Can you explain what is meant and what is the point of the passage in the Bible, Matthew 25, 31-40?

Question

I recently asked if "deeds" or "born-again" or both are the key to attaining heaven. Interestingly, it seemed only Christians answered and all gave reference that "knowing Jesus" was the answer and nearly all gave reference.

I would still like to hear opinions and interprutation of Matthews 25, 31-40. It seems to me that Jesus returns and seperates those who will attain heaven from those that will not and basically tells them that it was "deads" that they performed. In verse 37, one of the righteous asks, when did we do good deeds for Jesus. This seems to me to indicate that some did not know Jesus. So how is it that Jesus was willing to "save" them and offer heaven?

I'm curious to responses. Just trying to generate some discussion. What do you think it means? Why was it inserted into the Bible. It must have some relevance.

Answer 1

In heaven there are many - mansions, glories, kingdoms – which are all the same thing meaning levels. Depending on how you lived your life you will go to one of these levels of heaven. A prophet or someone that is really good and someone that confesses that Jesus is the savior but is not a very nice person and is selfish with is time and goods, who do evil instead of good do not deserve the same reward but both will be saved to some degree. The everlasting fire is the anguish and burning desire you will feel in knowing that your reward would have been better if you would have tried harder. So deeds matter greatly. You can believe in Jesus and be wicked but not unto denying the Holy Ghost and be saved, but just barely and will not be able to associate with God personally but be administered to be those in a higher glory. If you do not help others you would not help Jesus if he walked among us today in the flesh and you did not recognize him

Answer 2

Well you can't say that means the righteous person didn't know Jesus on that basis, because the reason the person questioned what Jesus said is not because he didn't recognize Jesus, it is because Jesus sees what we do for others as things we do for him, and the person didn't realize that. As far as this being an argument for works salvation, I don't see that either. Jesus is just pointing out that this is what you will have done if you love him, when he returns he will find that those who loved him will have served those around themselves. This falls in line with Jesus saying again and again that we are to not exalt ourselves, but become humble servants for him. Jesus washing the disciple's feet is a perfect example. Further into the New Testament you also see that Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but lowered himself to die for us, completely obedient to God's will, even to die on a cross. Philippians 2:6-7 That is the very core of the message of Christ right there, and not just Christ, it is a unifying theme of the Bible. Think about the Garden, you will be like gods, that was the temptation, Christ's message was the exact opposite.

Answer 3

Accepting Jesus' gift of his sacrifice is the only thing you need to do to be "born again" and to obtain eternal salvation. You can not earn your way into heaven. However, as Christians we try to do good deeds while on earth to emulate Jesus and as a way to thank Him for what he did for us. We are his ambassadors so to speak (although a lot of us aren't very good ones I'm afraid).

When He separates the sheep from the goats He is separating the believers from the non-believers. The righteous people knew Jesus but didn't understand that all the good deeds they did for other people were being noticed by Jesus.

Answer 4

We need to study Jesus' entire message. However, Matt 25 shows clearly that unless we respond to God's call by sacrificial charitable action, we are rejecting his plan for our lives, and we cannot be saved. Here's the big picture, from a collection of teachings across the gospels. Jesus taught you will not have an intimate friendship with God leading to eternal life unless you are baptized (Mark 16:16; John 3:5), believe Christ and put faith in him (e.g., Luke 7:50, 8:12), renounce your own prerogatives (e.g., Matt 5:3, 10), repent to obtain forgiveness (Matt 3:2; 4:17; Luke 1:77, 24:47), obey God's moral law and do what is just and charitable (e.g., Matt 25; Luke 10:25-28; John 12:50), adopt the humility of a child (Matt 18:3-4; 19:14), eat the bread of life (John 6:51, 53-54), and endure to the end (Matt 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13, Luke 21:16-18). There is a danger in any simple formulas for salvation. Salvation is certainly not by faith alone or by works alone. We respond to God's saving plan with faith, charitable work, baptism, repentance, adopting God's morality, seeking the nourishment of the Eucharist, and enduring to the end. Cheers, Bruce

Answer 5

I would like to answer your question, but quite frankly, i cant. I have read the book of Matthew many times, but i guess i have never really studied that exerpt. It really boggles your mind, though, doesnt it. I agree with the previous, that it is talking about how we should be living in present times, that part is obvious. I have always been taught that if we live in Him, we are freed from the wrath he will place on the non believers. In a sense, they will face judgement, and we will not, if we know Christ. But, here, i am not quite sure. It says nothing about the saved and un-saved, but it almost says that all man will be seperated into to groups: the do-gooders, and the do-not so gooders.

In my NIV study notes, it says that "how you treat my brothers" refers to the Jews. So, if you get anything out of this, i guess be nice to the Jews. Then it goes on to speak that this is indeed a prophecy, contrary to the first answer, and is talking about the judgement at the great white throne. It also speaks of the Book of Life. Those who are in it will be granted into Heaven, and those who are not, will face judgement. If you are saved, you are in it.

In 34, it says "come now those who are blessed by my father". Is it talking about being saved? or is it saying that we are blessed because we treated "his brothers" well? I dont know.

I hope that some of this information helps you discover what you believe it means, but i guess i cant come to a definate answer for you, sorry. I will study it some more, so I can know.

That is an excellent question. Thank you for posting it.

God bless, and good luck!

Answer 6

Jesus said; 'Have no fear LITTLE flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom.' Luke 12:32.

John 10:16 'And I have other sheep, which are not of THIS FOLD, those also I must bring, and they Will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.'...said Jesus.

James 1;18 Because he willed it, he brought us forth by the word of truth, for us to be certain FIRSTFRUITS of his creatures.

Rev. 14:1-5 ...the Lamb standing on Mt.Zion and with him a 144,000,...and no one was able to master that song but the 144,000 who have been bought from the earth,..These were bought from among mankind as FIRSTFRUITS to God and to the Lamb...

Luke 22:28-30 I make a covenant with YOU,.. for a Kingdom that you may ...sit on thrones to judge the 12 tribes of Israel.

In brief the 144,000 are a little flock, compared to the millions of Christians who will live forever, on earth; Matthew 5:5 Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

In Matthew 25:31-40, Jesus is referring specifically about those of the little flock as his brothers.

Jesus blesses with entrance into the earthly realm of his Kingdom, all who treated the little flock, his brothers with the heavenly hope, with care. Those who did not, go to the everlasting fire or Gehenna, even if they were professed Christians.

Matthew 10:40-42.. He that receives YOU receives me also, and he that receives me receives him also that sent me forth. He that receives a prophet because he is a prophet will get a prophet's reward, and he that receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will get a righteous man's reward. and whoever gives one of these LITTLE ones only a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward.

So, the OTHER SHEEP, treat the LITTLE flock with care, and Jesus rewards them. Many times they do not realize who they are treating with good deeds, so they are surprised. Apparently they are givers, and loving people. However, some "Christians' will be surprised to get rejected, as they did not show compassion on the little flock.

Answer 7

i am a christian..and it is true that u must "know jesus
to be saved
but if u are truly interested than u should kno that christ died for u and loved u....even when u didnt care or want anything to do with him....we dont deserve him...but he loved us that much newaz...

if u are truly saved u are born again which means that u are a child of God
as a child u want to obey ur heavenly father no matter what ....even if it is hard (and seriously DONT get me wrong here...its not usually the easy thing to do) but when u get saved it becomes ur responsibility to show others Gods love and honestly u cant even help it.....it just comes out of u .....(people should see that u are different somehow.....in ur attitude and demeanor not necessarily in appearance)....anyways....deeds are done so to speak to show that u are a christian.....the bible says that we are known by our fruit..which is what we do, how we talk, etc, etc

Answer 8

If you pick and choose carefully you can justify anything by Bible scripture. Those who promote the "you only have to claim Jesus as savior" are usually lazy greed pigs. Faith without works sucks and I bet Jesus, who was a tradesman. He built houses and I bet he helped the poor.
I bet Jesus would rather hang out for an eternity with a sinner who built a Habitat house than a lazy pig who lined the offering plate and did not give a damn about his fellow humans.
I figure you better walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

Answer 9

That passage is assuming that the person already believes and has accepted the grace of God in Christ Jesus. It is a reminder that knowing and accepting Jesus is not enough, we must also act on that faith. But still... it is not our deeds that have saved us, it is the grace of God.

Good deeds can be done for many reasons. For instance, we might help a person on the street and think to ourselves, "Some day he might have an opportunity to repay my kindness." Those kinds of good deeds are not done for Jesus, but in hopes of some earthly reward.

Our goodness must be totally unselfish and based on our faith in the grace and the love of God.

Answer 10

I believe from what I have been taught that this happens at the beggining of the earthly millineum kingdom. It is a judgement on those believers that have done good deeds for those around them that were in need. Becasue they helped a stranger they have helped to prove their faith and are given their inheritance of the kingdom of heaven. I believe it is a matter of faith.