The Judgement of Nations – Matthew 25:31-46

The Passover with the Disciples

The Sheep and the Goats

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation 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 invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit 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 a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart 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 invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What to do with this educator’s commentary

This commentary invites you as a teacher to engage with and interpret the passage. Allow the text to speak first. The commentary suggests that you ask yourself various questions that will aid your interpretation. They will help you answer for yourself the question in the last words of the text: ‘what does this mean?’

This educator’s commentary is not a ‘finished package’. It is for your engagement with the text. You then go on to plan how you enable your students to work with the text.

Both you and your students are the agents of interpretation. The ‘Worlds of the Text’ offer a structure, a conversation between the worlds of the author and the setting of the text; the world of the text; and the world of reader. In your personal reflection and in your teaching all three worlds should be integrated as they rely on each other.

In your teaching you are encouraged to ask your students to engage with the text in a dialogical way, to explore and interpret it, to share their own interpretation and to listen to that of others before they engage with the way the text might relate to a topic or unit of work being studied.

Structure of the commentary:

The World Behind the Text

See More on the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 25 consists of three parables: The Ten Bridesmaids (25:1-13); The Talents (25:14-30) and The Judgement of Nations (25:31-46), although not all scholars consider the Judgement of Nations a parable. The coming of the Son of Man is the focus of The Ten Bridesmaids and the Talents, whilst The Judgment of Nations describes the nature of the judgement. Matthew 25:31-46 is the last formal teaching given by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, drawing together many of the themes and ideas that Jesus has explored through his teaching and ministry, such as the required disposition for individuals to enter the Kingdom and the

Questions for the teacher

The world of the text

Text & textual features

Matthew 25:31-46 contains a well-known passage often referred to as “The Sheep and the Goats.” In this passage, Jesus speaks about the final judgement, separating people into two groups: the righteous (represented by the sheep) and the unrighteous (represented by the goats). In this passage, Matthew sets out the essential requirements by which individuals, as well as Christian communities, are to be judged. Adherence to Jewish Law alone was not enough, rather, authentic witness occurs through deeds as well as words, which is at the core of Jesus’ message. 

The passage uses allegory to make its point: a king separates sheep from goats who are gazing in the same pasture, addressing the sheep as the ones who are ‘blessed by my father’ (v. 34).

Use of the term ‘blessed’ recalls the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12). Jewish blessing announce something – in the Kingdom, the blessed ones are those who know God’s pleasure, comfort, love.

The actions the king affirms are those Jesus has modelled and taught – curing the sick (e.g. 8:28-98; 9:18-38; 12:9-14; 14:34-36; 15:29-31), welcoming the despised (9:9-13), and feeding the hungry (14:13-21; 15:32-39) and encouraging his disciples to carry on his ministry by doing the same (10:5-15, 40-42). Further, Jesus himself can identify with the ‘least’ because he has walked in their shoes (cf. 8:20). 

Characters & setting

Jesus Christ: is represented as a divine judge who comes in glory with all his angels, portraying his role as the Son of God who will judge the living and the dead at the end of time. The title Son of Man emphasises Jesus’ humanity and divinity, connecting him to the Messianic figure in the Old Testament book of Daniel who receives authority and dominion from God. The image of Christ as the King in the text alludes to Zechariah 14:1-21 where every nation will recognise the kingship of the Lord as the Lord stands on the Mount of Olives (where Jesus teaches his disciples in Matthew 24). 

The Sheep: represent the righteous – people who have followed the king’s rules of feeding the hungry, giving a drink to the thirsty, etc. They are welcomed into the Kingdom because they have cared for the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters.

The Goats: symbolise those who have not treated other as the king himself. They are condemned because they did not help those who were hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick, or imprisoned. 

Ideas/Phrases/Concepts

The Final Judgment: is where all people stand before Christ to give an account of their lives. This judgement emphasises the importance of merciful works as the criteria to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and the ultimate accountability of all people before God. 

Importance of love and compassion for Christian life, as those who have acted in accordance with Christ’s teachings are welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. Further, this highlights the importance of compassionate deeds as evidence of true discipleship and faith. 

Pope Francis’ homily from November, 2017 highlights key themes of the Gospel. Pope Francis describes the righteous as being

“taken aback, because they do not recall ever having met Jesus, much less having helped him”

Pope Francis, 2017.

in the ways described in the allegory. Jesus highlights “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (v. 40). These words highlight the full extent of God’s love for humanity – not just when we are healthy and well, but when we are in need. It is when we are most in need that God reaches out to us and in this way, according to Pope Francis, Jesus reveals his criteria for judgement

“in this way the power of love, the kingship of God is revealed: in solidarity with those who suffer in order to engender everywhere compassion and works of mercy.”

Pope Francis, 2017.

While we wait for Parousia, Jesus comes to us each and every day, in many ways, asking us to encounter him.

Pope Francis implores us

“may the Virgin Mary help us to encounter him and receive him in his Word and in the Eucharist, and at the same time in brothers and sisters who suffer from hunger, disease, oppression, injustice. May our hearts welcome him in the present of our life, so that we may be welcomed by him into the eternity of his Kingdom of light and peace.”

Questions for the teacher:

The world in front of the text

Questions for the teacher:

Please reflect on these questions before reading this section and then use the material below to enrich your responsiveness to the text.

Meaning for today/challenges

The Judgment of Nations is a call to action – challenging beliefs to actively engage in acts of compassion and mercy towards those in need in their communities. In today’s world, which is increasingly impacted by the wealth divide, issues of climate change, inequality, disadvantage, and conflict, this message is a call to advocate for social justice and actively work towards alleviating suffering. The actions espoused by Matthew are ideal for any human – irrespective of their faith background. What is of fundamental importance, however, for Christian life is relationship with Christ and performing acts of mercy in the world. 

The Judgement of Nations is also a challenge to recognise human dignity. By identifying himself with the marginalised and vulnerable, Jesus highlights the inherent dignity of every human being, regardless of their socioeconomic status or circumstances. It is a call to solidarity and to recognising the importance of Catholic Social Teachings. Those who have failed to see the needs of the disadvantaged have acted as though they have never seen Jesus, nor are they following in his footsteps by carrying out the work they called them to do. In essence, they have failed to recognise the true King.  Finally, this is a challenge for personal examination, prompting readers to examine their own lives and actions in light of Jesus’ teaching. It is a call to reflect on how they treat others, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalised and to consider whether their values are making present, the Kingdom of God. 

Church interpretation & usage

The Servant King – Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe (Year A)