Amazing!! I have not heard a more clear understanding of this passage of scripture. Very powerful. Praise God! I truly have a heart for our persecuted and struggling brothers and sisters. Let's never forget our struggling Christian family in prayer and practical action. In helping them we learn so much from them and are equally blessed. It is a privilege for all of us to be Christ's hands and feet. Again thank you!
My friends will not be bewildered by the fact that DA Carson is my most favorite theologian if they will listen to his sermons and lectures such as this one. I really admire Carson's scholarly intellect and Christian heart.
MATTHEW 25:31-46 The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the New Messiah. Like Moses, Jesus also promulgates the Law of God. As with the ancient law, the new one, given by Jesus, also contains five books or discourses. The Sermon on the Mountain (Mt 5:1 to 7:27), the first discourse, opens with eight Beatitudes. The discourse on vigilance (Mt 2:4, 1 to 25, 46), the fifth discourse, contains the description of the Last Judgment. The Beatitudes describe the door of entrance into the Kingdom, enumerating eight categories of people: the poor in spirit, the meek, the afflicted, those who hunger and thirst for justice, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted because of justice (Mt 5:3-10). The parable of the Last Judgment tells us what we should do in order to possess the Kingdom: accept the hungry, the thirsty, the foreigners, the naked, the sick and the prisoners (Mt 25:35-36): At the beginning, as well as at the end of the New Law, there are the excluded and the marginalized. Matthew 25:31-33: Opening of the Last Judgment. The Son of Man gathers together around Him the nations of the world. He separates people as the shepherd does with the sheep and the goats. The shepherd knows how to discern. He does not make a mistake; sheep on the right, goats on the left. Jesus does not make a mistake. Jesus does not judge nor condemn. (cfr. Jn 3:17; 12:47). He does not separate alone. It is the person himself/herself who judges and condemns because of the way in which he/she behaves toward the little ones and the excluded. Matthew 25:34-36: The sentence for those who are at the right hand of the Judge. Those who are at the right hand of the judge are called Blessed of my Father! That is, they receive the blessing which God promised to Abraham and to his descendants (Gen 12:3). They are invited to take possession of the Kingdom, prepared for them from the foundation of the world. The reason for the sentence is the following: I was hungry, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner, and you accepted me and helped me! This sentence makes us understand who are the sheep. They are the persons who accepted the Judge when he was hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner. Because of the way of speaking about my Father and the Son of Man, we can know that the Judge is precisely Jesus Himself. He identifies Himself with the little ones! Matthew 25:37-40: A request for clarification and the response of the Judge: Those who accept the excluded are called just . That means that the justice of the Kingdom is not attained by observing norms and prescriptions, but rather by accepting those in need. But it is strange that the just do not even know themselves when they accepted Jesus in need. Jesus responds: Every time that you have done this to one of my brothers, you have done it to me. Who are these little brothers of mine? In other passages of the Gospel of Matthew, the expression “my brothers” indicates the disciples (Mt 12:48-50; 28:10). This also indicates the members of the community who are more abandoned and neglected who have no place and are not well received (Mt 10:40). Jesus identifies Himself with them. In the broader context of the last parable, the expression “my smallest brothers” is extended and includes all those who have no place in society. It indicates all the poor. The just and the blessed by my Father are all the persons from all nations who accept and welcome others with total gratuity, independently of the fact that they are Christians or not. Matthew 25:41-43: The sentence for those who were at the left hand side. Those who were on the other side of the Judge are called cursed and they are destined to go to the eternal fire, prepared by the devil and his friends. Jesus uses a symbolic language common at that time to say that these persons will not enter into the Kingdom. And here, also, their is only one reason: they did not accept or welcome Jesus as one who is hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and/or a prisoner. It is not that Jesus prevents them from entering into the Kingdom, rather it is our way of acting that is our blindness which prevents us from seeing Jesus in the little ones. Matthew 25:44-46: A request for clarification and the response of the Judge. The request for clarification indicates that it is a question of people who have behaved well, people who have their conscience in peace. They are certain to have always practiced what God asked from them. For this reason they were surprised when the Judge says that they did not accept Him, did not welcome Him. The Judge responds: Every time that you have not done these things to one of my brothers, the little ones, you did not do it to me. It is the omission! They did not do anything extra. They only missed practicing good towards the little ones and the excluded. This is the way the fifth Book of the New Law ends! In the saints and Church Fathers we have a lot to learn about virtues and vices. It is not enough to just avoid vice, or sin, but to also work toward attaining virtue and virtuous behavior. To do no harm is not the same as to help. This is what we are called to do: to not just avoid doing wrong or harm, but to go out of our way to do good as well. Do I focus my life more on avoiding harm or on doing good for others? Psalm 19:8 (KJV) 8 The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the Commandment of the Lord is pure, Enlightening the eyes.
36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' 45 Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." - Matthew 24:36-25:46
If I am understanding Carson’s description of the sheep and the goats correctly, the charge to believers (sheep) is to care for other believers (sheep). This is because Jesus only uses the terms “brothers or sisters of mine”, uniquely specific to the sheep and not of the goats. Therefore, since Jesus only identifies with his people (sheep), he said it was done “to me”. Alternatively, because he did not use the terms “brothers or sisters of mine”, concerning the goats (unbelievers), that means he does not identify himself with the goats? That clearly doesn’t make sense at all. Is he saying that the goats are cursed because they did not care for the other goats? No, because the separation has just occurred. Up to this point, the sheep and goats were together (think of Jesus’ words in the parable of the wheat and the tares: “Let them both grow together”). The wheat and the tares were not separated until the end just like the sheep and the goats have not been separated until this moment when The Son of Man has come. And while he is addressing those on his left (goats), Jesus still uses the exact same language, except in the negative: “Because you did not do it to one of the least of these, *you did not do it to me*”. Using the language as written, he clearly identifies himself with both groups - which prior to the separation were only one group. I am confused why Dr Carson spent time who Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” were when to both groups he uses the same crescendo of, “to me”.
Hello Pastor Carson You have preached here a very carefully thought through sermon. However I disagree strongly that this is a parable. Parables of Jesus tends to begin in a particular way, classically 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like......" There is nothing like that here. I have always considered this to be a prophecy, foretelling what will happen on the Day of Judgment. David from the UK
I agree with Jared Lind, if I am not mistaken Carson is the author, co-author or editor of around 60 books. The President of The Gospel Coalition, Research Professor of New Testament in Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and itinerant lecturer/preacher in different church settings and universities around the world. He is one of the greatest New Testament scholars alive. Actually, he is my favorite theologian. I have watched almost all of his youtube videos, read 4 books by him, and is currently making a graduate paper on my subject on New Testament entitled "A Survey of DA Carson's Essays in New Testament Studies"
To be honest, this passage is bedevilled by strange interpretations. I attended an event around 20 years ago in which a distinguished Christian writer called Val Grieve spoke with us about this. He said it dealt with rewards in Heaven. I spoke up at what struck me as a serious misreading of Scripture and - to his credit - he looked at v46 in context and said I was right. I have been wary of what ministers say on this ever since. Evangelical Christians have two problems with this passage - it seems to hint at salvation by works and, as affluent 21st century Christians, we know that we are fairly insulated from poverty and that this text demands something radical from us. I believe inadvertently you have toned this down a bit and I feel that is a pity. Here is how I understand it: God saves us by grace through faith but that saving faith has to be the kind which issues in work - or, as you say - where it makes us such changed personalities that helping the poor is almost an automatic reflex action for us out of our great love for people. I am sure the great Scottish theologian William Barclay is correct when he says 'God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human need'. I agree that 'brother' is used primarily in the NT to denote other Christians. But we know from other Scriptures that Jesus loved the whole world and we are all made in God's image. Seeing this as about helping only Christians does not represent Jesus' approach for he met human need (e.g. by healing) whether someone was a follower or not. Was Christ only good to his disciples? Or - more accurately - was his perfection shown only by his good loving deeds to those who followed him? I am sure we have to give a resounding no to both questions. Your reading just seems very partisan, sorry. The other point I would make is we have to be stronger in our warnings to those for whom this passage was intended. Sadly, such people do exist in our churches and some people in the fellowship I attend pay little heed to the poor. There is a lack of any love (in the sense of the Greek word agape) in some people. I know this as I am involved in a lot of initiatives with my church and the vast bulk of people don't support my Fairtrade stall or volunteer to knock doors for Christian Aid week or show any interest in initiatives generally for the needy. We need to be clear that such people risk their salvation. Why are we so reluctant to speak the truth here? If the passage was talking about those in homosexual relationships missing out on eternity the internet would be full of preachers fulminating on this. Why are we unprepared to take difficult Scriptures in the Gospels and lay it out to people? May God bless your ministry.
+David Kennedy wow those are very good points though this was said a year ago still a good response. I have often thought that it is safer to treat everyone with the same compassion because you really will never know who are those that may be your brethren in Christ when that are complete strangers. As Jesus said " I was a stranger and you took me in !!! in truth we really don't know who is in Christ who isn't. so if it takes going above and beyond caring for only Christians would it not be wise to do so!!!My only reluctance-- is in knowing this scripture because if my doing these things is to be a natural response of my faith without any ego then why did Jesus even mention it. why was it so important for Him to say these words... If I know this to be correct then how can I respond as a sheep without thinking of this verse while fulfilling a need or doing good works... Ego is that which marvels at itself!!!
+Monsoon Harvard I agree about the standing of Professor Carson and mean no slight against him. But I would caution you against unthinkingly taking the word of a great theologian against the promptings of the Spirit as you read the Scriptures. Blessings, David
+David Kennedy Yes. We should never take anyone's interpretation without checking the Scriptures for ourselves. Even the apostle Paul cautioned his listeners not to blindly accept his words.
David Kennedy I would comment that those that rely purely on an internal voice, and always call it the Holy Spirit, sometimes make mistakes. Context matters, careful hermeneutics and exegesis, there is much scripture that gets misapplied or misunderstood and I wonder sometimes if Jesus just looks down and shakes his head. And says nope, that is not what I meant
The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus, the New Messiah. Like Moses, Jesus also promulgates the Law of God. As the Ancient Law, the new one, given by Jesus, also contains five books or discourses. The Sermon on the Mountain (Mt 5, 1 to 7, 27), the first discourse opens with eight Beatitudes. The discourse on vigilance (Mt 24, 1 to 25, 46), the fifth discourse, contains the description of the Last Judgment. The Beatitudes describe the door of entrance into the Kingdom, enumerating eight categories of persons: the poor in spirit, the meek, the afflicted, those who hunger and thirst for justice, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted because of justice (Mt 5, 3-10). The parable of the Last Judgment tells us what we should do in order to possess the Kingdom: accept the hungry, the thirsty, the foreigners, the naked, the sick and the prisoners (Mt 25, 35-36): At the beginning as well as at the end of the New Law, there are the excluded and the marginalized. • Matthew 25, 31-33: Opening of the Last Judgment. The Son of Man gathers together around him the nations of the world. He separates the persons as the shepherd does with the sheep and the goats. The shepherd knows how to discern. He does not make a mistake; sheep on the right, goats on the left. Jesus does not make a mistake. Jesus does not judge nor condemn. (cfr. Jn 3, 17; 12, 47). He hardly separates. It is the person himself/herself who judges and condemns because of the way in which he/she behaves toward the little ones and the excluded. • Matthew 25, 34-36: The sentence for those who are at the right hand of the Judge. Those who are at the right hand of the judge are called “Blessed of my Father!”, that is, they receive the blessing which God promised to Abraham and to his descendants (Gen 12, 3). They are invited to take possession of the Kingdom, prepared for them from the foundation of the world. The reason for the sentence is the following: “I was hungry, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner, and you accepted me and helped me!” This sentence makes us understand who are the sheep. They are the persons who accepted the Judge when he was hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner. And because of the way of speaking “my Father” and “the Son of Man”, we can know that the Judge is precisely Jesus Himself . He identifies himself with the little ones! • Matthew 25, 37-40: A request for clarification and the response of the Judge: Those who accept the excluded are called “just”. That means that the justice of the Kingdom is not attained by observing norms and prescriptions, but rather by accepting those in need. But it is strange that the just do not even know themselves when they accepted Jesus in need. And Jesus responds: “Every time that you have done this to one of my brothers, you have done it to me”. Who are these little brothers of mine?” In other passages of the Gospel of Matthew, the expression “my brothers” and “the smallest brothers” indicates the disciples (Mt 10, 42; 12, 48-50; 18, 6.10.14; 28, 10). This also indicates the members of the community who are more abandoned and neglected who have no place and are not well received (Mt 10, 40). Jesus identifies himself with them. But not only this. In the broader context of the last parable, the expression “my smallest brothers” is extended and includes all those who have no place in society. It indicates all the poor. And the “just” and the “blessed by my Father” are all the persons from all nations who accept, welcome others with total gratuity, independently of the fact that they are Christians or not. • Matthew 25, 41-43: The sentence for those who were at the left hand side. Those who were on the other side of the Judge are called “cursed” and they are destined to go to the eternal fire, prepared by the devil and his friends. Jesus uses a symbolical language common at that time to say that these persons will not enter into the Kingdom. And here, also, the reason is only one: they did not accept, welcome Jesus hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner. It is not that Jesus prevents them from entering into the Kingdom, rather it is our way of acting, that is our blindness which prevents us from seeing Jesus in the little ones. • Matthew 25, 44-46: A request for clarification and the response of the Judge. The request for clarification indicates that it is a question of people who have behaved well, persons who have their conscience in peace. They are certain to have always practiced what God asked from them. For this reason they were surprised when the Judge says that they did not accept him, did not welcome him. The Judge responds: “Every time that you have not done these things to one of my brothers, the little ones, you did not do it to me”. It is the omission! They did not do anything extra. They only missed practicing good towards the little ones and the excluded. This is the way the fifth Book of the New Law ends! 4) Personal questions • What struck you the most in this parable of the Last Judgment? • Stop and think: if the Last Judgment would take place today, would you be on the side of the sheep or on the side of the goats?
The reason most get this wrong is because of 1- dispensational teaching of end times (2 people of God - Jews and Church, they see "the least brethern" as Jews only) and 2- free will (false) doctrine (they believe God loves the whole world and Christ died for everyone, and therefore they must perform good works to overcome/influence/manipulate the free will of unbelievers, i.e: "get them saved"). Meanwhile, the true church is neglected at best and used & abused at worst!!
Amazing!! I have not heard a more clear understanding of this passage of scripture. Very powerful. Praise God! I truly have a heart for our persecuted and struggling brothers and sisters. Let's never forget our struggling Christian family in prayer and practical action. In helping them we learn so much from them and are equally blessed. It is a privilege for all of us to be Christ's hands and feet. Again thank you!
My friends will not be bewildered by the fact that DA Carson is my most favorite theologian if they will listen to his sermons and lectures such as this one. I really admire Carson's scholarly intellect and Christian heart.
Thank You Pastor Don Carson..
Powerful sermon. One with great weight and much to ponder.
@ 36:45 Pastor says "it all depends on what you do."
That is salvation by works
wow. This brings it to another level.
I love Dr Don Carson
Wow....powerful sermon
Really good, thank you
Wonderful!
MATTHEW 25:31-46
The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the New Messiah. Like Moses, Jesus also promulgates the Law of God. As with the ancient law, the new one, given by Jesus, also contains five books or discourses. The Sermon on the Mountain (Mt 5:1 to 7:27), the first discourse, opens with eight Beatitudes. The discourse on vigilance (Mt 2:4, 1 to 25, 46), the fifth discourse, contains the description of the Last Judgment. The Beatitudes describe the door of entrance into the Kingdom, enumerating eight categories of people: the poor in spirit, the meek, the afflicted, those who hunger and thirst for justice, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted because of justice (Mt 5:3-10). The parable of the Last Judgment tells us what we should do in order to possess the Kingdom: accept the hungry, the thirsty, the foreigners, the naked, the sick and the prisoners (Mt 25:35-36): At the beginning, as well as at the end of the New Law, there are the excluded and the marginalized.
Matthew 25:31-33: Opening of the Last Judgment. The Son of Man gathers together around Him the nations of the world. He separates people as the shepherd does with the sheep and the goats. The shepherd knows how to discern. He does not make a mistake; sheep on the right, goats on the left. Jesus does not make a mistake. Jesus does not judge nor condemn. (cfr. Jn 3:17; 12:47). He does not separate alone. It is the person himself/herself who judges and condemns because of the way in which he/she behaves toward the little ones and the excluded.
Matthew 25:34-36: The sentence for those who are at the right hand of the Judge. Those who are at the right hand of the judge are called Blessed of my Father! That is, they receive the blessing which God promised to Abraham and to his descendants (Gen 12:3). They are invited to take possession of the Kingdom, prepared for them from the foundation of the world. The reason for the sentence is the following: I was hungry, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner, and you accepted me and helped me! This sentence makes us understand who are the sheep. They are the persons who accepted the Judge when he was hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and prisoner. Because of the way of speaking about my Father and the Son of Man, we can know that the Judge is precisely Jesus Himself. He identifies Himself with the little ones!
Matthew 25:37-40: A request for clarification and the response of the Judge: Those who accept the excluded are called just . That means that the justice of the Kingdom is not attained by observing norms and prescriptions, but rather by accepting those in need. But it is strange that the just do not even know themselves when they accepted Jesus in need. Jesus responds: Every time that you have done this to one of my brothers, you have done it to me. Who are these little brothers of mine? In other passages of the Gospel of Matthew, the expression “my brothers” indicates the disciples (Mt 12:48-50; 28:10). This also indicates the members of the community who are more abandoned and neglected who have no place and are not well received (Mt 10:40). Jesus identifies Himself with them. In the broader context of the last parable, the expression “my smallest brothers” is extended and includes all those who have no place in society. It indicates all the poor. The just and the blessed by my Father are all the persons from all nations who accept and welcome others with total gratuity, independently of the fact that they are Christians or not.
Matthew 25:41-43: The sentence for those who were at the left hand side. Those who were on the other side of the Judge are called cursed and they are destined to go to the eternal fire, prepared by the devil and his friends. Jesus uses a symbolic language common at that time to say that these persons will not enter into the Kingdom. And here, also, their is only one reason: they did not accept or welcome Jesus as one who is hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and/or a prisoner. It is not that Jesus prevents them from entering into the Kingdom, rather it is our way of acting that is our blindness which prevents us from seeing Jesus in the little ones.
Matthew 25:44-46: A request for clarification and the response of the Judge. The request for clarification indicates that it is a question of people who have behaved well, people who have their conscience in peace. They are certain to have always practiced what God asked from them. For this reason they were surprised when the Judge says that they did not accept Him, did not welcome Him. The Judge responds: Every time that you have not done these things to one of my brothers, the little ones, you did not do it to me. It is the omission! They did not do anything extra. They only missed practicing good towards the little ones and the excluded. This is the way the fifth Book of the New Law ends!
In the saints and Church Fathers we have a lot to learn about virtues and vices. It is not enough to just avoid vice, or sin, but to also work toward attaining virtue and virtuous behavior. To do no harm is not the same as to help. This is what we are called to do: to not just avoid doing wrong or harm, but to go out of our way to do good as well.
Do I focus my life more on avoiding harm or on doing good for others?
Psalm 19:8 (KJV)
8 The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the Commandment of the Lord is pure, Enlightening the eyes.
36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,'
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know
51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'
10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'
12 But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.'
21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'
22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.'
23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'
24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,
25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.'
26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
44 Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'
45 Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." - Matthew 24:36-25:46
If I am understanding Carson’s description of the sheep and the goats correctly, the charge to believers (sheep) is to care for other believers (sheep). This is because Jesus only uses the terms “brothers or sisters of mine”, uniquely specific to the sheep and not of the goats. Therefore, since Jesus only identifies with his people (sheep), he said it was done “to me”. Alternatively, because he did not use the terms “brothers or sisters of mine”, concerning the goats (unbelievers), that means he does not identify himself with the goats? That clearly doesn’t make sense at all. Is he saying that the goats are cursed because they did not care for the other goats? No, because the separation has just occurred. Up to this point, the sheep and goats were together (think of Jesus’ words in the parable of the wheat and the tares: “Let them both grow together”). The wheat and the tares were not separated until the end just like the sheep and the goats have not been separated until this moment when The Son of Man has come. And while he is addressing those on his left (goats), Jesus still uses the exact same language, except in the negative: “Because you did not do it to one of the least of these, *you did not do it to me*”. Using the language as written, he clearly identifies himself with both groups - which prior to the separation were only one group. I am confused why Dr Carson spent time who Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” were when to both groups he uses the same crescendo of, “to me”.
Hello Pastor Carson
You have preached here a very carefully thought through sermon.
However I disagree strongly that this is a parable. Parables of Jesus tends to begin in a particular way, classically 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like......" There is nothing like that here. I have always considered this to be a prophecy, foretelling what will happen on the Day of Judgment. David from the UK
David Kennedy, I truly fear for you, if all you can take from this teaching is about it not being a parable.
I agree with Jared Lind, if I am not mistaken Carson is the author, co-author or editor of around 60 books. The President of The Gospel Coalition, Research Professor of New Testament in Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and itinerant lecturer/preacher in different church settings and universities around the world. He is one of the greatest New Testament scholars alive. Actually, he is my favorite theologian. I have watched almost all of his youtube videos, read 4 books by him, and is currently making a graduate paper on my subject on New Testament entitled "A Survey of DA Carson's Essays in New Testament Studies"
A parable is a type of analogy. Nothing more. Like any analogy the purpose is to illustrate one particular point.
Parables never name the characters. I guess tell the difference between a parable and an account.
Five virgins were foolish and five were wise....26.30
To be honest, this passage is bedevilled by strange interpretations. I attended an event around 20 years ago in which a distinguished Christian writer called Val Grieve spoke with us about this. He said it dealt with rewards in Heaven. I spoke up at what struck me as a serious misreading of Scripture and - to his credit - he looked at v46 in context and said I was right. I have been wary of what ministers say on this ever since.
Evangelical Christians have two problems with this passage - it seems to hint at salvation by works and, as affluent 21st century Christians, we know that we are fairly insulated from poverty and that this text demands something radical from us.
I believe inadvertently you have toned this down a bit and I feel that is a pity.
Here is how I understand it: God saves us by grace through faith but that saving faith has to be the kind which issues in work - or, as you say - where it makes us such changed personalities that helping the poor is almost an automatic reflex action for us out of our great love for people. I am sure the great Scottish theologian William Barclay is correct when he says 'God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human need'. I agree that 'brother' is used primarily in the NT to denote other Christians. But we know from other Scriptures that Jesus loved the whole world and we are all made in God's image. Seeing this as about helping only Christians does not represent Jesus' approach for he met human need (e.g. by healing) whether someone was a follower or not. Was Christ only good to his disciples? Or - more accurately - was his perfection shown only by his good loving deeds to those who followed him? I am sure we have to give a resounding no to both questions. Your reading just seems very partisan, sorry.
The other point I would make is we have to be stronger in our warnings to those for whom this passage was intended. Sadly, such people do exist in our churches and some people in the fellowship I attend pay little heed to the poor. There is a lack of any love (in the sense of the Greek word agape) in some people. I know this as I am involved in a lot of initiatives with my church and the vast bulk of people don't support my Fairtrade stall or volunteer to knock doors for Christian Aid week or show any interest in initiatives generally for the needy. We need to be clear that such people risk their salvation. Why are we so reluctant to speak the truth here? If the passage was talking about those in homosexual relationships missing out on eternity the internet would be full of preachers fulminating on this. Why are we unprepared to take difficult Scriptures in the Gospels and lay it out to people?
May God bless your ministry.
+David Kennedy wow those are very good points though this was said a year ago still a good response. I have often thought that it is safer to treat everyone with the same compassion because you really will never know who are those that may be your brethren in Christ when that are complete strangers. As Jesus said " I was a stranger and you took me in !!! in truth we really don't know who is in Christ who isn't. so if it takes going above and beyond caring for only Christians would it not be wise to do so!!!My only reluctance-- is in knowing this scripture because if my doing these things is to be a natural response of my faith without any ego then why did Jesus even mention it. why was it so important for Him to say these words... If I know this to be correct then how can I respond as a sheep without thinking of this verse while fulfilling a need or doing good works... Ego is that which marvels at itself!!!
+David Kennedy Prof. Carson is one of the most studied and accomplished theologians in this century. I think I will listen to the Don on this.
+Monsoon Harvard I agree about the standing of Professor Carson and mean no slight against him. But I would caution you against unthinkingly taking the word of a great theologian against the promptings of the Spirit as you read the Scriptures. Blessings, David
+David Kennedy Yes. We should never take anyone's interpretation without checking the Scriptures for ourselves. Even the apostle Paul cautioned his listeners not to blindly accept his words.
David Kennedy I would comment that those that rely purely on an internal voice, and always call it the Holy Spirit, sometimes make mistakes. Context matters, careful hermeneutics and exegesis, there is much scripture that gets misapplied or misunderstood and I wonder sometimes if Jesus just looks down and shakes his head. And says nope, that is not what I meant
The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus,
the New Messiah. Like Moses, Jesus also promulgates the Law of God. As
the Ancient Law, the new one, given by Jesus, also contains five books
or discourses. The Sermon on the Mountain (Mt 5, 1 to 7, 27), the first
discourse opens with eight Beatitudes. The discourse on vigilance (Mt
24, 1 to 25, 46), the fifth discourse, contains the description of the
Last Judgment. The Beatitudes describe the door of entrance into the
Kingdom, enumerating eight categories of persons: the poor in spirit,
the meek, the afflicted, those who hunger and thirst for justice, the
merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted because
of justice (Mt 5, 3-10). The parable of the Last Judgment tells us what
we should do in order to possess the Kingdom: accept the hungry, the
thirsty, the foreigners, the naked, the sick and the prisoners (Mt 25,
35-36): At the beginning as well as at the end of the New Law, there are
the excluded and the marginalized.
• Matthew 25, 31-33: Opening of the Last
Judgment. The Son of Man gathers together around him the nations of the
world. He separates the persons as the shepherd does with the sheep and
the goats. The shepherd knows how to discern. He does not make a
mistake; sheep on the right, goats on the left. Jesus does not make a
mistake. Jesus does not judge nor condemn. (cfr. Jn 3, 17; 12, 47). He
hardly separates. It is the person himself/herself who judges and
condemns because of the way in which he/she behaves toward the little
ones and the excluded.
• Matthew 25, 34-36: The sentence for
those who are at the right hand of the Judge. Those who are at the right
hand of the judge are called “Blessed of my Father!”, that is, they
receive the blessing which God promised to Abraham and to his
descendants (Gen 12, 3). They are invited to take possession of the
Kingdom, prepared for them from the foundation of the world. The reason
for the sentence is the following: “I was hungry, a foreigner, naked,
sick and prisoner, and you accepted me and helped me!” This sentence
makes us understand who are the sheep. They are the persons who accepted
the Judge when he was hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick and
prisoner. And because of the way of speaking “my Father” and “the Son of
Man”, we can know that the Judge is precisely Jesus Himself . He
identifies himself with the little ones!
• Matthew 25, 37-40: A request for
clarification and the response of the Judge: Those who accept the
excluded are called “just”. That means that the justice of the Kingdom
is not attained by observing norms and prescriptions, but rather by
accepting those in need. But it is strange that the just do not even
know themselves when they accepted Jesus in need. And Jesus responds:
“Every time that you have done this to one of my brothers, you have done
it to me”. Who are these little brothers of mine?” In other passages of
the Gospel of Matthew, the expression “my brothers” and “the smallest
brothers” indicates the disciples (Mt 10, 42; 12, 48-50; 18, 6.10.14;
28, 10). This also indicates the members of the community who are more
abandoned and neglected who have no place and are not well received (Mt
10, 40). Jesus identifies himself with them. But not only this. In the
broader context of the last parable, the expression “my smallest
brothers” is extended and includes all those who have no place in
society. It indicates all the poor. And the “just” and the “blessed by
my Father” are all the persons from all nations who accept, welcome
others with total gratuity, independently of the fact that they are
Christians or not.
• Matthew 25, 41-43: The sentence for
those who were at the left hand side. Those who were on the other side
of the Judge are called “cursed” and they are destined to go to the
eternal fire, prepared by the devil and his friends. Jesus uses a
symbolical language common at that time to say that these persons will
not enter into the Kingdom. And here, also, the reason is only one: they
did not accept, welcome Jesus hungry, thirsty, a foreigner, naked, sick
and prisoner. It is not that Jesus prevents them from entering into the
Kingdom, rather it is our way of acting, that is our blindness which
prevents us from seeing Jesus in the little ones.
• Matthew 25, 44-46: A request for
clarification and the response of the Judge. The request for
clarification indicates that it is a question of people who have behaved
well, persons who have their conscience in peace. They are certain to
have always practiced what God asked from them. For this reason they
were surprised when the Judge says that they did not accept him, did not
welcome him. The Judge responds: “Every time that you have not done
these things to one of my brothers, the little ones, you did not do it
to me”. It is the omission! They did not do anything extra. They only
missed practicing good towards the little ones and the excluded. This is
the way the fifth Book of the New Law ends!
4) Personal questions
• What struck you the most in this parable of the Last Judgment?
• Stop and think: if the Last Judgment
would take place today, would you be on the side of the sheep or on the
side of the goats?
The reason most get this wrong is because of 1- dispensational teaching of end times (2 people of God - Jews and Church, they see "the least brethern" as Jews only) and 2- free will (false) doctrine (they believe God loves the whole world and Christ died for everyone, and therefore they must perform good works to overcome/influence/manipulate the free will of unbelievers, i.e: "get them saved"). Meanwhile, the true church is neglected at best and used & abused at worst!!
Read Joel 3 to get context