Mat 25:35-40 | Barnes | STEP | Verses 35,36. I was an hungred . The union between Christ and his people is the most tender and endearing of all connexions. It is represented by the closest unions of which we have knowledge, . This is a union not physical, but moral; a union of feelings, interests, plans, destiny; or, in other words, he and his people have similar feelings, love the same objects, share the same trials, and inherit the same blessedness, . Hence he considers favours shown to his people as shown to himself, and will reward them accordingly, . They show attachment to him, and love to his cause. By showing kindness to the poor, and needy, and sick, they show that they possess his spirit--for he did it when on earth; they evince attachment to him, for he was poor and needy; and they show that they have the proper spirit to fit them for heaven, . Was a stranger . The word stranger means a foreigner , or traveller; in our language, one unknown to us. To receive such to the rites of hospitality was, in eastern countries, where there were few or no public houses, a great virtue. See . Took me in . Into your house. Received me kindly. Naked . Poorly clothed. Among the Jews they were called naked who were clad in poor raiment, or they who had on only the tunic or inner garment, without any outer garment. ; . (e) "For I was" (f) "stranger"

Matthew 25:35-40

Verses 35,36. I was an hungred. The union between Christ and his people is the most tender and endearing of all connexions. It is represented by the closest unions of which we have knowledge, Jn 15:4-6; Eph 5:23-32, 1Cor 6:15. This is a union not physical, but moral; a union of feelings, interests, plans, destiny; or, in other words, he and his people have similar feelings, love the same objects, share the same trials, and inherit the same blessedness, Jn 14:19, Rev 3:5, 21, Rom 8:17. Hence he considers favours shown to his people as shown to himself, and will reward them accordingly, Mt 10:40, 42. They show attachment to him, and love to his cause. By showing kindness to the poor, and needy, and sick, they show that they possess his spirit--for he did it when on earth; they evince attachment to him, for he was poor and needy; and they show that they have the proper spirit to fit them for heaven, 1Jn 3:14,17, Jas 2:1-5, Mk 9:41.

Was a stranger. The word stranger means a foreigner, or traveller; in our language, one unknown to us. To receive such to the rites of hospitality was, in eastern countries, where there were few or no public houses, a great virtue. See Gen 18:1-8, Heb 13:2.

Took me in. Into your house. Received me kindly.

Naked. Poorly clothed. Among the Jews they were called naked who were clad in poor raiment, or they who had on only the tunic or inner garment, without any outer garment. Mt 5:40, Acts 19:16; Mk 14:51,52, Job 22:6, Isa 58:7.

(e) "For I was" Is 58:7, Eze 18:7 (f) "stranger" 1Pet 4:9, 3Jn 1:5 Verse 36. Mt 25:35

(g) "naked" Jas 2:15,16 (h) "ye visited" Jas 1:27 (i) "in prison" 2Ti 1:16, Heb 13:2 Verses 37-39. Then shall the righteous, etc. This answer is indicative of humility--a deep sense of their being unworthy such commendation. They will feel that their poor acts of kindness have come so far short of what they should have been, that they have no claim to praise or reward. It is not, however, to be supposed that in the day of judgment this will be actually said by the righteous, but that this would be a proper expression of their feelings. Verse 38. Mt 25:37 Verse 39. Mt 25:37 Verse 40. One of the least of these. One of the obscurest, least known, poorest, and most despised and afflicted.

My brethren. Either those who are Christians, whom he condescends to call brethren, or those who are afflicted, poor, and persecuted, who are his brethren and companions in suffering, and who suffer as he did on earth. See Heb 2:11, Mt 12:50. How great is the condescension and kindness of the Judge of the world, thus to reward our actions, and to consider what we have done to the poor as done to him!

(l) "Inasmuch" Prov 19:17, Mk 9:41, Heb 6:10