matthew-25:31-46,-ezekiel-34:20-24

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31

The Son of man exercising judgment. The advent of Messiah was, in the Jewish mind, associated with general judgment. The people looked forward with dread to the Messianic era. There are some who can regard the passage commencing with this verse as descriptive. Others regard it as parabolic, with the scenery taken from men's ideas of the afterlife. It is difficult to follow the passage as descriptive, because human thought and human language are incapable of dealing with actual events beyond... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The final judgment on all the nations. (Peculiar to St. Matthew.) Before entering upon the exposition of this majestic section, which is a prophecy, not a parable, we have to settle the preliminary question as to who are the subjects of the judgment here so graphically and fearfully delineated. Are they only the heathen, or Christians, or all mankind without exception? The Lord's present utterance is plainly the development of the account of the parousia in Matthew 24:30 , Matthew 24:3 .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The last judgment. I. THE JUDGE . 1 . His glory. The Lord was sitting on the Mount of Olives, looking sadly back upon the holy city and the temple which he had finally left. He had been rejected by the hierarchy of the chosen nation; the shadow of the cross was falling on him; in three days would come the awful agony and the tremendous sacrifice. He knew all this with the clear calm knowledge of Divine omniscience; but his thoughts dwelt, that Tuesday afternoon, not on his own... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The judgment of the nations. The two earlier parables of judgment refer to those who are in confessed relationship with God. The parable of the ten virgins represents the relationship of friendship,—that of people who would share in the joys of God's home, as friends at a wedding feast; the parable of the talents represents a less intimate relationship,—that of service; the talents are committed to their proprietor's "own servants." Now the scene changes, and we are brought out to the larger... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The judgment, No human imagination avails to grasp the conception of the judgment of a world—the great white throne, the voice of the archangel, the generations of all time gathering from all quarters. There is one feature of the judgment which is here and elsewhere made prominent—that Christ himself is to be Judge. The Father hath given him authority to execute judgment also, "because he is the Son of man." Jesus Christ is that Person through whom God has seen fit to transact with men... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The great assize. It has been well observed by Dr. Doddridge that our Lord here proceeds to speak of the great day of retribution, in a description which is one of the noblest instances of the true sublime anywhere to be found. Portions of the description are undoubtedly parabolic, the intention evidently being to give prominence to certain important principles; but otherwise it is a solemn anticipation of what will one day become history. We may consider— I. THE ARRANGEMENT OF ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:32

Shall be gathered ( Matthew 24:31 ). The angels shall gather them, the dead being first raised to life. All ( τα Ì , the ) nations . Not the heathen only, but all mankind (see preliminary note). The criteria upon which the judgment proceeds, in the following verses, seem to imply that all men have the opportunity of receiving or rejecting the gospel. How this can apply to those who died before the incarnation of Christ and the consequent evangelization of the world, we know... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:33

The sheep on his right hand . The sheep are the type of the docile, the profitable, the innocent, the good (see Romans 2:7 , Romans 2:10 ). The right hand is the place of favour and honour. The goats ( ἐρι ì φια , kids ) on the left. The diminutive is here used for the goats, to convey an impression of their worthlessness. Compare κυνα ì ρια , "whelps," in the conversation of our Lord with the Syro-Phoenician woman ( Matthew 15:26 , Matthew 15:27 ). They are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:34

Then . When the division is made, the sentences are pronounced. At death a separation between good and evil is in some sort made, as we learn by the parable of Dives and Lazarus; but the final award is not given till the great day. The King. He who had called himself the Son of man, here for the first and only time in Scripture names himself the King (comp. Matthew 27:11 ). He, the Messiah, takes his throne and reigns, King of kings and Lord of lords ( Revelation 19:16 ), Lord of both... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:35

For . Jesus here gives the reason which influences him in conferring this great boon on "the sheep" of his flock. He instances certain works of mercy which they performed during their earthly pilgrimage, as examples of the kind of acts which he deems worthy of eternal reward. It is not that he regards no other with favour, but these six works, as they show the temper and virtue of the door, are taken as the type of those which are approved. They are proofs of self-denial, pity, sympathy,... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:31-46

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:32

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:33

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:34

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 25:35

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