The group Jesus praises during the end times are confused about His comments (Matthew 25:34–36). After describing them as blessed by His Father and welcoming them to take their rightful places in His kingdom, He has also told them that they cared for Him in several essential ways when He was most in need of help. Given that this judgment (Matthew 25:31–33) happens at some point in the end times, most or all these people will never have seen Jesus in person until then.

These people are described as "righteous," and earlier verses referred to their fate being prepared "from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). This echoes the idea of "the elect," meaning those who have come to faith in Christ and obtained salvation (Ephesians 1:4; Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:27; Romans 11:7; Titus 1:1). Over the next few verses, they will echo back Jesus' praise in the form of a question: when did we do these good things for you?

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 5/2/2024 8:41:27 AM

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