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Response
On various occasions, Jesus mentions hell as a place where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). This combination of weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell illustrates the indescribable torment of those who will be forever separated from God.
In the Bible, both “weeping” and “gnashing of teeth” symbolize physical and spiritual suffering. When Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were exiled from their land, the people wept in distress (Isaiah 22:12; Lamentations 1:2, 16; 2:11). In the New Testament, James cautioned the wealthy oppressors to get ready for God’s judgment, urging them to “weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you” «Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. », (James 5:1). Gnashing (or “grinding”) of teeth is also found throughout the Bible, always portraying individuals in moments of intense, furious torment and frustration (Psalm 37:12; Lamentations 2:16; Acts 7:54).
Every time Jesus uses the phrase weeping and gnashing of teeth, He links it to someone realizing painfully that they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 8:12, it is the Jewish people rejecting Christ’s salvation; in Matthew 13:36–43, it is the enemies of God; in Matthew 13:47–52, it is the wicked; in Matthew 22:1–14, it is all who decline Christ’s invitation; in Matthew 24:48–51, it is the evil and disobedient.
diligent servant; and in Matthew 25:14–30, it is the unprofitable, faithless servant.
Long before Jesus spoke about weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell, the psalmist depicted an end-of-the-world scene of the wicked witnessing the joyful fate of the righteous (Psalm 112:1-9) while grinding their teeth in anger «The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: The desire of the wicked shall perish.», (Psalm 112:10). There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell because the unredeemed will finally see and comprehend all that they have forfeited.
Similarly, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell because it is a place of everlasting punishment «Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. », (Jude 1:7). Hell was originally prepared for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41;2 Peter 2:4;Revelation 20:1-3, 10), but it is also for individuals who opt to reject the Lord (Matthew 13:40-42;Mark 9:42-48;Romans 2:8;Hebrews 10:26-29;2 Peter 3:7;Revelation 20:15;Revelation 21:8).
Since God is a God of love (1 John 4:7-8), He desires everyone to comprehend the truth about hell. Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, God offers us eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.(Matthew 4:17; Matthew 25:31-34; John 3:16-18). If we reject His offer, the alternative is hell. Scripture is clear—hell is a reality not to be taken lightly or ignored. Judgment and punishment in hell are expressed in the Bible as “God’s wrath” (John 3:36; Deuteronomy 32:22; Zephaniah 1:18; Romans 2:5), “torment” (Luke 16:23-24; Revelation 14:11; Revelation 20:10), “destruction” and “corruption” (Psalm 55:23; Romans 9:22; Philippians 3:18-19; Galatians 6:8; 2 Peter 1:4), and “eternal” and “unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12; Hebrews 10:27; Revelation 19:20). Scripture also emphasizes the extreme isolation of hell, referring to it as “blackest darkness” (Jude 1:6, 13; 2 Peter 2:17), “the Abyss” (Revelation 9:1-2), and “death” (John 8:21; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:26; 1 Corinthians 15:54-55; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8).
Perhaps the most distressing aspect of hell is that it means total and eternal separation from God «And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. », (Matthew 7:23). The apostle Paul describes the Lord’s judgment as coming “in flaming fire . . . on those who do not know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9;NLT).
The finality of hell is cause for anguish and torment, for there will be no escape for those who find themselves there (Luke 16:26 Hebrews 6:4-6;10:26-27). In the endless absence of God’s love, light, peace, and joy, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But for all who enter God’s eternal dwelling, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain” «And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. », (Revelation 21:4, NLT).
