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MATTHEW 8:12 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 8:11Matt 8:13
“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The sons of the kingdom — those with the covenant heritage, the birthright of Abraham — who reject the king will find themselves excluded from the table where they expected to recline. The outer darkness and the weeping and gnashing of teeth are Matthew's consistent imagery for the condition of exclusion from the kingdom's presence. Romans 9:6–8 says not all Israel is Israel — descent from the patriarchs does not guarantee the kingdom's inheritance. The centurion's faith places him at the patriarchal table; the covenant heritage that produces presumption without faith places its holders outside.

Church Fathers on Matthew 8:12

As what the leper had affirmed concerning Christ’s power, 'If thou will, thou canst cleanse me,' was confirmed by the mouth of Christ, saying, 'I will, be thou clean;' so here He did not blame the centurion for bearing testimony to Christ’s authority, but even commended him. Nay more; it is something greater than commendation that the Evangelist signifies in the words, 'But Jesus hearing marvelled.'

Chrysostom · 4th century

Observe how great and what that is at which God the Only-begotten marvels. Gold, riches, principalities, are in His sight as the shadow or the flower that fadeth; in the sight of God none of these things is wonderful, as though it were great or precious, but faith only; this He wonders at, and pays honour to, this He esteems acceptable to Himself.

Pseudo-Origen · · Hom. in Div. 5

But who was He that had created this faith in him, but only He who now marvelled at it? But even had it come from any other, how should He marvel who know all things future? When the Lords marvels, it is only to teach us what we ought to wonder at; for all these emotions in Him are not signs of passion, but examples of a teacher.

Augustine · 4th century · super Gen. c. Man. i. 8
Read all 26 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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