I've been slowly back tracking while I worked on complex problems, and started thinking on this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXbVSvfZSfQ(of course byefigleaves took down his channel but that doesn't matter since I have all of the information that I need).
The three condensed groups that we're dealing with:
#1 matured kings (believers + maturity)
#2 immature kings (believers + no maturity & unbelieving believers)
#3 no-kings (unbelievers)
I've consolidated unbelieving believers and immature believers both into #2. However, it's also the most misunderstood group and the one we constantly go back and forth on--or at least I do.
Going on to getting Christ's attributes in you, that would apply to those who mature in Bible Doctrine. But this wouldn't apply to any of the other types. I think Christ exemplifies this on Luke 8:14, because to be fixated on non-mental things (riches) means you haven't gotten Christ's attributes. But at the same time of course, you can be saved.
So we can say with certainty that to be in outer darkness, it will be a requirement to (not) have Christ's attributes in you. But that still leaves the second group in a bit of a disparity--because it wouldn't make sense in my opinion, if everyone in group 2 was in that situation.
However... then we have to ask ourselves... what EXACTLY constitutes outer darkness then? I think the easiest passage (at least for me at the time) to think about would be where it's mentioned with the Centurion:
Quote:
Matthew 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
Matthew 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
Matthew 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Matthew 8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Matthew 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
---
Luke 7:6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
Luke 7:7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
Luke 7:8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
What was so remarkable that sparked Jesus' reply to include outer darkness with the centurion? Well it certainly makes this a unique passage because:
A) I don't know of anywhere else where you have TOSOUTOS pistis
B) it's the only time 'outer darkness' is mentioned when Christ isn't narrating a large parable, but rather directly with Centurion Tosoutos Pistis
C) in Matthew there's no transition, it's abruptly stuck in there, almost awkwardly
So here's a list:
#1 what is so profound about tosoutos pistis?
Answer: maybe an attribute? Obviously Christ is bringing it up for some reason / I'm guessing it's not the same as 'just another believer' scenario#2 what does outer darkness have to do with the context of Christ's response? I mean, unless there was something that Centurion T.P. and others could get out of it, there'd be no point of even bringing it up. And clearly if you don't know the connection as to WHY it was pertinent to bring it up, it almost seems out of place...
--> It's almost like breaking out in an inside joke to a crowd of people / unless everyone gets the reference, it's just verbal white noise.
Answer: ?#3 why bring it up with Centurion T.P. specifically?
Answer: because of tosoutos pistis-- which leads to something else?#4 why is it the only time Christ mentions outer darkness OUTSIDE of a long parable?
Answer: ?#5 why is this mysterious 'outer darkness' portion omitted in Luke?
Answer: because Luke isn't trying to emphasize the same points Matthew is -- so whatever Matthew is getting at, is also getting at this, too#6 why was Matthew writing it so that it's so abrupt in conjunction with tosoutos pistis?
Answer: ?All I can gather is that tosoutos pistis is what provoked the statement of outer darkness afterwards--and it's specially
what Matthew is to 'get home' about,
because it's omitted in Luke. In fact,
the rendition in Luke is WHAT YOU WOULD *EXPECT* the conversation to be and solves the conflict I have in my head about it. In Matthew... it's so abrupt because there's no transition-- at least not that I can tell since I'm not a Greek-expert.
If I had to take a guess, 'tosoutos pistis' could be an attribute -- I guess if you have THAT much believing, you'll be on the same page as God's thinking. Unfortunately not much else is really given of that centurion, how he came to believe, what he did prior etc. Pretty much the only thing people talk about that Centurion is claim the servant that was healed was his same-sex partner; I'll play the devil's advocate and say even if that was the case, that's SO MUNDANE in contrast to what's happening in that passage-- and to focus on that and ignore all of the other information, well, you're nowhere on being a king and doing the opposite of tosoutos pistis. Even then, I'm amused that Centurion T.P. gets maligned after all these years...
Now the fact 'outer darkness' is so out of place and random to be brought up in that, is bothering me / as I mentioned the Luke rendition is what I expect it SHOULD be. This is how I see it exaggerated in my mind:
Centurion T.P.: "Jesus Christ of the universe, heal my servant, I know you can do it instantly, you don't even have to be present"
Jesus Christ: "This centurion has the greatest believing ever. By the way there'll be an outer darkness where the sons of the kingdom will be punted off to--BUT wow, the belief of this Centurion! Hey Peter... PETER! Come over here for a second... take a LOOK at this centurion! Oh yeah and this will be during the kingdom of heaven with Isaac, Jacob and old Abram-- man Peter, the
belief of that centurion is just
unbelievable."
(yeah, I'm giggling to myself over that, poor Peter...)
In the end, I guess the answer lies within Matthew.