Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

by Edwin Crozier

Once again, Jesus brings up punishment in Luke 13:22-30. But notice first, in this parable, the anger is not that of temper-tantrum throwing tyrant who beats people for breaking his rules–its not that anywhere in the Bible, by the way. Rather, this is the King who held a door open and invited people in. He gave them time. He gave them directions. But they ignored Him. They didn’t like the gate He invited them through. They didn’t like the path He instructed. They walked their own path and tried to open their own gate.

Eventually, He closed the gate He was holding open. Then they started lining up, begging to get in. They try to convince Him they deserve entrance. “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” It never occurs to them that they are offering the very reason the gate should not now be opened. They heard Him. They saw Him. They knew the path He directed and the gate through which He invited them. But they refused to take Him up on it.
He says, “Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” And then He explains, “In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out” (Luke 13:28 ESV).

I once heard R.C. Sproul (usual caveats apply) explain this passage. He pointed out that it demonstrates the two kinds of people enduring the eternal punishment outside of God’s kingdom. I think he was on to something with this one.

There will be those who weep. That is, they will mourn. They will be sad. They are likely sad because they realize their own part in missing the kingdom. They will mourn the loss as they experience the torment of that loss. They will know it could have been different, and they can only blame themselves. They will mourn their choices. They will weep for the times they walked their own way and tried to make their own doors. They will know they are receiving what they deserve because they didn’t listen to the invitation.

However, some will also gnash their teeth. We only read about gnashing of teeth in two contexts in Scripture. Most of the time, it is in the very context we are discussing here–the gnashing of teeth while in eternal torment (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). The other context is Acts 7:54. There, the Jews were enraged at Stephen for his preaching and “ground their teeth at him” (ESV). That is the gnashing of teeth. It accompanies anger and rage. Some will refuse to enter the kingdom while the gate is open, but when the gate closes, they still won’t understand. They will be enraged. They will be certain they deserve to be in the kingdom, and they will spend their torment in continued rebellion against God and His will. They will shout curses and gnash their teeth. But their rage will not open the gate.

I doubt one of these is better off than the other. I don’t want to be either. I want to be one of those who walked the difficult path and entered through the narrow door while it was still open. I want to be with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets in the kingdom of God. I want to be among those who come from east, west, north, and south and recline at the table in the kingdom of God. Whether I’m first or last to enter, I want in. And I don’t want to wait.