I would, if possible, take you with me.” But in a
moment the angeltouched her–her cheeks were dried and, now, overcoming
natural affection, being rendered supernatural and sublime and resignedto
God’s will, she said, “My children, I taught you well, I trained you up and you
forsook the ways of God and now all I have to sayis, Amen to your

condemnation.” Thereupon they were snatchedawayand she saw them in
perpetual torment, while she was in Heaven.
Young man, what will you think, when the last day comes, to hear Christ say,
“Depart, you cursed”? And there will be a voice just behind him, saying,
Amen. And as you inquire from where came the voice–youwill find it was
your mother. Or, young woman, when you are castaway into outer darkness,
what will you think to hear a voice saying, Amen. And as you look, there sits
your father, his lips still moving with the solemn curse. “Ah, children of the
kingdom,” the penitent reprobates will enter Heaven, many of them.
Publicans and sinners will getthere. Repenting drunkards and swearers will
be saved. But many of “the children of the kingdom” will be castout. Oh, to
think that you who have been so well trained should be lostwhile many of the
worse will be saved!
It will be the Hell of Hells for you to look up and see there “poor Jack”the
drunkard lying in Abraham’s bosomwhile you who have had a pious mother
are castinto Hell simply because youwould not believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, but put His Gospelfrom you and lived and died without it! That were
the very sting of all, to see ourselves castaway, whenthe chief of sinners finds
salvation. Now listen to me a little while–I will not detain you long–while I
undertake the doleful task of telling you what is to become of these “children
of the kingdom.” Jesus Christ says, they are to be “castinto outer darkness,
where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
First, notice, they are to be castout. They are not said to go. But when they
come to Heaven’s gates they are to be castout. As soonas hypocrites arrive at
the gates ofHeaven, Justice will say, “There he comes!There he comes!He
spurned a father’s prayers and mockeda mother’s tears. He has forcedhis
way downward againstall the advantages mercy has supplied. And now, there
he comes. Gabriel, take the man.” The angel, binding you hand and foot,
holds you one single moment over the mouth of the chasm. He bids you look
down-down-down. There is no bottom–and you hear coming up from the
abyss, “sullen moans and hollow groans. And shrieks of tortured ghosts.”
You quiver, your bones melt like wax and your marrow quakes within you.
Where is now your might? And where your boasting and bragging? You
shriek and cry, you beg for mercy. But the angelwith one tremendous grasp,
seizes you fast and then hurls you down, with the cry, “Away, away!” And
down you go to the pit that is bottomless and roll foreverdownward-
downward-downward–neverto find a resting-place for the sole of your foot.
You shall be castout.

And where are you to be castto? You are to be cast“into outer darkness.”
You are to be put in the place where there will be no hope. For, by “light” in
Scripture, we understand “hope.” And you are to be put “into outer
darkness,” where there is no light–no hope. Is there a man here who has no
hope? I cannot suppose such a person. One of you, perhaps, says, “I am thirty
pounds in debt and shall be sold up by-and-by. But I have a hope that I may
get a loanand so escape my difficulty.” Says another, “My business is ruined,
but things may take a turn yet–I have a hope.” Says another, “I am in great
distress, but I hope that God will provide for me.”
Another says, “I am fifty pounds in debt. I am sorry for it–but I will set these
strong hands to work and do my best to get out of it.” One of you thinks a
friend is dying. But you have a hope that perhaps the fever may take a turn–
that he may yet live. But, in Hell there is no hope. They have not even the hope
of dying–the hope of being annihilated. They are forever–forever–foreverlost!
On every chain in Hell, there is written “forever.” The fires there blaze out
the words, “forever.” Up above their heads, they read, “forever.” Their eyes
are galledand their hearts are pained with the thought that it is “forever.”
Oh, if I could tell you tonight that Hell would one day be burned out and that
those who were lost might be saved there would be a jubilee in Hell at the very
thought of it. But it cannotbe–it is “forever.” Theyare “castinto outer
darkness.”
But I want to get overthis as quickly as I can, for who can bear to talk thus to
his fellow creatures? Whatis it that the lost are doing? They are “weeping
and gnashing their teeth.” Do you gnash your teeth now? You would not do it
exceptyou were in pain and agony. Well, in Hell there is always gnashing of
teeth. And do you know why? There is one gnashing his teeth at his
companion and mutters–“Iwas led into Hell by you. You led me astray, you
taught me to drink the first time.” And the other gnashes his teeth and says,
“What if I did, you made me worse than I should have been in after times.”
There is a child who looks ather mother and says, “Mother, you trained me
up to vice.” And the mother gnashes herteeth again at the child and says, “I
have no pity for you, for you excelledme in it and led me into deepersin.”
Fathers gnashtheir teeth at their sons and sons at their fathers. And,
methinks, if there are any who will have to gnash their teeth more than others,
it will be seducers, whenthey see those whom they have led from the paths of
virtue and hear them saying, “Ah, we are glad you are in Hell with us, you
deserve it, for you led us here.” Have any of you, tonight, upon your
consciencesthe factthat you have led others to the pit?

O may sovereigngrace forgive you. “We have gone astraylike lost sheep,”
said David. Now, a lostsheep never goes astrayalone if it is out of a flock. I
lately read of a sheep that leapedover the parapet of a bridge and was
followedby every one of the flock. So if one man goes astrayhe leads others
with him. Some of you will have to accountfor others' sins when you get to
Hell, as well as your own. Oh, what “weeping and gnashing of teeth” there will
be in that pit!
Now shut the black book. Who wants to say any more about it? I have warned
you solemnly. I have told you of the wrath to come. The evening darkens and
the sun is setting. Ah, and the evenings darken with some of you. I cansee
grayheadedmen here. Are your gray hairs a crown of glory or a fool’s capto
you? Are you on the very verge of Heaven, or are you tottering on the brink of
your grave and sinking down to perdition? Let me warn you, gray-headed
men. Your evening is coming. O poor tottering gray-head, will you take the
last step into the pit?
Let a young child step before you and beg you to consider. There is your staff–
it has nothing of earth to rest upon. And now, before you die, think about this
night. Let seventy years of sin start up. Let the ghosts ofyour forgotten
transgressions marchbefore your eyes. What will you do with seventy wasted
years to answerfor, with seventy years of criminality to bring before God?
God give you grace this night to repent and to put your trust in Jesus.
And you middle-aged men are not safe–the evening lowers with you, too. You
may soondie. A few mornings ago I was rousedearly from my bed by the
request that I would hasten to see a dying man. I hurried off with all speedto
see the poor creature. But when I reachedthe house he was dead–a corpse. As
I stoodin the room, I thought, “Ah, that man little thought he should die so
soon.” There were his wife and children and friends–they little thought he
should die, for he was hale, strong and hearty but a few days before. None of
you have a lease onyour lives. If you have, where is it? Go and see if you have
it anywhere in your chests athome. No! you may die tomorrow.
Let me therefore warn you by the mercy of God. Let me speak to you as a
brother may speak. ForI love you, you know I do and would press the matter
home to your hearts. Oh to be among the many who shall be acceptedin
Christ–how blessedthat will be! And God has said that whosoevershallcall
on His name shall be saved–He castsout none that come unto Him through
Christ.
And now, you youths and maidens, one word with you. Perhaps you think that
religion is not for you. “Let us be happy,” you say –“letus be merry and

joyous.” How long, young man, how long? “Till I am twenty-one.” Are you
sure that you will live till then? Let me tell you one thing. If you do live till
that time, if you have no heart for God now, you will have none then. Men do
not getbetter if left alone. It is with them as with a garden–ifyou let it alone
and permit weeds to grow, you will not expectto find it better in six months–
but worse.
Ah, men talk as if they could repent when they like. It is the work of God to
give us repentance. Some even say, “I shall turn to God on such-and-such a
day.” Ah, If you felt aright, you would say, “I must run to God and ask Him to
give me repentance now–lestI should die before I have found Jesus Christ my
Savior.”
Now one word in conclusion. I have told you of Heaven and Hell. What is the
way, then, to escape from Hell and to be found in Heaven? I will not tell you
my old tale againtonight. I recollectwhen I told it to you before a goodfriend
in the crowdsaid, “Tellus something fresh, old fellow.” Now really, in
preaching ten times a week, we cannotalways saythings fresh. You have
heard John Gough and you know he tells his tales overagain. I have nothing
but the old Gospel–“he that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” There is
nothing here of works. It does not say, “he who is a goodman shall be saved,”
but “he who believes and is baptized.”
Well what is it to believe? It is to put your trust entirely upon Jesus. Poor
Peteronce believed and Jesus Christ said to him, “Come on, Peter, walk to Me
on the water.” Peterwentstepping along on the tops of the wave without
sinking. But when he lookedat the waves, he beganto tremble and down he
went. Now, poorsinner, Christ says, “Come on, walk not in your sins, come to
Me.” And if you do, He will give you power. If you believe on Christ, you will
be able to walk overyour sins–to tread upon them and overcome them.
I can remember the time when my sins first stared me in the face. I thought
myself the most accursedof all men. I had not committed any very greatopen
transgressions againstGod. But It recollectedthat I had been well-trained and
tutored and I thought my sins were thus greaterthan other people’s. I cried to
God to have mercy, but I fearedthat He would not pardon me. Month after
month I cried to God, but He did not hear me and I knew not what it was to
be saved. Sometimes I was so wearyof the world that I desired to die–but then
I recollectedthatthere was a worse world after this and that it would be an ill
matter to rush before my Makerunprepared.
At times I wickedlythought God a most heartless tyrant, because He did not
answermy prayer and then, at others, I thought, “I deserve His displeasure. If

He sends me to Hell, He will be just.” But I remember the hour when I
stepped into a place of worship and saw a tall thin man step into the pulpit–I
have never seenhim from that day and probably never shall, till we meet in
Heaven. He opened the Bible and read with a feeble voice, “Look unto Me and
be you saved, all the ends of the earth. ForI am God and beside Him there is
none else.” Ah, thought I, I am one of the ends of the earth. And then, turning
round and fixing his gaze on me, as if he knew me, the minister said, “Look,
look, look.”
Why, I thought I had a greatdeal to DO, but I found it was only to LOOK. I
thought I had a garment to spin out for myself–but I found that if I looked
Christ would give me a garment. Look, sinner–that is to be saved. Look unto
Him all you ends of the earth and be saved. This is what the Jews did when
Moses heldup the brazen serpent. He said, “Look!” And they looked. The
serpents might be twisting round them and they might be nearly dead–but
they simply lookedand the moment they looked, the serpents dropped off and
they were healed.
Look to Jesus, sinner. “None but Jesus cando helpless sinners good.” There is
a hymn we often sing, but which I do not think is quite right, it says–
“Venture on Him, venture wholly;
Let no other trust intrude.”
Now, it is no venture to trust in Christ, not in the least. He who trusts in
Christ is quite secure. I recollectthat when dear John Hyatt was dying,
Matthew Wilks saidto him, in his usual tone, “Well, John, could you trust
your soul in the hands of Jesus Christ now?” “Yes,” saidhe, “a million! A
million souls!” I am sure that every Christian that has ever trusted in Christ
can say“Amen” to that. Trust in Him. He will never deceive you. My blessed
Masterwill never castyou away.
I cannot speak much longer and I have only to thank you for your kindness. I
never saw so large a number so still and quiet. I really think after all the hard
things that have been said that the Englishpeople know who loves them–and
that they will stand by the man who stands by them. I thank every one of you
and above all, I beg you, if there is any reasonor sense in what I have said,
think about what you are and may the blessedSpirit reveal to you your state!
May He show you that you are dead, that you are lost–ruined. May He make
you feelwhat a dreadful thing it would be to sink into Hell!
May He point you to Heaven! May He take you as the angeldid of old and put
His hand upon you and say, “Flee!flee! flee! Look to the mountain! Look not

behind you! Stay not in all the plain.” And may we all meet in Heaven at last.
And there we shall be happy forever.
P.S. This sermon was wateredby many prayers of the faithful in Zion. The
preacherdid not intend it for publication, but seeing that it is now in print he
will not apologize for its faulty compositionor rambling style. Instead thereof,
he would beg the prayers of his readers that this feeble sermon may all the
more exalt the honor of God by the salvation of many who shall read it. “The
excellencyof the power is of God and not of man.”
BRUCE HURT
Matthew 8:11 "I say to you that many will come from eastand west, and
recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac andJacobin the kingdom of heaven;
NET Matthew 8:11 I tell you, many will come from the eastand westto
share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobin the kingdom of
heaven,
GNT Matthew 8:11 λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶνκαὶ δυσμῶν
ἥξουσιν καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐν τῇ
βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν,
NLT Matthew 8:11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come
from all over the world-- from eastand west-- and sit down with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobatthe feastin the Kingdom of Heaven.
KJV Matthew 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the
eastand west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,
in the kingdom of heaven.
ESV Matthew 8:11 I tell you, many will come from eastand westand
recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobin the kingdom of
heaven,
NIV Matthew 8:11 I say to you that many will come from the eastand
the west, and will take their places atthe feastwith Abraham, Isaac and
Jacobin the kingdom of heaven.
ASV Matthew 8:11 And I say unto you, that many shall come from the
eastand the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:

CSB Matthew 8:11 I tell you that many will come from eastand west,
and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobin the kingdom
of heaven.
NKJ Matthew 8:11 "And I say to you that many will come from east
and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, andJacobin the kingdom
of heaven.
NRS Matthew 8:11 I tell you, many will come from eastand westand
will eatwith Abraham and Isaac and Jacobin the kingdom of heaven,
YLT Matthew 8:11 and I say to you, that many from eastand westshall
come and recline (at meat) with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the
reign of the heavens,
• That many - Mt 24:31 Ge 12:3 Ge 22:18 Ge 28:14 Ge 49:10 Ps 22:27
98:3 Isa 2:2,3 11:10 Isa 49:6 52:10 60:1-6 Jer 16:19 Da 2:44 Mic 4:1,2
Zec 8:20-23 Mal1:11 Lu 13:29 14:23,24 Acts 10:45 Acts 11:18 Acts
14:27 Ro 15:9-13 Ga 3:28,29 Eph 2:11-14 3:6 Col3:11 Rev 7:6
• recline Lk 12:37 Lk 13:29 Lk 16:22 Rev 3:20,21
• in the kingdom of heaven- Mt 3:2 Lu 13:28 Ac 14:22 1Co 6:9 15:20 2Th
1:5
• Matthew 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
JEWS AND GENTILES
DINING TOGETHER!
I say to you that many will come from eastand west - So here was another
miracle in Capernaum! Probably no city in Israelsaw as many miracles which
probably accounts for Jesus words of warning in Matthew 11:23 in which He
declared"And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You
will descendto Hades; for if the miracles had occurredin Sodom which
occurredin you, it would have remained to this day." And not only that but
because ofthe "greaterlight" in Capernaum Jesus addedthere would be a
greaterdegree ofpunishment declaring "“NeverthelessI say to you that it will
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for
you.” (Mt 11:24)
In the context of the centurion, a Gentile who displayed greatfaith, the many
obviously will include Gentiles as well as Jews. The many are "His elect(JEW
AND GENTILE)from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other."
(Mt 24:31)Indeed Micah's prophecy declares that "it will come about in the
last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD will be establishedas
the chief of the mountains (SPEAKING OF ISRAEL AND THE HOLY

CITY, THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING). It will be raisedabove the hills,
and the peoples will stream to it. Many nations (GENTILES)will come and
say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of
the Godof Jacob, ThatHe may teachus about His ways And that we may
walk in His paths.” For from Zion (THE HOLY CITY) will go forth the law,
Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Micah4:1-2HYPERLINK
"/micah_4_commentary#4:1"+, cfIsaiah2:1-2HYPERLINK
"https://www.preceptaustin.org/isaiah_21-4_commentary"+)
East(395)(anatole fromana = up, again+ tello = to make to rise) means
rising (as of a star or the sun). In some contextanatole refestto the
rising of the sun or "breaking of the dawn" which means Eastor Orient
(used with this meaning especiallyin the Lxx - Ge 2:8, 10:30, 11:2, 12:8;
used of the Magifrom the eastwho saw the starin the east - Mt 2:1, 2,
9HYPERLINK "/matthew-2-commentary#2:1"+,those who come into
God's kingdom will be from "eastand west" = Mt 8:11, Lk
13:29HYPERLINK"/luke-13-commentary#13:29"+,"lightning comes
from the east" = Mt 24:27). Here Luke is using anatole to refer to the
coming of Christ. John uses anatole to describe the "angel ascending
from the rising of the sun." (Rev 7:2HYPERLINK
"http://www.spiritandtruth.org/id/revc.htm?7:2"+), to describe "kings
from the east" as they assemble atArmageddon (Rev
16:12HYPERLINK
"http://www.spiritandtruth.org/id/revc.htm?16:12"+), and lastly to
describe the "three gates on the east" of the holy city of Jerusalemthat
will come down out of heaven from God (Rev 21:13HYPERLINK
"http://www.spiritandtruth.org/id/revc.htm?21:13"+). Anatole - 11x in
11v - Mt. 2:1; Mt. 2:2; Mt. 2:9; Mt. 8:11; Mt. 24:27;Mk. 16:8; Lk. 1:78;
Lk. 13:29; Rev. 7:2; Rev. 16:12; Rev. 21:13
And recline at the table - Recline at the table is a phrase reflects standard
Jewishimage of future banquet in God’s kingdom. Although the Bible
declaredthat it was for all peoples (Isa 25:6). People were seatedatbanquets
according to rank. They “sat” atregular meals but “reclined” at feasts;table
fellowship signified intimacy, so fellowshipwith the greatpatriarchs was
thought to represent a future hope for the Jewishpeople, not for Gentiles,
with whom Jewishpeople did not eat. Recline at table on couches as Jews and
Romans did. Hence Leonardo da Vinci's famous picture of the Last Supper is
an anachronism with all seatedat table in modern style. The Jews were
accustomedto speak to the delights of the Messiah's kingdomas a feastwith

the patriarchs. The language implies intimate domestic intercourse and
fellowship.
NET Note on recline at the table - as 1st century middle easternmeals
were not eatenwhile sitting at a table, but while reclining on one's side
on the floor with the head closestto the low table and the feet farthest
away. The word "banquet" has been supplied (Mt 8:11NET)to clarify
for the modern reader the festive nature of the imagery. The banquet
imagery is a way to describe the fellowshipand celebrationof being
among the people of God at the end. (ED: If this does not generate a
"Glory! Hallelujah!" from deep in your being, I don't know what will!)
Luke refers to this future reclining at the table
“Blessedare those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when
he comes;truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have
them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.(Lk
12:37HYPERLINK"/luke-12-commentary#12:37"+)
COMMENT -This is an amazing verse. Who is the one who will gird
himself? This speaks ofthe Messiah.
And they will come from eastand westand from north and south, and
will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.(Lk 13:29HYPERLINK
"/luke-13-commentary#13:29"+)
With Abraham, Isaac and Jacobin the kingdom of heaven in the kingdom of
heaven - Gentiles reclining at the table with Jews!And not just with any Jews
but with the greatpatriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!This would border
on almost blasphemous to ears of Jewishhearers!Indeed, Jesus’words to
those Capernaum Jews were startling in the extreme. What He said utterly
contradictedeverything taught by their rabbis. The twenty-ninth chapter of
the apocryphal book of SecondBaruchpictures what Jews believedwould be
the greatheavenly feastat which all Jews were going to sit down and eat
behemoth, the elephant, and leviathan, the giant sea monster, or whale-
symbolic of an unlimited amount of food. In the eyes of many Jews, one of the
most significant and appealing things about the feastwas that it would be
totally free of Gentiles. How deceivedand misconceivedthey were! And sadly
still are for the most part.
David Guzik has some excellentthoughts on this section -

i. This was a radical idea to many of the Jewishpeople in Jesus’day; they
assumedthat this greatMessianic Banquetwould have no Gentiles, and that
all Jews would be there. Jesus correctedboth mistakenideas.
ii. These few words of Jesus tell us a little something of what heaven is like.
• It is a place of rest; we sit down in heaven.
• It is a place of goodcompany to sit with; we enjoy the friendship of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobin heaven.
• It is a place with many people;Jesus said that many will come into
heaven.
• It is a place with people from all over the earth; from eastand westthey
will come to heaven.
• It is a certain place;Jesus saidmany will come, and when Jesus says it
will happen, it will happen.
iii. “But ye shall hear those loved voices again;ye shall hear those sweetvoices
once more, ye shall yet know that those whom ye loved have been loved by
God. Would not that be a dreary heavenfor us to inhabit, where we should be
alike unknowing and unknown? I would not care to go to such a heaven as
that. I believe that heaven is a fellowshipof the saints, and that we shall know
one another there.” (Spurgeon) (Matthew 8 Commentary)
Alfred Edersheim(Messianic Jewishauthor) gives us some backgroundon
Jesus insertionof this illustration of a great feastwhich is not found in the
parallel accountin the more "Gentile oriented" Gospelof Luke -
For the fuller understanding of the words of Christ, the Jewishmodes of
thought, which He used in illustration, require to be briefly explained. It
was a common belief, that in the day of the MessiahredeemedIsrael
would be gatheredto a greatfeast, togetherwith the patriarchs and
heroes of the Jewishfaith. This notion, which was but a coarselyliteral
application of such prophetic figures as in Is. 25:6, had perhaps yet
another and deepermeaning. As eachweeklySabbathwas to be
honoured by a feast, in which the best which the family could procure
was to be placed on the board, so would the world’s greatSabbath be
marked by a feastin which the GreatHouseholder, Israel’s King, would
entertain His household and guests. Into the painfully, and, from the
notions of the times, grosslyrealistic description of this feast, it is
needless here to enter. One thing, however, was clear:Gentiles could
have no part in that feast. In fact, the shame and angerof ‘these’ foes on

seeing the ‘table spread’ for this Jewishfeastwas among the points
speciallynoticed as fulfilling the predictions of Ps. 23:5. On this point,
then, the words of Jesus in reference to the believing Centurion formed
the most marked contrastto Jewishteaching.
In another respectalso we mark similar contrariety. When our Lord
consignedthe unbelieving to ‘outer darkness, where there is weeping
and gnashing of teeth,’ he once more used Jewishlanguage, onlywith
opposite application of it. Gehinnom—of which the entrance, marked
by ever-ascending smoke, was in the valley of Hinnom, betweentwo
palm trees—laybeyond ‘the mountains of darkness.’c It was a place of
darkness, to which, in the day of the Lord,e the Gentiles would be
consigned. On the other hand, the merit of circumcision would in the
day of the Messiahdeliver Jewishsinners from Gehinnom.g It seems a
moot question, whether the expression‘outer darkness’2 may not have
been intended to designate—besidesthe darkness outside the lighted
house of the Father, and even beyond the darkness ofGehinnom—a
place of hopeless, endless night. Associatedwith it is ‘the weeping and
the gnashing of teeth.’ In Rabbinic thought the former was connected
with sorrow,4 the latter almost always with anger—not, as generally
supposed, with anguish.
To complete our apprehension of the contrastbetweenthe views of the
Jews and the teaching of Jesus, we must bear in mind that, as the
Gentiles could not possibly share in the feastof the Messiah, so Israel
had claim and title to it. To use Rabbinic terms, the former were
‘children of Gehinnom,’ but Israel‘children of the Kingdom,’ or, in
strictly Rabbinic language, ‘royalchildren,’b ‘children of God,’ ‘of
heaven,’ ‘children of the upper chamber’ (the Aliyah) and ‘of the world
to come.’e In fact, in their view, God had first satdown on His throne as
King, when the hymn of deliverance (Ex. 15:1) was raisedby Israel—
the people which took upon itself that yoke of the Law which all other
nations of the world had rejected.
Never, surely, could the Judaism of His hearers have receivedmore
rude shock than by this inversion of all their cherished beliefs. There
was a feastof Messianic fellowship, a recognitionon the part of the King
of all His faithful subjects, a joyous festive gathering with the fathers of
the faith. But this fellowshipwas not of outward, but of spiritual
kinship. There were ‘children of the Kingdom,’ and there was an ‘outer
darkness’with its anguish and despair. But this childship was of the
Kingdom, such as He had openedit to all believers;and that outer

darkness theirs, who had only outward claims to present. And so this
history of the believing Centurion is at the same time an application of
the ‘Sermon on the Mount’—in this also aptly following the order of its
record—anda further carrying out of its teaching. Negatively, it
differentiated the Kingdom from Israel;while, positively, it placed the
hope of Israel, and fellowship with its promises, within reach of all faith,
whether of Jew or Gentile. He Who taught such new and strange truth
could never be calleda mere reformer of Judaism. There cannot be
‘reform,’ where all the fundamental principles are different. Surely He
was the Son of God, the Messiahof men, Who, in such surrounding,
could so speak to Jew and Gentile of God and His Kingdom. And surely
also, He, Who could so bring spiritual life to the dead, could have no
difficulty by the same word, ‘in the self-same hour,’ to restore life and
health to the servant of him, whose faith had inherited the Kingdom.
The first graftedtree of heathendom that had so blossomedcouldnot
shake off unripe fruit. If the teaching of Christ was new and was true, so
must His work have been. And in this lies the highestvindication of this
miracle,—thatHe is the Miracle. (Life and Times of the Messiah)
MARRIAGE CUSTOM IN BIBLE TIMES:
1). The father chose the bride for his son (Eph 1:4).
2). A binding wedding agreement, the bethrothal, was made before the
marriage was consummated. (2 Cor11:2,3,4).Tobreak that covenant, a bill of
divorcement was required. If impurity (any unfaithfulness was considered
adultery) was found in the bride, then the bride could be put to death.
3). At the appointed time for the marriage, the ceremonies beganwith the
wedding procession, whichusually took place near midnight. (2 Thes 4:13,14-
18).
4).The BRIDEGROOM andhis friends went to the bride's home to gether
and her attendants and take them to his home. (Mt 25:1-13). Bride is taken to
the father's home, led to a canopy and beside her husband spoke the wedding
vows. (Rev 19:7-8).
6). THE MARRIAGE SUPPER followed(Mt 22:1-14)usually at the home of
the groomand lastedfrom 3-7 days, the last day being the most elaborate. The
MARRIAGE SUPPER was the ''bringing home'' of an already accredited
bride to her covenantedhusband, to which guests were invited. Blessedare
those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb'' (Rev 19:9).

Abraham, Isaac & Jacobprobably are ''those who are invited" (Mt
8:10,11,12). Possiblyall who enter the 1000 yearreign of Christ are guest.
Matthew 8:12 but the sons of the kingdom will be castout into the outer
darkness;in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
• the sons - Mt 3:9,10 7:22,23 21:43 Ac 3:25 Ro 9:4
• be cast- Mt 13:42,5022:12,1324:51 25:30 Lu 13:28 2Pe 2:4,17 Jude
1:13
• Matthew 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
THE DREADFUL DOOM
FOR ALL SELF-RIGHTEOUS SOULS
France rightly remarks “There could hardly be a more radical statement of
the change in God’s plan of salvationinaugurated by the missionof Jesus.”
But the sons of the kingdom - Jesus has just commended the greatfaith of the
Roman centurion, a Gentile, who came seeking healing for his servant. The
sons of the kingdom, in context, refers to UNREPENTANTJEWS who
thought that their ancestryautomaticallyentitled them to the kingdom of God
(see John 8:31-59). Jesus is using the term sons of the kingdom to describe
what their (THE JEWS)"potential destiny" could have been had they chosen
to believe in the King of that Kingdom! In reality, however, they were not
genuine children of the King or His Kingdom, John explaining that "He came
to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as
receivedHim, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to
those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of
the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jn 1:11-13HYPERLINK"/john-
1-commentary#1:11"+,cfMt 7:21-23;13:38;Luke 13:22-30)Those who come
from the eastand west(Mt 8:11) is a reference to those Gentiles who exercise
personalfaith in Jesus Christ. The Jews thought that they were assuredof
specialfavor by God, but the Lord reminded them that they could be "last" in
the kingdom of God while those who thought themselves "last," suchas
publicans and prostitutes (AND EVEN THIS ROMAN CENTURION WHO
CONSIDERED HIMSELF NOT "WORTHY!"), would be "first" if they
exercisedfaith in Him for Jesus declared"Truly I say to you (SPEAKING TO
JEWISHRELIGIOUS LEADERS - Mt 21:23) that the tax collectorsand
prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you." (Mt 21:31).
Furthermore, the UNREPENTANT JEWSwouldbe castout because oftheir
hypocritical claim that they were the children and followers ofAbraham
declaring to Jesus “Abraham is our father.” To which Jesus responded“If
you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. (Jn 8: 39) Abraham

Jesus was promising a heaven and hell

Jesus was promising a heaven and hell

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was promising a heaven and hell

Similar to Jesus was promising a heaven and hell (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Jesus was promising a heaven and hell