I have a question about something that was thrown into the middle of the conversation between Jesus and the centurion in Matthew chapter 8. In 8:11 and 12, Jesus goes from marveling at the faith of the centurion to telling His followers about people eating with Abraham Isaac and Jacob (the Jewish people) in the Kingdom of Heaven but those that already live there (the children of the Kingdom) will be tossed out. Is this referring to the angelic realm? I’m really confused.
Matt. 8:5-13 is the account of the Centurion’s servant being healed. A Centurion was an officer of the Roman Army, so it’s presumed that he was a gentile. Also, Jesus said his faith was superior to anyone He had seen in Israel, another indication of the Centurion’s foreign origin. The people coming from the East and the West to take their places at the feast are faithful Gentiles like the Centurion who have accepted Jesus. They will join Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the Faithful of Israel in the Lord’s Millennial Kingdom.
But the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown outside into the outer darkness. These are people who were born Jewish and therefore should have inherited the Kingdom but because of their rejection of the Messiah will be excluded. This was one of the Lord’s first hints that participation in His Kingdom was not a birthright, but would only come to those who believe.