Will there really be gnashing of the teeth?

The answer is yes and no. Yes because Jesus said so himself. No because the lake of fire is the second death/everlasting death.  

In the accounts where the phrase "weeping and gnashing of the teeth" is used Jesus is shown to be giving illustrations

Matthew 13:36"Then after dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples came to him and said: “Explain to us the illustration of the weeds in the field.”

Matthew 13:40 "Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things."

Matthew 13:53 "When Jesus had finished these illustrations, he departed from there."

Matthew 13:50"and will cast them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be. 

Matthew 13:53 "When Jesus had finished these illustrations, he departed from there."

Matthew 13:51"“Did you get the sense of all these things?” They said to him: “Yes."[Jesus asked them if they understood his illustrations]

Matthew 13:53 "When Jesus had finished these illustrations, he departed from there."

So what really is the weeping and gnashing of the teeth?

In a nutshell, weeping and gnashing in this case represents the condition of those who lost out on a valuable gift or something of importance, which is accompanied by grief and frustration(except you don't have emotions when you're dead).Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6,.. Imagine you are going to an amusement park tomorrow, you leave at 10 in the morning. All you have to do is wake up early enough to catch a ride with your friends. The previous night, you decide you're gonna stay up late to watch a series of YouTube videos. Since you went to bed late, you end up waking up late and miss your ride. At home is where your weeping and gnashing of the teeth will be.

Remember that there was a Parable about a Marriage Feast that was the source of the phrase weeping and gnashing of the teeth. Also another similar parable about  Master trusting his employees with money. To read these parables, scroll to the bottom of this page. 

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Matthew 22:1-14
1. Once more Jesus spoke to them with illustrations, saying:2  “The Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to a king who made a marriage feast for his son. 3  And he sent his slaves to call those invited to the marriage feast, but they were unwilling to come. 4  Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Look! I have prepared my dinner, my bulls and fattened animals are slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the marriage feast.”’ 5  But unconcerned they went off, one to his own field, another to his business; 6  but the rest, seizing his slaves, treated them insolently and killed them.7  “The king grew wrathful and sent his armies and killed those murderers and burned their city. 8  Then he said to his slaves, ‘The marriage feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.9  Therefore, go to the roads leading out of the city, and invite anyone you find to the marriage feast.’ 10  Accordingly, those slaves went out to the roads and gathered all they found, both wicked and good; and the room for the wedding ceremonies was filled with those dining.11  “When the king came in to inspect the guests, he caught sight of a man not wearing a marriage garment. 12  So he said to him, ‘Fellow, how did you get in here without a marriage garment?’ He was speechless. 13  Then the king said to his servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.’14  “For there are many invited, but few chosen.”

Matthew 25:14-30

For it is just like a man about to travel abroad who summoned his slaves and entrusted his belongings to them.i15 He gave five talentsa to one, two to another, and one to still another, to each according to his own ability, and he went abroad. 16 Immediately the one who received the five talents went and did business with them and gained five more.17 Likewise, the one who received the two gained two more.18 But the slave who received just one went off and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.a

19 “After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.j 20 So the one who had received the five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.’k 21 His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things.l Enter into the joy of your master.’m 22 Next the one who had received the two talents came forward and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I gained two talents more.’n 23 His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’

24 “Finally the slave who had received the one talent came forward and said: ‘Master, I knew you to be a demanding man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not winnow.o 25 So I grew afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 In reply his master said to him: ‘Wicked and sluggish slave, you knew, did you, that I reaped where I did not sow and gathered where I did not winnow? 27 Well, then, you should have deposited my moneya with the bankers, and on my coming I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘Therefore, take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.p 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.q 30 And throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness outside. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.’

Explanation of the phrase "Where the maggot dies not"

Mark 9:47,48 "And if your eye makes you stumble, throw it away. It is better for you to enter one-eyed into the Kingdom of God than to be thrown with two eyes into Ge·hen′na, 48  where the maggot does not die and the fire is not put out."

One problem with taking this verse literally, is now the worms have joined the wicked and are partaking in this eternal torture. Fortunately we have a parallel bible verse which seems to give us the meaning of worms not dying

Isaiah 66:24"And they will go out and look on the carcasses of the men who rebelled against me; For the worms on them will not die, And their fire will not be extinguished, And they will become something repulsive to all people."

Here we see that the maggots that do not die, are referred to being on carcasses. When flys lay eggs on carcasses, the maggots born from the eggs begin eating away at the rotting/decomposing flesh. So if the maggots never die, they would have an infinite supply of rotting/decomposing flesh at their disposal. In the sense of the lake of fire, the maggots will figuratively feed on the dead bodies forever.

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Reasons Why a Literal Hell makes no sense.

The teaching of literal hellfire is a fear mechanism, nothing else. What better way than to snare someone to whatever you have to say than to tell them they will be punished for not doing this or that.

#1. Humans live for around 70-80 years old. Let's say that in this lifetime, you didn't  murder, but you were selfish, greedy and fornicated. Why would God make you suffer for eternity for the things you did in a relatively short period of time? Even the Old covenant law "tooth for tooth, wound for wound" would sound like childsplay in comparison

#2. Jehovah has no reason to torture imperfect humans. God intended for the meek to inherit the earth. He has absolutely nothing to benefit by roasting us alive. Now if he was to gain satisfaction at torturing then I would understand why he would do so. But we know that God is love and no loving person enjoys watching people suffer. Jesus said the road leading to destruction is broad and many are heading towards it. So if hell was real, that would mean the majority of his human creation would be in pure agony while the rest are living peacefully.

#3. Complete destruction makes more sense not only because it is more humane, but it also ties in perfectly with God's original plan. Why not just destroy the ungodly to keep them away from the righteous? A fiery literal prison is just going overboard. If you're a literal Hellfire believer, you're probably wondering what makes me think that God's moral laws are the same as mine? Well we were created in his image for one. Even though i'm imperfect, Jehovah doesn't seem like the type to make you suffer forever and ever when he could just destroy you and fulfill his purpose with the righteous.

#4. What about people like evil people like Hitler? I know what people are thinking. A guy of Hitler's calibre deserves to roast forever. Well that could seem reasonable to most, but not me. If those who were oppressed by Hitler and the Nazis entered into God's Kingdom, they wouldn't even have any hate towards those who caused them harm. They would just be glad they made it. So while it might seem justified to those who think Hitler's a scumbag who deserves to be punished, It would still just be more sensible to just do away with him. Why not just destroy him and let the past be past? Unless you want the satisfaction knowing he's getting the fiery revenge he deserves. Although a perfect man/woman in God's Kingdom wouldn't have that kind of thought process. You would leave that behind in your sinful bodies.

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Hellfire fabrication exposed by the Bible (Simplified)

The Point of this blog post is to....
1. Let you know what the bible says regarding the dead.
2. Why the Lake of Fire is a metaphor for Eternal death/destruction.
3. Point out the difference between Tartarus, Hades,and Gehenna.

Hell/Hades/Sheol/Pit = Grave
Genesis 42:38"[The righteous man Jacob]However, he said: “My son will not go down with you, because his brother is dead and he alone is left. If a fatal accident should befall him on the journey you would make, then you would certainly bring down my gray hairs to the Grave[Hades/Sheol] in grief.”

Job 14:3[Job requesting to be sent to Hell?]"Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!"

Dead people are Unconscious

(NWT)Ecclesiastes 9:5  "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, nor do they have any more reward, because all memory of them is forgotten."

(ESV) Ecclesiastes 9:6"Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun."

(NLT)Ecclesiastes 9:10"Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom."

(ESV)Psalms 115:17"The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence."

1Thessalonians 4:13"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep [in death], so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope."

 Psalms 13:3 Look upon me and answer me, O Jehovah my God. Give light to my eyes, so that I may not fall asleep in death,

(NWT) Psalms 146:4 " .His spirit goes out, he returns to the ground; On that very day his thoughts perish.

     Lake of Fire(Gehenna) is the Second death

      (NWT)Revelations 20:13-15 "And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave [Hell/Hades/Sheol] gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire."
    
    Revelation 21:8"..... their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This means the second death.”

 Sodom and Gomorrah afflicted with symbolic everlasting fire

       
       Genesis 19:24"Then Jehovah made it rain sulfur and fire on Sod′om and Go·mor′rah—it came from Jehovah, from the heavens."

       Jude 7 "In the same manner, Sod′om and Go·mor′rah and the cities around them also gave themselves over to gross sexual immorality and pursued unnatural fleshly desires they are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire."

      

      2 Peter 2:6 "And by reducing the cities of Sod′om and Go·mor′rah to ashes, he condemned them, setting a pattern for ungodly people of things to come."

       Everlasting fire = Everlasting destruction/death

Luke 12:5 "But I will show you whom to fear: Fear the One who after killing has authority to throw into Ge·hen′na.[Lake of Fire] Yes, I tell you, fear this One.

Matthew 10:28 "And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Ge·hen′na[Lake of Fire[

2 Peter 3:7".......reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people."

1 Corinthians 3 16:17 "Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple+ and that the spirit of God dwells in you?+ 17  If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple."

2 Thessalonians 1:9 " These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, "

Proverbs 27:20"Sheol[Hades] and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied."

Proverbs 15:11"Hades and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?"

Tartarus= Prison-like condition for disobedient angels

2 Peter 2:4 "For if God didn't spare the angels who sinned but threw them down into Tartarus and delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness until judgment;"

Jude 6  "And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day."

Satan can't be ruling the world from the Land of the Dead, He also wouldn't have been in heaven.

  
Job 2:1,2"Afterward the day came when the sons of the true God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and Satan also entered among them to take his station before Jehovah.
2  Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Jehovah: “From roving about on the earth and from walking about in it.”"

1John 5:19 "We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.

John 16:11" then concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged."

Satan wasn't kicked out of Heaven until a later prophecy in Revelation.

Revelations 12:7-9"And war broke out in heaven: Mi′cha·el and his angels battled with the dragon,..........8 but they did not prevail,.........9the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, "

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