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| 14th century fresco in the Narthex of the Church of Panagia Forviotissa (more popularly known as Panagia Asinou) in Cyprus |
"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:49-50).
"For whereas He Himself is the sower, and that of His own field, and out of His own kingdom He gathers, it is quite clear that the present world also is His. But mark His unspeakable love to man, and His leaning to bounty, and His disinclination to punishment; in that, when He sows, He sows in His own person, but when He punishes, it is by others, that is, by the angels... For lest, on being told, 'They cast the bad away,' you should suppose that ruin to be without danger; by His interpretation He signified the punishment, saying, 'They will cast them into the furnace.' And He declared the gnashing of teeth, and the anguish, that it is unspeakable" (St. John Chrysostom)
"For whereas He Himself is the sower, and that of His own field, and out of His own kingdom He gathers, it is quite clear that the present world also is His. But mark His unspeakable love to man, and His leaning to bounty, and His disinclination to punishment; in that, when He sows, He sows in His own person, but when He punishes, it is by others, that is, by the angels... For lest, on being told, 'They cast the bad away,' you should suppose that ruin to be without danger; by His interpretation He signified the punishment, saying, 'They will cast them into the furnace.' And He declared the gnashing of teeth, and the anguish, that it is unspeakable" (St. John Chrysostom)
Jesus’ first reference to wailing and gnashing of teeth comes in Matthew 8:12
where He compares the kingdom of heaven to a feast where “many” come
from all parts of the world to “recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.” The others, however, are thrown into “outer darkness” where
there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. In His parable of the weeds
sown in the field, Jesus again describes the fate of those who reject
Him, this time adding to the description “the fiery furnace” into which
they will be cast (Matthew 13:41–42).
The story of the guest who comes to the wedding feast of the Lamb
without the proper clothing is cast into outer darkness where there is
wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:11–13), as is the wicked servant described in Matthew 24:44–51 and the worthless servant in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30).
All these references to wailing and gnashing of teeth have one thing in common—the undeniable fact that those who do not belong to Christ will suffer a terrible fate, while His children will enjoy bliss in heaven with Him forever. Hell will be a place of anguish, remorse, pain, and misery. Heaven will be a place where God eventually “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4). The misery that causes the gnashing of teeth will be unknown in heaven, and there will be no weeping, no wailing, and no tears.
All these references to wailing and gnashing of teeth have one thing in common—the undeniable fact that those who do not belong to Christ will suffer a terrible fate, while His children will enjoy bliss in heaven with Him forever. Hell will be a place of anguish, remorse, pain, and misery. Heaven will be a place where God eventually “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4). The misery that causes the gnashing of teeth will be unknown in heaven, and there will be no weeping, no wailing, and no tears.
