Matthew 25:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

NIV: 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,

NASB: 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;

CSB: " '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 took me in;

NLT: For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

KJV: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

NKJV: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

In one of Matthew's most difficult passages to interpret, Jesus is telling His disciples about when He will return to the earth as King and Judge (Matthew 24:3). In that role, He will separate people into two groups. The first group are welcome into His kingdom, as planned by God the Father since the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:31–33). The reference to God making preparation for these people since the dawn of time references those who are "the elect" (Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:27; Romans 11:7; Titus 1:1), strongly indicating these are believers in Christ.

In delivering this judgment, Jesus will tell this group of Christians they have served Him well during their lives. Their faith has been proven by obedience to Jesus' commands (John 14:15). They provided for Him when He was in need. Obviously, this will raise questions, since people in the end times will not have seen Christ, in person, until this moment (Matthew 25:37–39). A later response will explain how it is these people provided for Christ (Matthew 25:40).

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.

Accessed 4/28/2024 10:10:07 AM