In Matthew 8:11-12 it says that many shall come from the east and west , with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. Then in verse 12 it says that the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. What am I missing?
Q. I’ve started a study on the Kingdom of heaven and I’ve run across something I’m not sure about.
In Matthew 8:11-12 it says that many shall come from the east and west , with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. Then in verse 12 it says that the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then I went to Matt.13 in explaining the parable of the tares and wheat, in vs.37 -38 it says that the good seed are “the children of the kingdom; which the Son of Man sowed.
Comparing these passages it seems as if “the children of the kingdom” are cast out into darkness and yet in the other passage “the children of the kingdom” are the good seed sown by the Lord.
They are called the same thing yet surely there is a difference as they have different destinations. What am I missing?
A. In Matt. 8:11-12 Jesus was talking to Jews about the faith of the Centurion, a Gentile, saying He had never seen faith like that in Israel.
When He said that many would come from the east and west, He was talking about Gentiles who would come into the Kingdom through their faith in the Lord’s death on the cross. It was a prophecy of the Church.
The children of the Kingdom are Jews. Israel was called God’s Kingdom since He was their King. Their forefathers had seen the mighty works of God for centuries so they should have had more faith than anyone, but will be excluded for lack of it. His point was that entrance into the Kingdom is by faith alone, and is not a birthright.
In Matt. 13 the phrase children of the Kingdom is used in a different context to distinguish believers from unbelievers, who are called the children of the wicked one.
The Greek word translated children in both passages can mean everything from an offspring to a descendant to a follower or pupil.
Q. I’ve started a study on the Kingdom of heaven and I’ve run across something I’m not sure about.
In Matthew 8:11-12 it says that many shall come from the east and west , with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. Then in verse 12 it says that the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then I went to Matt.13 in explaining the parable of the tares and wheat, in vs.37 -38 it says that the good seed are “the children of the kingdom; which the Son of Man sowed.
Comparing these passages it seems as if “the children of the kingdom” are cast out into darkness and yet in the other passage “the children of the kingdom” are the good seed sown by the Lord.
They are called the same thing yet surely there is a difference as they have different destinations. What am I missing?
A. In Matt. 8:11-12 Jesus was talking to Jews about the faith of the Centurion, a Gentile, saying He had never seen faith like that in Israel.
When He said that many would come from the east and west, He was talking about Gentiles who would come into the Kingdom through their faith in the Lord’s death on the cross. It was a prophecy of the Church.
The children of the Kingdom are Jews. Israel was called God’s Kingdom since He was their King. Their forefathers had seen the mighty works of God for centuries so they should have had more faith than anyone, but will be excluded for lack of it. His point was that entrance into the Kingdom is by faith alone, and is not a birthright.
In Matt. 13 the phrase children of the Kingdom is used in a different context to distinguish believers from unbelievers, who are called the children of the wicked one.
The Greek word translated children in both passages can mean everything from an offspring to a descendant to a follower or pupil.
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