Matthew 25:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

NIV: For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

NASB: for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;

CSB: For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink;

NLT: For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink.

KJV: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

NKJV: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;

The first group addressed by Jesus (Matthew 25:31–33), the righteous, elect believers (Ephesians 4:1; Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:27; Romans 11:7; Titus 1:1), followed Him faithfully, meeting the needs of those who were suffering, especially other believers. In doing so, they were serving Jesus Himself (Matthew 25:34–40).

The rest—the second group called "goats"— failed to give Him food or drink when He was hungry and thirsty. In fact, as the following verses show, they failed to care for Him when He suffered all the various needs met by those called the sheep. The sins Jesus holds these unbelievers accountable for are sins of neglect (Matthew 25:43–46).

It's important to note that the actions Jesus describes here are not what cause these people to be approved or condemned (Titus 3:5). Rather, they are demonstrations of their faith in Him (John 13:31–35, 14:15). Those who show no love for believers are not, themselves, really believers (1 John 4:20).

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 5/1/2024 7:03:31 PM