I can't help it but think there is a lot of stuff going on nowadays on social concern. Giving to the needy and the poor. Helping those who are suffering. There has been countless sermon on it, especially last week and in the news and also in our blog. I believe this is our responsibility because Jesus cares for them more than anyone in those days. The feeding of thousands, the ministry to the Samaritan woman, the healing to the blind and deaf, the sermon on the mount and the emphasis to care for the orphan and the widow. Then we get to Matthew 25: 31-46. Is this verse is all about social concern? I don't know man, it's really hard to see why is that so. If we would take verse 34 and just preach just this verse, then probably but that is not a good way to understand the bible. Well I am no scholar and certainly don't have the paper to prove any knowledge but just some simple minded amateur.
1. Notice that Jesus is actually still answering / talking about the sign of the end of age from chapter 24? That is why in verse 31, He speaks of "When the Son of Man comes in glory, and all the angels with him....". This will only happens during the end of age right?
2. Verse 32 and verse 34 talks about sheep and goats. Like a separation thing going on here. Some preacher says that this is our choice, if we want to be sheep or goats. But notice in verse 34, He said "...take the inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world". This is inline with the theology of how we are all predestine to be here. None of our action should make us goat or sheep. No doubt it is our mouth that confess Jesus is our Lord, but that is because His spirit enables us to do so. This is also in line with the fact that salvation is by grace alone. Hence we don't choose to be a goat or sheep.
3. Verse 35 is probably the most used verse to promote social concern, but how does this fit in with the context of the scripture here? Jesus is speaking of the end of age, and how his sheep will be selected to inherit the kingdom. Why suddenly go to talk about helping the needy? One can say, it is probably because He was explaining the action of a typical sheep. To be a sheep we should do this and that. And if we failed to do those, we are actually goat. Well that is probably right, except a few fact about those people He was speaking to. He was speaking to a narrow minded Jews about selection. His disciple in a perfect world would imagine heaven filled with Jews and Jews only. These disciple was puzzled when Jesus minister to the Samaritan woman, because they still did not manage to overcome the culture barrier of speaking to a non Jews or to a woman or to a sinner of many husband. Remember also even when Jesus was lifted up to heaven, preaching the gospel by a disciple to a non Jew is still a struggle.
4. Perhaps Jesus was conveying the message that the gospel has to be preached to everyone when the end of age comes. By using the illustration of "helping the least brother of mine", He is actually asking the disciple to identify themselves with the non-Jews, something to the disciple is the "least". By identifying themselves with them, is the real purpose of the gospel. To preach the gospel to the "nation". In verse 32, Jesus uses the word "nation" as well indicating the selection of sheep and goat will not be Jews as sheep and non Jews as goat, but a selection of the whole nation. To identify yourself with other less fortunate people and spreading the news of Jesus saving grace beyond your church wall is the gospel itself. Helping the needy is one dimension to look at, but the whole point is to bring the gospel to unify people of all races, all background and all nations.
Just my 2 cents.
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