10 · Jesus' Words

The Sheep and the Goats

Matthew 25:31–46

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People gather before the Son of Man while sheep and goats are separated.

Jesus describes a judgment where treatment of “the least” counts as treatment of him.

Who are "the least of these my brothers"?

Choose a perspective

There is no score – choose the perspective you find closest and discuss why.

Discuss: How do we view someone with whom Jesus identifies?

After your discussion: compare with our assessment

Our assessment

B and C are closest to our understanding, while A represents an important and common broader reading. Matthew uses "my brothers" language for Jesus' disciples, and Matthew 10 connects receiving Jesus' messengers with receiving Jesus himself. This gives B significant support as the nearest referent. C preserves this possibility while taking Jesus' strong identification with vulnerable people seriously. A fits Jesus' wider ethical teaching, but is less certain if the question is exactly whom the phrase identifies here.

10 · Matthew 25:31–46

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Text & context

Full translation

31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 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 welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?” 40 The king will answer them, “Truly I tell you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me.” 41 Then he will say to those on his left, “Go away from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” 44 Then they too will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and not serve you?” 45 Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you: Whatever you did not do for one of these least, you did not do for me.” 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Translated from the Greek text – SBLGNT

What is happening here?
Jesus describes the Son of Man as judge. Both groups are surprised when their treatment of hungry, thirsty, foreign, naked, sick, and imprisoned people is counted as treatment of Jesus himself.
Notice this

The Son of Man comes in glory, sits on a throne, and judges the gathered nations. The animals primarily picture separation; the text does not require elaborate symbolism based on their biological traits. Jesus names hunger, thirst, being a stranger, nakedness, sickness, and imprisonment. The responses are concrete acts of care. Neither group appears to think the person before them is secretly Jesus. Yet treatment of others is counted as treatment of him. Matthew 12:49–50 uses family language for those who do the Father's will, while Matthew 10 connects receiving Jesus' messengers with receiving Jesus. This supports considering Jesus' disciples or messengers as the nearest referent. The broader reading---people in need generally---also has a long interpretive history and fits Jesus' wider teaching about mercy. No. Identifying the nearest referent here is not the same question as asking whom Christians should care for. Jesus identifies treatment of the group with treatment of himself. This is one of the passage's strongest claims. Concrete actions clearly matter in the judgment scene. The passage does not provide a complete systematic account of faith, grace, and works.

Language & translation

From the Greek

ἐλάχιστος -- elachistos

least / insignificant

ἀδελφῶν μου -- adelphōn mou

my brothers

ξένος -- xenos

stranger

ἐπισκέπτομαι -- episkeptomai

visit / look after

ἔθνη -- ethnē

nations / peoples

Translation note

Independent English translation from the Greek text, using SBLGNT as the primary Greek edition.

Compare for yourself

Read the card's full biblical passage and compare Jesus' own words with the reactions of the people around him. What does Jesus himself emphasize, and which parts of the story come from the interpretations or reactions of others? Try to distinguish between what the text explicitly says and what we as readers may infer.

    Continue the conversation

    Discuss further
    1. What supports identifying "my brothers" with Jesus' disciples?
    2. What supports the broader interpretation?
    3. Why are both groups surprised?
    4. What does Jesus' identification with "the least" mean?
    5. Can a text have a nearest referent and a broader ethical application?
    6. What does the passage say---and not say---about works and judgment?
    Parallel passages
    • Matthew 10:40–42
    • Matthew 12:46–50
    • Matthew 18:5–6
    • Matthew 24:45–51
    Sources
    • The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (SBLGNT), Matthew 25:31–46
    • Standard Greek lexical resources for elachistos, adelphos, xenos, episkeptomai, and ethnos