Luke 13:28 Commentary and Bible Study

Again, this is primarily spoken to the Jews of Christ’s day. To them it will be excruciating to see Abraham who they counted as their spiritual father and the head of their nation and their religion; to see him, and Isaac, and Jacob being welcomed into the kingdom of God, and recognised and receiving a place there; and to see the prophets who they were taught to honour, and who they assumed were worshippers in common with them of the same God; to see all this, and themselves shut out, not given entrance. How could they have lived among the people of God and participated in the worship of the nation, and yet never have truly belonged and ended up thrust out? It is unbearable to think of it. The reality was always there to see, but they ignored the indications. Too late they wake up to the reality of this. No wonder there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, the most extreme displays of anguish. What it is to be tortured by regret, and hopelessness, and sorrow, eternally!Yes, they will see all of this. They will see those great servants of the Lord, and will recognise them, and see them admitted into the presence of God, while they are excluded. They never truly belonged to their company; they never truly walked in the footsteps of their faith. Therefore they are thrown out, forcibly expelled. There is a determination from within the kingdom of heaven that they will not come in. Christ himself expels them. How clear is the distinction in his mind between those who are admitted and those who are excluded.