Jews. — d-ro avaraXoJV) from the east) see ch. ii. 1, — from the east and from the west ; an euphemism for " from the Gentiles." — ri^wffi) shall come) A prophecy : they shall come in spirit [and by faith. — V. g.] — /•/,£?-«, together with) see Heb. xii. 23.1 — e» ry Baffi'heiq, in the kingdom) sc. in this life, and in that which is to come.
12. Oi 8s viol rris /3a<r/Ae/a£, but the children of the kingdom) i.e. nearest heirs to the kingdom. The same title is employed with another meaning in ch. xiii. 38. — ffjcoVo?, darkness) Whatever is without the kingdom of God is outer : for the kingdom of God is light, and the kingdom of light. That darkness will envelope not only the eye, but also the mind, with the grossest obscurity. — s^urepov, outer) the unbeliever has internal darkness in him self already, and obtains, therefore, external darkness also as his fitting home. And the nearer that any one might have approached [to the Divine presence], so much the further will he be cast forth into the depths of darkness. — IKI?, there) at length [even though not here and now]. Without the brilliant scene of the feast [the marriage supper so often mentioned]. — 6) a remarkable article, used emphatically.2 In this life, grief is not yet really grief. — xXau^ao?, weeping) Then wrill weep heroes now ashamed to weep, from grief at the good they have lost, and the evil they have incurred. Oh horrible sound of so many wretched beings ! how far more blessed to hear the sounds of heaven ! — See Rev. xiv. etc. — /Spuy^os ruv odovruV) gnashing of teeth) from impatience and bitterest remorse, and indignation against themselves, as being the authors of their own damna tion.3 Self-love, indulged on earth, will then be transformed into self-hate, nor will the sufferer be ever able to depart from himself. Nor is this weeping and gnashing of teeth combined with darkness only, but also with fire, etc. ; see ch. xiii. 42, 50 ; Luke xiii. 28. Another exposition is, the soft will weep, the stern will rage. The same phrase occurs in Acts vii. 54.4
1 With the Fathers in the faith, Heb. xi. 9— V. g.
2 As though this were the true ideal of sorrow — the normal standard of suffering — the archetypal reality of agony. — (I B.)
3 As also from a spiteful and malignant feeling against others, to whom they enviously grudge the salvation which those others have obtained. Comp. Ps. cxii. 10. — V. g.
4 Sc. they gnashed upon him [Stephen] with their teeth. — (I. B.)