Who Are “the Least” of Jesus’ Brothers in Matthew 25:40?

By Eugene W. Pond

[Eugene W. Pond is Director of Institutional Research and Planning and Assistant Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas.

This is article three in a three-part series, “A Study of the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25.”]

Two earlier articles on the judgment of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:31–46 discussed the timing and the subjects of this judgment. As discussed in the first article, the judgment of the sheep and goats will occur when Jesus Christ returns to earth to begin His millennial reign.[1] The second article argued that the ones to be judged are all the Gentiles who will be on the earth at the time of the Lord’s return.[2] The present article examines the nature and basis of the judgment enacted by the Son of Man. The Gentiles will be judged on how they relate to “these brothers of Mine, even the least of them” (v. 40; cf. “the least of these,” v. 45). The identity of these brothers is a classic crux interpretum of the passage.[3]

Bible scholars have proposed three views on the identity of the participants in this premillennial judgment: (a) a judgment of living Gentiles based on their treatment of Jews, (b) a judgment of all living persons based on their treatment of Jesus’ followers, and (c) a judgment of Gentiles based on their treatment of missionary disciples. A study of verses 40 and 45 helps clarify possible meanings of the identity of “the least” of Jesus’ brothers and their relationship to the judgment of the sheep and goats.

Premillennial Interpretations of “The Least” of Jesus’ Brothers

The sheep and goats (the parabolic names applied to πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, Matt. 25:32) will be judged by how they treat “these brothers of Mine, even the least of them” (τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, v. 40), referred to as “the least” elsewhere in this article.

The three major premillennial views on “the least” are that they represent Jews in the Tribulation, missionary disciples (whether Jew or Gentile) in the Tribulation, or Tribulation martyrs. In each case several questions need to be answered. First, in what way(s) are they Christ’s “brothers”? Second, in what way(s) are they the “least” of His brothers? Third, in what way(s) will the sheep and goats have interacted with them before the judgment, that is, what will it mean for the sheep to do acts of mercy toward “the least”?

“The Least” are Jews in the Tribulation

The most common interpretation of “the least of these my brethren” among premillennialists is that they represent Jews in the Tribulation.[4] They are Christ’s “brothers” because they share His Jewish nationality or race. They are “least” because they will be intensely persecuted during the Tribulation. They will serve as the Lord’s missionaries to τὰ ἔθνη, the Gentiles.

Jewish brotherhood. An important argument for this interpretation is the natural physical brotherhood that a Jew has with Jesus.[5] Paul spoke of Israelites as his “brothers” and then clarified the term by equating it to τῶν συγγενῶν μου κατὰ σάρκα (“my kinsmen according to the flesh,” Rom. 9:3). On the Day of Pentecost Peter referred to his fellow Jews as “brothers,” even though they were unbelievers at the time (Acts 2:29). In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus differentiated the brothers of His Jewish listeners from the Gentiles. “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matt. 5:47). Some might suppose that “brothers” means family siblings. But this seems unlikely because both Jews and Gentiles did more than greet their siblings, and Jesus’ challenge was to love one’s enemies and so go beyond the habits of Gentiles and tax collectors (vv. 43–46). Therefore Jesus’ listeners most likely understood this brotherhood in a national or racial sense.[6]

If πάντα τὰ ἔθνη is all the Gentiles, and since the church will be raptured before the Tribulation, then Jews are the only people left to whom the Gentiles could minister. This argument assumes that “the least” are not part of the sheep.[7]

Jewish “least.” Identifying “the least” (τῶν ἐλαχίστων) as Jews is consistent with their ministry to and their self-denial for the Messiah. The word ἐλάχιστος can be used as a superlative, as in 1 Corinthians 15:9: “For I am the least [ὁ ἐλάχιστος] of the apostles.” Derived from this is Paul’s colloquial comparative ἐλαχιστότερος, “the very least” (Eph. 3:8).

When used with a negative, ἐλάχιστος can become a circumlocution for greatness, as in Matthew 2:6. “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah.” In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus used ἐλάχιστος twice in one sentence. “Whoever then annuls one of the least [τῶν ἐλαχίστων] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least [ἐλάχιστος] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (5:19). Considering the Old Testament penalty for adding to God’s Word (Deut. 4:2; 18:20), being called “least” in the kingdom means not being there at all.

Since ἐλάχιστος is the superlative of μικρός (“little one”), “the least” is often linked to the “little ones” elsewhere in Matthew. A number of features are common to the judgment of the sheep and goats and Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:40–42. “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones [ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων] even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

Jesus had just spoken of how to be “worthy” of Him (vv. 37–38)—by losing one’s life in dedicated service for Christ (v. 39) in the face of intense persecution, even from unbelieving family members (vv. 34–37). Jesus ended this discourse, addressed to the Twelve being sent as missionaries (vv. 5–15), by promising a reward to those who receive missionaries, no matter how humble (a little one, vv. 40–42) or persecuted. The links with 25:40, 45 are fivefold: (a) the reference to “one” and “these,” (b) the diminutive “little ones” (in place of “the least”), (c) the expression of hospitality, (d) the identification of Christ with the one being received, and (e) the promise of reward to the one who receives the little one. Based on these similarities, a mission background can be assumed for the interpretation of Matthew 25:31–46.

In 18:4–6 Jesus discussed greatness in the kingdom of heaven; He spoke of the welfare of “these little ones.” “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones [ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων] who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Again five elements in these verses associate this passage with Matthew 25:40, 45: (a) the inclusion of “one” and “these,” (b) the diminutive “little ones” (in place of “the least”), (c) the expression of hospitality, (d) the identification of Christ with the one being received, and (e) the promise of reward to the one who receives the little one. “These little ones”—who have angels watching over them (18:10) and who are not to perish (v. 14)—are believing children (“one of these little ones who believe in Me,” v. 6). No one should cause them to stumble (v. 6), and they should not be despised (v. 10). However, there is progression in the passage, for the “little ones” in verse 14 seem to refer to straying or sinning brothers in the church who might perish (by temporal judgment or exclusion from the church body; cf. vv. 12–13). They are the ones who need orderly church discipline (vv. 15–20).

Matthew 18:1–14, then, is an exhortation to humility and concern for fellow believers. And the fact that they should be well received (v. 5) links this passage with 10:40–42.

Several facts can be noted from Matthew 10:40–42. First, these “little ones” are missionary disciples. Second, how they are received reflects the receiver’s acceptance of the little ones’ missionary message. Third, this reception is marked by hospitality, not just by agreement with their message verbally. Fourth, they are supernaturally cared for as the Lord identifies Himself with them. Fifth, dire consequences will occur if they and their message are rejected.

Jewish witnesses. Most dispensationalists see these missionaries as the redeemed remnant who will witness for the Lord in the Tribulation, that is, the 144,000 Jews in Revelation 7:1–8. Three reasons are given in support of this view. First, since the church will have been taken away at the rapture and since Israel will be like a banner to draw the nations to God (Isa. 62:10), His witnesses will be Jewish. Second, Revelation 7 explicitly delineates (by their tribes) Jewish witnesses during the Tribulation, and since the Second Coming immediately follows the Tribulation, the Jewish witnesses are the logical choice to be the “least” in the judgment of sheep and goats. Third, several facts about the 144,000 are similar to statements in Matthew 10 about “the least”: They are dedicated to God, they depend on those to whom they witness for their support,[8] they undergo persecution,[9] receiving them is equal to receiving the Lord,[10] and the result of their ministries is a mixture of belief and unbelief.[11]

Gundry objects to this view. If the church, he asks, is raptured immediately before the beginning of the Tribulation, how can 144,000 witnesses arise, since no one would be there to communicate the gospel to them.[12] However, an angel ascending from the sunrise will instruct four other angels not to proceed with judgments before “we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads” (Rev. 7:3). God will sovereignly draw the 144,000 to saving faith, and the angels will “seal them.” True, messengers today must spread the gospel (Rom. 10:14–15), but the Lord is not restricted to this means of evangelism.

Correlation of Jewish “brothers” with Gentile sheep and goats. This view aligns well with the interpretation that πάντα τὰ ἒθνη are Gentiles. First, the “least,” being Jewish, are separate from the Gentiles, so that three groups will appear at the judgment of Matthew 25:31–46. Second, the Jews, a persecuted race, will continue to be persecuted in the Tribulation (Rev. 12:13–17), so the “least” will need food, drink, clothing, and other acts of mercy. Third, the Jews bear the Abrahamic blessing (“I will bless those who bless you,” Gen. 12:3), which is reflected in Christ’s identifying with His servants (Matt. 25:40, 45). Fourth, this view aligns this judgment with Joel 3:2, which states that the Lord will gather all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat and judge them “on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel.”

Matthew used the word ἀδελφός of family members, such as Andrew’s relationship to Simon (Matt. 4:18) and of Christian brothers related to each another (e.g., 5:24). And in 5:47 Jesus used ἀδελφός to refer to Jews racially. However, He also said that relatives (mother, brothers, and sisters) are subordinate to His disciples. “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother” (12:50). Being a brother of Jesus, then, means being His disciple. Therefore it seems preferable to say that ἀδελφός in 25:40 may have more than a racial connotation. Another objection to this view is that the “little ones” in Matthew 18:1–6 clearly refer to children, not adult Jewish missionaries. Jesus set a child before His disciples (v. 2) and told them they needed to “become like children” (v. 3) and to be humble like that child (v. 4).

“The Least” are Missionary Disciples in the Tribulation

A second interpretation of “these brothers of Mine, the least of them” is that they represent disciples[13] of Jesus Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, who will be alive at the end of the Tribulation when the Lord returns to the earth. They are Christ’s brothers in the sense of being His followers, they are “least” because of their sacrificial ministry, and they will serve as the Lord’s missionaries to τὰ ἔθνη, the Gentiles.

Brothers who are disciples. As noted, not even Jesus’ physical relatives (of whom at least his mother was already considered a believer) were his true “brothers,” because “whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother” (Matt. 12:50). When Peter asked Jesus about the benefits of being a disciple, Jesus responded with a statement that links future judgment and the inheriting of eternal life with following Him, despite sacrificing family ties. “Then Peter said to Him, ‘Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first” (19:27–30).

The least who are disciples. The adjective “least” takes discipleship to a deeper level than that designated by being racially related to Jesus as His Jewish brothers. Disciples are called to serve the Lord in the face of physical privations, personal tribulation, and possible imprisonment. The humility they bear embodies what His converts are to do: to become like a child (18:3) and to have no concern for social status. These attributes are contrary to the disciples’ human nature.

Missionaries who are disciples. The Matthean function of a missionary disciple requires yet an additional level of commitment. Besides being the Lord’s “brothers” in the sense of being His disciples, and besides having to suffer so as to be among the least of His brothers, the missionary who is a disciple will take the gospel of the kingdom to the lost, who will receive or reject his message.

A person’s reaction to a missionary disciple is connected with what it means to be childlike in Matthew 18. Receiving “one such child” (which, in the context of chapters 10 and 18, is receiving a representative of the Messiah) receives Jesus (18:5). This representative is not a passive, meek person, but a true disciple, one who recognizes that he is only a messenger. One who does not receive such a missionary causes “one of these little ones to stumble,” a fate worse than death. “It would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (18:6). So rejecting a “child” who presents himself in Christ’s name is like rejecting Christ Himself.

In the present age before the Tribulation, being a missionary who is a disciple to πάντα τὰ ἔθνη is equivalent to obeying the Great Commission (28:19–20). This supports the view that “the least” of Jesus’ brothers are committed disciples who will bring the message of good news to people and that receiving them will be receiving Christ Himself. Future disciples who are alive during the Tribulation will carry out this same work but with graver consequences. Because their “brotherhood” with Christ means they are His disciples rather than solely converted Jews, “the least” of these brothers may include some Gentiles along with the 144,000 Jewish witnesses. There is nothing prohibiting some of the “least” being outside the group of Jewish witnesses.[14] It seems best to understand “the least” of Jesus’ disciples as the 144,000 Jewish witnesses and also Gentile witnesses.

Evaluation of being missionaries to “all the nations.” If “the least” are missionaries in the Tribulation, then πάντα τὰ ἔθνη in 25:32 may be understood as referring all people on the earth. This aligns well with the Great Commission, in which Jesus used the same phrase, “all the nations” (28:19; cf. 24:14).

However, as discussed in a previous article, it seems preferable to understand πάντα τὰ ἔθνη as referring to all Gentiles, not all nations (including both Jews and Gentiles).[15]

“The Least” Are Tribulation Martyrs

In this view the judgment of the sheep and goats will be a judgment of Gentiles, but “the least” will be any disciple of Jesus (12:50)—regardless of nationality—who shared with them the message of the gospel of the kingdom in the worldwide evangelistic mission that will occur in the Tribulation (24:14). The 144,000 Jews, “the bond-servants of our God” (Rev. 7:3), will spearhead the worldwide witnessing efforts during the Tribulation, but the movement will also include Gentiles.[16]

The sheep who will enter the millennial kingdom are believing Gentiles, witnessed to by missionary disciples who will include both Jews and Gentiles. In this view “the least” are those disciples who will have died in the Tribulation for their faith. There will be no guarantee that a missionary who is shown hospitality during the Tribulation will then live through the Tribulation. The Tribulation martyrs will accompany other saints who will return with Jesus to the earth at His second coming (Jude 14; Rev. 19:14).

While ἐλάχιστος (“the least,” Matt. 25:40) may be related to μίκροι (“little ones,” Matt. 18:6), it is obviously a different word.[17] Luz maintains that Jesus used the word “least” to form a strong contrast with the King (25:34, 40),[18] whom they served. Another possible support for understanding “the least” as referring to martyrs is the position of this passage in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus’ death on the cross immediately followed this prediction of future judgment. “The least” were clearly identified with Jesus, for in serving others, they were serving Him (“you did it to Me,” v. 40). So since He was about to be martyred, His followers could expect to suffer the same fate.

Why is it that “the sheep,” righteous ones who will be living at the end of the Tribulation, will ask the King when it was that they saw Him hungry or thirsty or in other need (vv. 37–39)? It seems unlikely that these questions are expressions of surprise, for such acts of mercy will reflect a living faith, the underlying requirement for gaining entrance to the kingdom (v. 34). A better answer is that they will wonder at the fact that the King will identify with “the least.” It should neither be surprising that Gentiles in the Tribulation will receive missionaries, respond in faith, perhaps see the missionaries martyred, and yet wonder at His identifying with those missionaries. This makes all the more sense if “the least” includes martyrs. Having aided missionaries who have since died, the “sheep” will wonder how Christ could have been with them.

Aspects of the Returning Lord’s Judgment in Matthew’s Gospel

Judgment is a major theme in the Gospel of Matthew. Marguerat found that 60 of 148 pericopae (or 41 percent) in Matthew are concerned with judgment.[19] In the judgment of the sheep and goats both groups address the Son of Man as “Lord” (κύριος, Matt. 25:37, 44). Although this title is used of deity and human masters or owners, the context of this passage (“when the Son of Man comes in His glory,” v. 31) clearly indicates that the Son of Man is the Lord.

The middle of the Olivet Discourse features three parables that discuss what happened when a κύριος returned to face those to whom he gave an interim responsibility.[20] In the parable of the wise servant (24:45–51) the householder returned to the servant whom he had charged to feed his household. In the parable of the ten virgins (25:1–13) the bridegroom’s midnight arrival for the wedding banquet meant that the ten virgins should have been prepared for his arrival. The master in the parable of the talents (vv. 14–30) returned to settle accounts with three servants to whom he had entrusted his possessions.[21]

These parables illustrate four aspects of judgment in Matthew’s Gospel.

A Disciple Should Redeem the Time

First, the criterion of judgment in Matthew is how those awaiting their master’s return made use of their time in the interim. The “faithful and sensible slave” (πιστός δοῦλος καί φρόνιμος, 24:45), who was charged with feeding his master’s family, is rewarded by a beatitude. “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes” (v. 46). The prudent (φρόνιμοι, 25:2) virgins had prepared extra oil for the bridegroom’s possible coming at night (v. 4).[22] The good and faithful slave (δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ, v. 21) doubled the value of the talents entrusted to him (v. 20).[23]

A Disciple’s Actions Reflect his Heart

A second aspect of judgment by the returning masters in these three parables is that the actions that are judged reflect accurately the priorities (i.e., the beliefs) of the person judged. The evil (κακός) servant abused his stewardship because he believed (he “says in his heart”) that his master delayed his return (24:48); he thought he had time to do evil before having to give an account. Although no reason is given why five of the virgins took no additional oil for their lamps, other than that they were foolish (μωραί, 25:3), the bridegroom’s rejection of them (“I do not know you,” v. 12) implies that they were not truly associated with him and did not care whether he would come. The wicked and lazy slave (πονηρὲ δοῦλε καὶ ὀκνηρέ, v. 26) knew the expectations of his master but faithlessly ignored them out of fear (v. 25).

A Disciple’s Faithfulness is Rewarded

A third aspect of judgment by the returning masters in these parables is that the blessed are rewarded according to their faithfulness. The reward mentioned for the wise virgins is admission to the wedding feast (25:10); the faithful and sensible servant and the two good and faithful slaves are given rewards of greater responsibility (24:47; 25:21, 23). To the two slaves their master said, “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things” (25:21, 23). This reward is equated with their entering into “the joy of your master [κυρίου].”

The Wicked are Excluded

A fourth aspect of judgment by the returning masters is that the wicked are excluded from the presence of the masters. The foundation for this principle is laid in the parables in Matthew 13. Located immediately after Israel’s leaders rejected Jesus as their Messiah,[24] these parables reveal principles of the theocracy until the Messiah returns.[25] Several of these parables of the mysteries of the kingdom are constructed around a final judgment that excludes evil that has remained for a time amidst the righteous. As seen in the parables of the wheat and tares (13:34–43) and the dragnet (vv. 47–50), at the end of the age the Lord will employ angels as reapers to remove the wicked (vv. 41–42, 49–50).

In these two parables the time of judgment is the end of the age. Those gathered will be those who have done unrighteous deeds: being a stumblingblock, committing lawlessness, being one of the wicked. The fiery furnace pictures hell, the final destination of unbelievers, and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” represents sorrow, suffering, and extreme remorse.[26]

This picture of judgment in Matthew 13 is similar to the judgment in all three parables in 24:45–25:30. The wicked will be excluded from the master’s presence. The evil servant is cut in pieces and assigned a place with the hypocrites (24:51). The foolish virgins are denied entrance into the wedding feast (25:11–12). The worthless slave is thrown out into the “outer darkness” (v. 30). In these places there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (24:51; 25:30), again representing suffering and remorse.

Application to Matthew 25:31–46

These four aspects of judgment, seen in the parables in Matthew 13 and 24–25, are also noted in the judgment of the sheep and goats. The first aspect of judgment is whether people will be faithful in the Tribulation immediately before the Lord’s return. When He comes, He will judge people on whether they did or did not minister to “the least” of Jesus’ brothers in the period between the rapture and the Second Coming.

The second aspect of judgment, that actions reflect one’s heart, is readily seen in 25:31–46. The Lord will evaluate whether people did or did not show deeds of mercy to others, which will reveal whether they are believers.

The third aspect of judgment is faithfulness. The “sheep” (righteous ones) will be aware of their faith and of their deeds of mercy, but though faithful, they will be surprised because they will not be aware that Christ had identified Himself with “the least” whom the “sheep” helped.

The “goats” will experience the fourth aspect of judgment, namely, separation from the Lord and His kingdom. It is assumed that their condemnation will be followed by their resurrection at the end of the millennium to stand before God at His great white throne (Rev. 20:11–15). This is the climactic warning of the Gospel of Matthew: God’s kingdom needs to be entered before it is too late.

Summary

This article examined three interpretations of the judgment of the sheep and goats. The three views differ based on their understanding of the identity of Jesus’ “brothers” who are called “the least.” It seems best to recognize that Jesus’ “brothers,” who are called “the least,” are believers who will be slain for their faith during the Tribulation and who will return with the risen Lord at His second coming. The judgment of the sheep and goats will be a judgment of all non-Jews who will be alive at the end of the Tribulation period. Their eternal destinies—inheriting the kingdom or departing to fiery punishment—will be based on their actions that reflect whether they believe or reject the message of witnesses for the Son of Man as the Savior and King. These witnesses are called the “brothers” of Jesus Christ because they will be His devoted disciples, and they are called “the least” of Jesus’ brothers because many of them will have been put to death for their faith.

Notes

1. Eugene W. Pond, “The Background and Timing of the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats,” Bibliotheca Sacra 159 (April-June 2002): 201-20.
2. Eugene W. Pond, “Who Are the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25:31–46?” Bibliotheca Sacra 159 (July-September 2002): 288-301.
3. Sherman W. Gray, The Least of My Brothers: Matthew 25:31–46: A History of Interpretation, Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series (Atlanta: Scholars, 1989), 8–9.
4. For a review of positions held by writers identifying themselves as dispensationalists, for whom premillennialism is a nearly universal characteristic, see Eugene W. Pond, “Interpretative Issues Pertaining to the Judgment of Sheep and Goats” (Ph.D. diss., Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, 2001), 37–84. Those who maintain that “the least” are exclusively Jews include John Nelson Darby, William Kelly, J. T. Cooper, Cyrus I. Scofield, Arno C. Gaebelein, William L. Pettingill, Lewis Sperry Chafer, John F. Walvoord, J. Dwight Pentecost, Charles Feinberg, Alva J. McClain, Herman Hoyt, Charles C. Ryrie, Stanley D. Toussaint, and Howard Vos.
5. Ed Glasscock, Matthew, Moody Gospel Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1997), 492.
6. Jesus did not “redefine” brotherhood until later in his ministry (Matt. 12:46–50) and to a much more committed audience than those who heard the Sermon on the Mount.
7. John F. Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come (Chicago: Moody, 1974), 201.
8. Compare Matthew 10:11–14 (and Mark 6:7–11; Luke 10:1–12) with Matthew 25:35–40. In addition the 144,000 will be chaste, blameless followers of the Lamb (Rev. 14:4–5).
9. Compare Matthew 10:21–22 with 25:35–36 (they are physically needy). The 144,000 must be sealed, evidently for their protection through the time of wrath (Rev. 7:3).
10. Compare Matthew 10:20, 25, 31–32 with 25:40, 45. The 144,000 will have the name of the Lamb’s Father written on their foreheads (Rev. 7:3; 14:1).
11. Compare belief (Luke 10:17) and unbelief (v. 13) with the sheep (Matt. 25:34–40) and goats (vv. 41–46). The ministry of the 144,000 will result in many people becoming believers in the Tribulation (Rev. 7:9–17); but others will remain as unrepentant reprobates (9:20–21).
12. “How then will the 144,000 be saved? Oh, maybe through reading the Bible or through noting the disappearance of Christians at a pretrib rapture. So [pretribulationists] say again” (Bob Gundry, First the Antichrist: A Book for Lay Christians Approaching the Third Millennium and Inquiring Whether Jesus Will Come to Take the Church out of the World before the Tribulation [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997], 89).
13. The word “disciples” is used in this section to mean those who in the Tribulation will place their faith in Christ and thus will be born again. It is used instead of the word “Christian” to avoid confusion with the members of the church who will be translated before the Tribulation.
14. Those Gentiles who will stand before the Lamb’s throne (Rev. 7:9) are identified as having come out of the Great Tribulation (vv. 13–14). They are included among those martyred for giving testimony for God (6:9–11).
15. Pond, “Who Are the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25:31–46?” 293–301.
16. Gentiles will be saved during this period also. They are “a great multitude” from every people group (Rev. 7:9) who will have died for their faith (“they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” v. 14). Since these have died, they would not be part of the Gentiles who will be divided into sheep and goats.
17. Eduard Schweizer, The Good News according to Matthew, trans. David E. Green (Atlanta: John Knox, 1975), 479.
18. Ulrich Luz, “The Final Judgment (Matt. 25:31–46): An Exercise in ‘History of Influence’ Exegesis,” in Treasures New and Old: Contributions to Matthean Studies, ed. David R. Bauer and Mark Allan Powell, trans. Dorothy Jean Weaver (Atlanta: Scholars, 1996), 302.
19. Daniel Marguerat, Le jugement dans l’evangile de Matthieu (Geneva: Labor et Fides, 1981), 13.
20. The parables in this section are preceded by the principle that the disciple must be on the alert because he does not know when the Lord will come (24:42, 44). Between the two statements of the principle is the parable of a householder who had a problem of protecting his possessions from an unexpected thief (v. 43). Jesus’ point is that since a householder can prevent a theft by being watchful, so must His disciples always be watchful for His return.
21. Other usages of κύριος in Matthew fall into one of three groups: as a name for God (e.g., 4:4, 7, 10; 11:25), as the master or householder in a parable or in a wisdom saying (e.g., 10:24–25; 18:25), and as an address to Jesus. Two types of people called Jesus κύριε: “outsiders” seeking supernatural help from Him in whom they believed (e.g., 8:2, 6, 8; 15:22, 25, 27), and “insiders”—the disciples—whose lack of faith needed to be corrected (e.g., 8:25; 14:28, 30; 16:22). The disciples who should have known Jesus better as “Lord” than others seem, ironically, to have believed in Him less than those outside their circle.
22. Some have found fault with even the prudent virgins, noting that all ten fell asleep during the bridegroom’s delay. David K. Lowery likens their weakness to that of the disciples at Gethsemane (“A Theology of Matthew,” in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, ed. Roy B. Zuck [Chicago: Moody, 1994], 61). However, it was the bridegroom who delayed his arrival until after dark, and sleeping is a natural state at night. “What is blamed is not the sleeping, but the failure of the foolish virgins to provide oil for their lamps” (Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus, 2d ed., trans. S. H. Hooke [New York: Scribner, 1972], 52). The admonition to be on the alert (γρηγορεῖτε, Matt. 25:13) summarizes being prepared for the Lord’s arrival on a moment’s notice.
23. Thomas W. Buckley suggests that Jesus may have intended this parable as a commentary on latter-day Judaism. The Jews were God’s priestly people, mediating God and His Law among the pagans. But like the wicked servant the Jews failed: “If they did not bury, they at least fenced in the Torah and judged the goyyim sinners.” The Jewish leaders similarly buried their talent, straining out the gnat of tithing while swallowing the camel of the weightier provisions of the Law (23:23–24) (Seventy Times Seven: Sin, Judgment, and Forgiveness in Matthew [Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1991], 52–53). While Matthew’s and Jesus’ intentions cannot be separated, this parable does imply a contrast with how God’s work was carried out in the past, that is, as if the Lord would never return.
24. The rejection is recorded four times in Matthew 12. First, Jesus’ actions as Lord of the Sabbath (the sign of the Mosaic Covenant) led the Pharisees to try to destroy Him (vv. 1–21). Second, Jesus’ healing of a demonized person motivated the Pharisees to attribute His works to Satan (vv. 22–37). Third, their calling for a sign (probably to accuse Jesus of seducing them away from God) was answered with the prediction of the sign of Jonah (resurrection after death, vv. 38–45). Fourth, the mark of family ties was rejected in favor of the mark of faith that unites one with Christ as a disciple (vv. 46–50).
25. Pentecost refers to these principles as features of a newly revealed form of the theocratic kingdom (J. Dwight Pentecost, The Parables of Jesus [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982], 48–49).
26. Jesus used the words “weeping and gnashing of teeth” several times to describe the conditions of those who will be judged (8:12; 13:43, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28). Weeping is an obvious figure for the sorrow of the condemned. Teeth-gnashing occurs once in the New Testament outside Jesus’ use to describe the Sanhedrin’s response to Stephen’s speech (Acts 7:54): they were seething with anger. This reflects the Old Testament use of the phrase (Job 16:9; Pss. 34:16; 36:12; 111:10; Lam. 2:16). However, in the parables in Matthew teeth-gnashing speaks of the suffering and remorse of being cast into hell.