Matthew 25:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

NIV: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

NASB: But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

CSB: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

NLT: But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.

KJV: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

NKJV: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

Some scholars point to this passage, at the end of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:3), as the most difficult to interpret in all of Matthew. Teachers and traditions have applied deeply contrasting views on the meaning of these verses. We will attempt to represent several of those views and to explain our best understanding of the passage. Ultimately, that obscurity should be a clue to the passage's level of importance: had it been critical for Christians to have nuanced understanding of these words, God would have made it plain.

After delivering several parables about how His followers should live while waiting for His return, Jesus now turns to a description of the judgment that will take place when He does return. This judgment is why Jesus tells those who would put their hope in Him to keep watch and to do the work He has given them to do.

Jesus has used the name Son of Man for Himself throughout Matthew's account (Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 12:8; 13:41; 16:27; 24:30). He uses that phrase here while describing the moment He will take His glorious throne after arriving on earth in glory with His angels. He will have returned as both the Judge and the King. This marks the beginning of His kingdom on earth, a period known to many as the "millennium," the 1,000–year reign of Christ. While opinions differ on the nature and timing of these events, that is our best understanding of the text.

Jesus' reign as King, in this depiction, begins with a judgment dividing people into two different groups.

Matthew 25:31–46 describes Jesus' epic judgment, to take place when He returns as King with His angels and takes His place on the throne. He will divide those judged into two groups: "sheep" and "goats." The sheep will be welcomed and praised for serving those in need. The goats will be sent away from Jesus to eternal fire and condemned for not serving those in need. This comes at the end of the Olivet Discourse, which began when disciples asked Jesus about the end days (Matthew 24:3). This passage is notoriously difficult to interpret, making it especially important to handle with caution. Though it is referred to as a "parable," thanks to the use of shepherding terms, the situation it describes seems to be very real.

Jesus uses two additional parables to illustrate a state of constant readiness for His return after He has gone. His followers should be working for Him while they wait. They must not be like the foolish young women who missed a wedding feast because they forgot oil for their lamps. They must be like the servants who doubled their harsh master's investments while He was away. Jesus concludes with a third descriptive passage, showing how He will judge between the righteous and evil when He returns as King.

Matthew 25 concludes the "Olivet Discourse:" Jesus' teaching to the disciples about future things as they sit on the Mount of Olives. This follows His dire predictions about the Temple and Jerusalem in chapter 24. He gives two more parables to emphasize that they must be prepared for His return. Finally, Jesus describes the moment of His return, after a time of tribulation, when He will judge all who live on earth at the beginning of His kingdom. This leads into Matthew's account of Jesus' Last Supper, betrayal, and arrest in chapter 26.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.