What is the "outer darkness?"

There are numerous verses about a place called the outer darkness where people who made it into the kingdom of heaven were later cast out, sometimes bound hand and foot, into the outer darkness where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth." These passages about the outer darkness often reside within parables. I don't want to make a wall of text or an exhaustive list so let me just quote some key verses and you read the context, if you will. Thank you.

Sons of the kingdom cast into outer darkness:
Matthew 8:12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!"

People invited to a wedding in the kingdom then later tied out and thrown out into the dark:
Matthew 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

A slave thrown into outer darkness for not making his master any money, though he didn't lose him money either:
Matthew 25:30 And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness—in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

So there are people who make it into the kingdom, but are then later cast out into the outer darkness? What is the outer darkness exactly? It isn't described as being anything other than "outer" and "darkness" meaning it is outside of something, presumably the kingdom. The kingdom of heaven may reside in a place of total darkness and the kingdom is the only source of visible light.

Any thoughts on this?

I have no special discernment, and can only bring my putrid human thoughts, but I reckon that Christ is always on the look out for a perfect heart.
He that hath the concern and burden for the purpose of God; for the things which are upon the heart of God; for coming into the fullness of Christ; for the maturity of His Church; for living the life of Christ in reality. they who do not have such a heart or hunger for the things of God will in all likelihood be cast away from His presence. Outer darkness is a spiritually negative place, but it could be at various levels.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

God began creation with this express reason: to be known as He is. God is love and the object of His love is the people of the world. This darkness, mentioned here in Genesis chapter 1, was not evil. It was the absence of the light of understanding. Until this time God resided in eternity. Now, He would be known in time and space through His Son. The life in His Son is the light of all men: by knowing His Son, man will know the Living God.

The light, then, is the revealing of God. This is common. Given for all men. All men know that God exists. Only some choose to believe. Belief is not a cognitive exercise: it is a lifestyle. There are no "non-believers" (as if it doesn't exist) there are only "unbelievers" (a choice to not believe). (that's another thread)

The darkness, then, is reserved for men who may seek God and find Him (“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.”)

..or for men who choose to remain in darkness.

To note: God establishes the choice of man in the second verse of the Bible, as soon as He decides to reveal Himself in time and space.

Even so, all things in darkness will eventually be revealed by the light of Christ. This is not that evil men will eventually receive the light. It is that the darkness is removed by the light and their hearts are revealed.

"He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts."

The "outer darkness" is something else. It represents the final position of the unbeliever: from where there is no "light of men"; no redemption.

From Matthew: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

From Revelation: "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Outer darkness is the second death of the wicked.

.
I rather suspect that some of the figures of speech we run across in the
Bible could be properly understood only by the culture of that day just as
some of the figures of speech that are particular to the culture of our own
day; for example "let the Wookie win one" and/or "jousting windmills" would
baffle folks back then.
_

IMO, this "outter darkness" is a place away from God. Where God does NOT have a presence. As "dark" as this world is, God STILL has a presence, thus we are not in the "outter darkness."

Some Scriptures speaking of "outter darkness."

Matthew 25:30 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextAnd cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 8:12 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextBut the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 22:13 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextThen said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 6:23 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextBut if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Job 10:22 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextA land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

1 John 2:11 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextBut he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

Job 23:17 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextBecause I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

Job 28:3 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextHe setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

Ecclesiastes 6:4 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextFor he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

Ezekiel 10:5 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextAnd the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

Exodus 10:21 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextAnd the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

John 1:5 | View whole chapter | See verse in contextAnd the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Thanks for the enlightenment senior and well known members. I must remember that the Holy Spirit gives us revelation of the word of God.

Matthew also equates "wailing and gnashing of teeth" with being "cast into a furnace of fire":

Matthew chapter 13

[36] Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
[37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
[38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
[39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
[40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
[41] The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
[42] And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

[47] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
[48] Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
[49] So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
[50] And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
[51] Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

This "casting into a furnace of fire" and "wailing and gnashing of teeth" takes place "at the end of the world" or at the end of Christ's Millennial Reign when the wicked shall be "cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15).

Immediately thereafter, the heavenly Jerusalem descends to this earth from heaven, and we read the following about the same:

Revelation chapter 21

[1] And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
[2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
[4] 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.
[5] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
[6] And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
[7] He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
[8] But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

[23] And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
[24] And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
[25] And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
[26] And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
[27] And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Notice that the heavenly Jerusalem is full of light and that "there shall be no night there" because "the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof". Notice, too, that "there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie", and this perfectly corresponds with "the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars" who "shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death". In other words, all of these people are WITHOUT or OUTSIDE of this city of light, and they are burning in the lake of fire.

Continuing on, we read:

Revelation chapter 22

[5] And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

[14] Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
[15] For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Again, only the righteous have access to this city of light, and WITHOUT are the wicked who will be "wailing and gnashing their teeth" as they will have been "cast into the lake of fire".

In other words, the "outer darkness" of which you inquired will be WITHOUT this city of light.

Hello Runningman, I have found some explanations in John Gill commentary see below;

But the children of the kingdom,.... The Jews, who were subjects of the kingdom, and commonwealth of Israel, from which the Gentiles were aliens; and who were also in the church of God, which is his kingdom on earth; and besides, had the promise of the Gospel dispensation, sometimes called the kingdom of heaven, and by them, often the world to come; and were by their own profession, and in their apprehension and expectation, children, and heirs of the kingdom of glory. These phrases, בן העולם הבא, "a son of the world to come", and בני עלמא דאתי, "children of the world to come" (o), are frequent in their writings: these, Christ says,
shall be cast out; out of the land of Israel, as they were in a few years after, and out of the church of God: these branches were broken off, and the Gentiles grafted in, in their room; and will be excluded from the kingdom of heaven, where they hoped to have a place,
and cast into outer darkness: into the Gentile world, and into judicial blindness, and darkness of mind, and into the blackness of darkness in hell,
where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Phrases expressive of the miserable state and condition of persons out of the kingdom of heaven; who are weeping for what they have lost, and gnashing their teeth with the pain of what they endure. The Jews say (p),
"he that studies not in the law in this world, but is defiled with the pollutions of the world, he is taken וישליכו אותו הברה, "and cast without": this is hell itself, to which such are condemned, who do not study the law.''
The allusion in the text is, to the customs of the ancients at their feasts and entertainments; which were commonly made in the evening, when the hall or dining room, in which they sat down, was very much illuminated with lamps and torches; but without in the streets, were entire darkness: and where were heard nothing but the cries of the poor, for something to be given them, and of the persons that were turned out as unworthy guests; and the gnashing of their teeth, either with cold in winter nights, or with indignation at their being kept out. Christ may also be thought to speak in the language, and according to the notions of the Jews, who ascribe gnashing of teeth to the devils in hell; for they say (q), that"for the flattery with which they flattered Korah, in the business of rioting, "the prince of hell חרק שניו, gnashed his teeth at them".''
The whole of this may be what they call רוגז גהנם, "the indignation", or "tumult of hell" (r).
(o) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 4. 2. Taanith, fol. 22. 1. Megilla, fol. 28. 2. Yoma, fol. 88. 1. & Sanhedrim, fol. 88. 2. Raziel, fol. 37. 1. & 38. 1. Caphtor, fol. 15. 1. & 18. 2. & 60. 1. & 84. 2. Raya Mehimna, in Zohar in Lev. fol. 34. 2. (p) Zohar in Gen. fol. 104. 3. (q) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 52. 1. (r) Targum in Job, iii 17.


Blessings,

JF