Mat 25:31-46 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 25:31-46: 25:31-46 This is a description of the final judgment of which Jesus had been warning (see 7:13-27 ; 8:10-12 ; 11:20-24 ; 12:38-42 ; 13:24-30 , 36-43 ; 16:24-28 ; 24:37–25:30 ). 25:31 To sit upon his glorious throne is here a posture of judgment (see 19:28 ; 22:44 ; Dan 7:13-14 ).

Summary for Matt 25:31-46: 25:31-46 ^a This is a description of the final judgment of which Jesus had been warning (see 7:13-27 ^b; 8:10-12 ^c; 11:20-24 ^d; 12:38-42 ^e; 13:24-30 ^f, 36-43 ^g; 16:24-28 ^h; 24:37–25:30 ⁱ). 25:31 ^j To sit upon his glorious throne is here a posture of judgment (see 19:28 ^k; 22:44 ^l; Dan 7:13-14 ^m).
25:33 ⁿ The right hand is the place of honor (Gen 48:13-20 ^o; Ps 110:1 ^p).
25:34 ^q prepared for you from the creation of the world: This might be a reference to God’s choosing individuals for salvation in eternity past (see 13:10-17 ^r; Eph 1:4 ^s; Rev 17:8 ^t), or it might simply refer to the Kingdom itself as a place (cp. Matt 25:41 ^u).
Summary for Matt 25:35-36: 25:35-36 ^v The deeds described here, often called “deeds of mercy,” were acts of compassion shown to the helpless (see Isa 58:1-12 ^w; Ezek 18:7 ^x; Jas 1:26-27 ^y). These good deeds are not attempts to merit God’s favor; rather, they arise from a love for Christ that results in compassion toward others (see 6:1-4 ^z).
25:37 ^aa These righteous ones (see 5:6 ^ab, 20 ^ac) are those who do God’s will as taught by Jesus, expressed most clearly in deeds of love (7:12 ^ad; 9:9-13 ^ae; 22:34-40 ^af; 25:35-40 ^ag).
25:40 ^ah my brothers and sisters: This expresses either Jesus’ solidarity with his disciples (see 10:42 ^ai; 18:1-14 ^aj; Gal 6:10 ^ak) or Jesus’ solidarity with humanity in general, irrespective of the faith of the one being helped (see Matt 6:1-4 ^al; 25:43 ^am; Prov 19:17 ^an). The use of brothers and sisters points to the first interpretation (Matt 12:46-50 ^ao; 18:15-35 ^ap; 23:8 ^aq; 28:10 ^ar) but does not invalidate social responsibility for other people in general (see Luke 10:30-37 ^as).
25:46 ^at The Greek term translated eternal can mean either “lasting forever” or “lasting for an age,” in this case “the age to come” (13:39-40 ^au, 49 ^av; 24:3 ^aw; John 17:3 ^ax; 2 Thes 1:9 ^ay; Phlm 1:15 ^az; 1 Jn 5:11 ^ba, 13 ^bb). Some hold out hope that the punishment of the damned will, after “an age,” be ended by annihilation or forgiveness. The parallel between eternal life and eternal punishment suggests strongly that it means “lasting forever,” since eternal life does not end (see also Luke 16:19-31 ^bc; Heb 6:2 ^bd; Rev 20:10 ^be).