The first couple verses of Matthew 13, loosely paraphrased, say, Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. So great a crowd began gathering that he got in a boat so that he could preach to all the people on shore.
The rest of the chapter covers several parables and explanations. The relevant ones for this study on what Jesus said about Hell are:
verses 40-42
40 “So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
and verses 49-50
49 “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The ‘furnace of fire’ here is translated from the Greek word used for an oven or kiln, and it is being used as a symbol for divine judgment. Bible commentators split over the meaning of “gnashing of teeth.” Some see it as paired with weeping, so the wicked are gnashing of teeth because of the futility of the situation. Others contrast it with weeping and see a motivation of rage.
The Parable of the Tares offers us a bonus here in that, not only did Jesus tell the parable, He also interpreted it. Had he just told the parable, interpreting the furnace as strictly figurative might be justified. Certainly it would be hard to argue that that the furnace cannot be metaphorical. But Jesus’ own interpretation of his parable treats the fiery place that where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth just as literally as it treats angels.
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