This final section of Jesus’ Olivet discourse is also our final parable which involves evaluation or judgment. Jesus spoke in the previous two parables about judgment coming on the unprepared. In this last parable he focused on all the nations. When the Son of Man comes in his glory reminds us of Daniel 7:13-14 and of the future reign of Christ (Revelation 5:9; 20:4-6).
While this passage has parabolic elements (the shepherd, the sheep, the goats, and the process of sorting), it is not as much as a parable but an apocalyptic glimpse into the day of judgment, a real event in future history.
More specifically, this passage provides a clearer explanation of how we are to be ready and, on the alert, awaiting the Messiah’s return. We are to fill our lives with care for the needs of others, especially the needs of fellow believers, realizing that every unbeliever is a potential “brother” of the Messiah. This is truly the work of the kingdom.
This passage builds on the principle in Matthew 25:26 that failure to utilize our gifts for the Master (sins of omission) as well as overt acts of evil (sins of commission) will be judged. Sins of omission are as serious to God as sins of commission.
While this passage may seem to advocate salvation by works, note that faith in the Messiah is the basis for these acts of mercy. These works are the evidence of saving faith, not the means to salvation. They are done “because of” one’s salvation, not “in order to” gain it.
This is also the final story in Jesus’ formal teaching ministry, as recorded by Matthew. Jesus will soon leave behind all the potential “sheep and goats” of earth. It will be up to them to respond to him one way or the other, in acceptance or rejection, before his next coming.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
In verse 31, when the Son of Man comes is the Messiah’s coming which will be accompanied by all the angels, implying power and glory as well as alluding to the gathering of the faithful. Further adding to the majesty of this picture is the fact that he will sit on this throne in heavenly glory. The Messiah will be seen in full display of his absolute authority in view of all the nations.
In verse 32-33, we come to the sheep and goats, a simile that helps us envision the literal judgment scene drawn from Ezekiel 34:17-19. We are to envision people being separated from one another, but it will happen in the same manner as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Sheep and goats were sometimes herded together down a chute that was wide enough for only one animal at a time. A shepherd would sit atop the fence, swinging a gate back and forth to guide each animal through the appropriate opening to join its own kind.
The right side was considered the side of honor and authority, as when a person was seated at the right hand of a king. This was the side of the sheep, who, because of the greater value of the sheep and their placement on the Messiah’s right, were already identified as Jesus’ faithful disciples of all ages. On the left, the position of lesser honor, were the goats. These are clearly identified as the faithless.
From this point on to the end of the passage, there is no more mention of sheep or goats. From now on, the two categories of people are those on his right, or “the righteous,” and those on his left.
The remainder of the parable, except the concluding statement (verse 46) is divided into two symmetrical halves. First, the king addresses those on his right, the righteous, according to 25:37. He addressed them as you who are blessed by my Father.
When God does the blessing, because of the power of his word, what he speaks is equivalent to what he does. So God’s blessing on a person is essentially a bestowal of some kind of benefit. Jesus was addressing these people as “you whom my Father, by the authority of his word, has already given spiritual and material blessing and favor; blessing and favor which will continue to be yours.” This stands in contrast to the ones who are cursed in verse 41.
The king’s invitation was Come, the same word used to command the first disciples to follow him (Matthew 4:19), to invite the weary to find rest in him (Matthew 11:28), and to call the guests to the wedding feast (Matthew 22:4). It also brings to our minds the invitation of Revelation 22:17. This invitation is to inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (Matthew 25:34). Finally, the children of the kingdom, who have already proven themselves to be kingdom citizens, will come into their full inheritance, the complete realization of the Messiah-King’s rule.
The mention of the kingdom’s preparation since the creation of the world emphasizes the election of the faithful. Since the beginning of time, God planned a place for the faithful in the kingdom.
In 25:35-36, the king described the behavior of these kingdom citizens. When he was in need, they were the ones who acted in compassion to meet his need. His listing of six needy conditions, hunger, thirst, alienation, nakedness, sickness, and imprisonment, is not exhaustive but representative of all needs that a person might have. Each of these needs is central to survival and quality of life.
Food, drink, clothing, and health are related to the needs of a person’s body. Being a stranger is also related to physical wellbeing. Because an alien usually had no job or other means of support, there was a strong tendency to view him with prejudice, and even to abuse him. Because of their needy state, foreigners were protected, along with widows and orphans, by Old Testament law. Someone who was in prison was, likewise, unable to earn a living for himself or his family. In fact, such a person was dependent on others to bring him food, because the law enforcement system usually did not provide it for him.
In verses 37-40 the righteous answered in surprise; they did not remember when they had met all these needs of the Messiah. The king began his answer with I tell you the truth, indicating the absolute truthfulness of his next statement.
Not all of the righteous served the king to the same degree, but all served with a right heart. The answer continues, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. By brothers (and sisters), Jesus meant his followers, since we share with him the same Father. Anyone who met the need of even the most insignificant of Jesus’ followers was ministering to him.
Verses 41-43, the second half of the conversation, the king turned to those on his left. He addressed them as cursed (in contrast to the “blessed” of 25:34). Even before announcing his charge against them, he pronounced their sentence. First, depart from me (in contrast with “Come” in 25:34) . . . into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The opposite of heaven is separation from God. Just as the eternal kingdom has been prepared for the righteous (25:34), so also the eternal fire of hell has been prepared. The king said that hell was originally meant for the devil and his angels (i.e., demons), and it appears that, by following Satan, the unrighteous will share in an eternal punishment that was at first meant for them.
The king listed the same six physical needs as in 25:35-36, but this time he explained that the unrighteous neglected to meet those needs of his.
Verses 44 and 45 shows the unrighteous were just as surprised as the righteous were (25:37-39). They did not remember seeing the king in need. But using almost exactly the same solemn language as in 25:40, the king declared that their neglect of his needy brothers (his followers/disciples), even the least, was the same as neglecting him.
These faithless ones are, according to the terminology of Matthew 24:42,44; 25:13, those who have fallen asleep and have dropped their guard, and who are unprepared for the Messiah’s return.
Finally, in verse 46, Jesus completed the judgment scene and the discourse by summarizing the eternal destinies of the two categories of people. The unrighteous would go away (a permanent departure) into eternal punishment, but the righteous would enter eternal life. The use of “eternal” to modify both “punishment” and “life” contrasts the two destinies and emphasizes their permanence. By the time each person stands before the king, his or her eternity is established and cannot be changed.