What does the bible mean by "the weeping and gnashing of teeth?"
Luke 13:28
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Again, like any other passage of scripture, the immediate context is most important to understanding the verse, so what is the context of this verse?
Luke 13:23-29
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, [To be saved in that program, a Jew had to work so as to make it into His earthly kingdom.]. Strive [Israel’s program is that of faith plus works] to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
So we see that in the context, our Lord is dealing with the fact that few men there in Israel would be saved! To be saved in that program, you must make it into his earthly kingdom!
The Lord mentions this "strait gate" before, and he contrasts it to the "wide gate" that leads to destruction.
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
So we see that the strait gate leadeth to life (that is, “life” is always in his earthly kingdom in the gospels), and therefore, the wide gate leadeth to destruction, that is, you will not get into his kingdom. Those who do not get into the kingdom go to hell!
Matthew 25:34, 41
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
So back to Luke 13...
Luke 13:23-29
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
So these workers of iniquity will not enter into His kingdom, but will go to the same place that those in Matthew 25 who were rejected by Him, and, that is, to that everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels or hell!
But before these people (unbelieving Jews who claimed to be believers but were not, and that are still alive at his 2nd Coming) are cast into hell. They will actually see God judge and give the kingdom to the believers like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is at this time, when they see others get in, and they cast away, that they will cry uncontrollably and be in such anguish at their impending doom that they gnash on their teeth!
Hopefully this helps!
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