Mat 25:37-46 | TNotes | STEP | 25:37 These righteous ones (see 5:6 , 20 ) are those who do God’s will as taught by Jesus, expressed most clearly in deeds of love (7:12 ; 9:9-13 ; 22:34-40 ; 25:35-40 ).

25:37 ^a These righteous ones (see 5:6 ^b, 20 ^c) are those who do God’s will as taught by Jesus, expressed most clearly in deeds of love (7:12 ^d; 9:9-13 ^e; 22:34-40 ^f; 25:35-40 ^g).
25:40 ^h my brothers and sisters: This expresses either Jesus’ solidarity with his disciples (see 10:42 ⁱ; 18:1-14 ^j; Gal 6:10 ^k) or Jesus’ solidarity with humanity in general, irrespective of the faith of the one being helped (see Matt 6:1-4 ^l; 25:43 ^m; Prov 19:17 ⁿ). The use of brothers and sisters points to the first interpretation (Matt 12:46-50 ^o; 18:15-35 ^p; 23:8 ^q; 28:10 ^r) but does not invalidate social responsibility for other people in general (see Luke 10:30-37 ^s).
25:46 ^t 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 ^u, 49 ^v; 24:3 ^w; John 17:3 ^x; 2 Thes 1:9 ^y; Phlm 1:15 ^z; 1 Jn 5:11 ^aa, 13 ^ab). 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 ^ac; Heb 6:2 ^ad; Rev 20:10 ^ae).