The Separation of the Sheep from the Goats

Matthew 25:31-46 KJV)

1. The coming of the Judge

Jesus Christ came the first time not to condemn but that the world through him might be saved. At the second coming, however, in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, it will be to sit upon the throne of his glory as King and Judge of all the earth.

On that day, Jesus said, there will be gathered before him all nations, both Jew and Gentile, both the living and the dead, and he will set them apart one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Among the rabbins, right hand signifies, favour, acceptance and eminence. In contrast, the left hand is symbolic of disapproval, condemnation, and rejection. The right and left were emblematic of endless beatitude and endless misery among the Romans.

2. Two contrasting animals

His allusion to separating his sheep from the goats would be readily appreciated by the disciples. It was common for the shepherd of Palestine to tend both sheep and goats, the former for their wool and meat and the latter for their milk. During the day, the flock would be pastured together; then at night, they would be separated into different folds or into separate corners of one larger fold to sleep.

Between the two it was understandable that the shepherd should feel a deeper affection for the sheep, for while they were gentle, docile creatures, the goats were generally bad-tempered, quarrelsome, stubborn, difficult to control, and destructive animals. It was, therefore, easy to think of the sheep as the righteous and the goats as the wicked and to compare their separation when night came, to the separation of the righteous and the wicked at the end of the world's day of probation.

Sheep, which have always been considered as the emblems of mildness, simplicity, patience, and usefulness, represent here the genuine disciples of Christ. Goats, which are naturally quarrelsome, dirty, excessively ill-scented, and with indecent behaviours were considered as the symbols of riotous, profane, and impure men. They here represent all who have lived and died in their sins.

Setting the righteous on his right hand, the side of favour and honour, Jesus will say to them, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

3. The basis of eternal reward

Explaining the basis of their selection for their eternal reward, Jesus will say, "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me."

When the righteous profess themselves unable to recall any such service rendered to their King, he will reply, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." On first thoughts, it might seem that these grounds of reward sound rather like salvation by works, but, of course, there is no contradiction between the judgment scene here presented and the consistent teaching of Scripture that salvation is by faith alone.

4. Good work is evidence of faith

Relieving the strangers and visiting the sick were in high estimation among the Jews. One of their sayings on this head is worthy of notice: “He who neglects to visit the sick is like him who has shed blood.” That is, as he has neglected, when it was in his power, to preserve life, he is as guilty in the sight of the Lord as he is who has committed murder.

Jesus was showing the interrelation between faith and works. Faith is indeed the sole basis of salvation, but if by grace we are recreated by the divine Craftsman unto good works, these will provide the outward evidence of the inward transformation. The good works Jesus enumerates are not a source of merit but evidence of faith.

By contrast, in phrasing his condemnation of those on his left hand Jesus will say, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and he gave me no drink: I was a stranger and yet took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not."

When the rejected ones protest that they have no recollection of refusing to succour him, he will reply, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." In their case, the absence of "good works" clearly revealed that they had experienced no transformation of life through faith and that their profession was vain.

How we treat others will reveal our eternal destiny. How we treat others reveals the state of our relationship to Jesus. How we treat others reveals our heart condition. How we treat others is how we treat Jesus. Ultimately, how we treat others is the way Jesus will treat us.

5. Why was hell prepared?

The devil and his angels sinned before the creation of the world, and the place of torment was then prepared for them. It never was designed for human souls; but as the wicked are partakers with the devil and his angels in their iniquities, in their rebellion against God, so it is right that they should be sharers with them in their punishment. We see here, plainly, why sinners are destroyed, not because there was no salvation for them, but because they neglected to receive good, and do good. As they received not the Christ who was offered to them, so they could not do the work of righteousness which was required of them. They are cursed because they refused to be blessed, and they are damned because they refused to be saved.

6. Eternal destiny is by choice

The separation completed, the righteous will enter the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. This kingdom was indeed first initiated in Eden, but through sin the plan was frustrated and its fulfilment had to be postponed. But when the age-long purpose of God is consummated at the second coming of Christ and the earth is renewed again in all its Edenic beauty, the gates of the kingdom will be thrown open for the saints to enter, and they will possess it forever. But while the portion of the righteous will have a glorious life in the kingdom prepared for their eternal habitation, the fate of the wicked will be everlasting destruction in the fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

"These," said Jesus of the rejecters of his salvation, "shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." The wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God but eternal life in the presence of God will be the portion of the righteous.

The kingdom of glory is designed for those who have received the blessing of the Father and are holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from sinners. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). From eternity, it was God’s purpose and determination to admit none into his heaven but those who were made partakers of his holiness. Everything God’s love can do to lead men to choose his salvation he has done. But if they reject it they thereby choose to share Satan’s doom. Man’s choice is free, but, according to his choice, his eternal destiny is prepared.

Selie Visa