The Gospel of Matthew
The Grand Finale: Mt 25,31-46
This scene needs to be read along with the final scene of the Gospel, 28,16-20. There the risen Jesus on the mountain commissions his disciples to make disciples of all nations. This final scene of Jesus' ministry is also being proclaimed on a mountain (24,3) and it is a gathering of all nations (25,32).
The simple description for this scene is that it is a revelation similar to the Apocalypse (Apoc 1,1). Here we have a presentation of the final coming of the Son of Man.
It is therefore important to note that this scene is not a parable, though it is often called such.
Daniel chapter 7 is the classic scene for the coming of the Son of Man (Dn 7,13-14), a vision which was very important for the NT. Zecariah 14,5 is also refered to here, the Lord God coming with all his holy ones, angels in the Septuagint (Greek OT).
It is notable how Matthew has already prepared for this scene. Earlier in this final discourse we heard of the coming of the Son of Man (24,30-31). There is also the reference to the coming of the Son of Man when Jesus first teaches his disciples the cost of discipleship (16,24-28).The Son of Man sitting on his throne in 24,31 recalls the majestic scene of Isaiah chapter 6 and the heavenly throne room of Apocalypse chapter 4. There is also the judgment scene of Apocalypse 20,11-15; there too the dead are judged according to their works.
Verse 32 speaks of the gathering of all nations. There are times in this Gospel when nations refers to the Gentiles, non-Jews (4,15 or 6,32, for example). However in chapter 24 (24,9.14) and here, the reference is stressed as to all the nations, as it will be again in 28,19.
It seems that during his ministry, Jesus saw his mission being limited to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (10,5-6). The nations when mentioned in that context refer to the Gentiles. Wnen however Matthew looks beyond the ministry of Jesus to his own time and speaks of the final days then he refers to all the nations. In the setting of the final days therefore, "all the nations" has a universal meaning, Jews and Gentiles alike. That is the evidence though it would certainly be strange if Matthew did not end on a universal note.
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The gathering of the nations is a divine passive, it is God who oversees the final gathering.
That Jesus is king was proclaimed by the Magi (2,2) and will be announced on the cross (27,37).
The many Old Testament references build up a picture of the expectations of the Israelite community. Jesus as in the Sermon on the Mount is building on tradition in making these works of mercy the condition for being righteous.
Jesus himself fed the crowds (14,16-21), just as God feeds the hungry (Ps 146,7). Jesus also cures the sick as seen in chapters 8 & 9.
Gen 3,21 tells of God giving clothing to Adam and Eve who are now aware of their nakedness.
Abraham shows typical and traditional nomadic hospitality by caring for the strangers (Gen 18,1-8).
In doing all this, the sheep can be called righteous (25,37), doing the will of God. Yet they are surprised when what they did naturally is now being held up as special.
Some would restrict "one of the least of my brothers" to Christians, missionaries in particular but Matthew's theme as we have seen is universal. Any human in need can be a brother of Jesus. Thus the NRSV is wrong to translate "brothers" as "members of my family". (Looking this more widely, we could think of St Martin of Tours sharing his cloak with a beggar).
The language for the damnation of those on the left hand is traditional as seen in the Apocalypse. It is not to be over-stressed therefore. Yet their fate will be eternal punishment, there lies the warning of this scene (25,46).
The scene therefore concludes in terms of Dn 12,2. This is the only clear reference to the resurrection in the Hebrew (Jewish) Bible as we saw with 22,23.
Righteousness is Jesus' demand in this Gospel (5,20). Therefore in verse 46 the scene ends the public ministry of Jesus with the promise of eternal life for the righteous.
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