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are all occurrences of the word. There are other passages where more drastic words are
used.
"Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast
out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 8: 11, 12).
A superficial reading may leave us with the idea that the message of Matt. 8: 11, 12
is particularly the same as that of 21: 31. This is not so, however. With the inspired
precision of Holy Scripture, one passage says, "cast out," the other says, "go before."
The one says, "the kingdom of heaven," the other says, "the kingdom of God." Now
while the parallel passage of Luke 13: 28 uses the words kingdom of God, we must not
forget that Matthew uses the two expressions, and it is for us to observe the difference.
Taking Matthew's witness as complete in itself, we may learn that, difficult as it may be
for our limited knowledge to enable us to grasp it, a difference is intended. Matthew tells
us that some of the children of the kingdom will be cast out of the kingdom of the
heavens, but he does not say they will be cast out of the kingdom of God, but that the
despised publicans will "go before" them. The kingdom of God is infinitely wider than
the kingdom of the heavens. The generation whose carcases strewed the wilderness, who
failed to enter into the land, may be used as an illustration of the distinction intended.
They were cast out of the kingdom of heaven, but not necessarily out of the kingdom of
God. For them Ps. 90: was written, and numbered with them was Moses himself, who
though shut out of the land of promise was not cast out of the wider sphere of God's love.
Repentance was the great emphatic note of John Baptist and the Lord with reference
to the kingdom of the heavens. Repentance involved deeds as well as words. To the
Pharisees and Sadducees John had to say, "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of
repentance, and think not to say. . . ." (Matt. 3: 8, 9). Here, as in the parable of the two
sons, we have the contrast between "saying" and "doing." The omission from the parable
of the penalty falling upon the unrepentant son is noteworthy. In other parables which
are somewhat parallel, "outer darkness" and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" are spoken
of. Here, a milder case is intended, "the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of
God before you." To observe the distinction which Scripture draws between different
servants is an important item in true interpretation. While many will not be lost, they
shall suffer loss, and this parable of the two sons seems to have that aspect before it. This
parable is not intended to teach the way of salvation, and failure to realize its primary
setting, as in the case of most of the parables, has led to serious evangelical errors. We
may all, nevertheless, take heed to the lesson and see to it that, by grace, we are not
"hearers of the word only," but doers also.