Sheep and Goats

The Sheep and the Goats

Jesus’ story of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46) has far-reaching implications. It continues a central theme of Jesus. If you ask Jesus about eternal life he is likely to suggest that you sell everything you own and give it to the poor or that you take care of the victims of crime.

The sheep and the goats have treated “these brothers of mine” differently. The blessed, who have an inheritance prepared for them by the Father, unconsciously ministered to Christ by caring for the needs of others. The cursed, who departed to eternal punishment, unconsciously neglected Christ by neglecting the needy.

“These brothers of mine” must be present in every time and place in human history. This alone makes their treatment the sole criteria in the final judgment of the nations, the church, and the world.

We are tempted to whittle on “these brothers of mine” like the expert in the law was tempted to whittle on the definition of “neighbor.” Jesus is here reinforcing the truth that we have encountered the neighbor we are to love whenever we see the opportunity and have resources to apply to that need.

Jesus does not render judgment here in the same terms that we use daily to evaluate the believing status of those about us. We usually base our judgment of the religious status of others on 1) the house of worship they might attend and 2) the religious creed to which they might subscribe. These criteria—worship practice and belief system—are the most common religious evaluators used by humans.

Jesus goes instead to the treatment of the needy. This is the great indicator of an individual’s true relationship with God. Not which house of worship you attend, but how you treat the needy you pass by on your journey there is likely to be the focus of the final judgment.

Jesus also collapses the First Commandment—love the Lord—into the Second Commandment—love your neighbor. When you care for the needy (love your neighbor) you have actually loved the Lord (you did for me). The blessed are surprised that Jesus was “wearing the mask” of hunger and thirst although the doctrine of the Incarnation itself points to this. The cursed are surprised that they missed the King, too, for they intended to bless the King even though they were consciously neglecting the poor.

The only way to prepare for this final exam is to pour out your life completely for the King who has done the same for you.