Giving as a part of a balanced redemptive lifestyle
There are many actions we can do, that if we do them right, we are displaying our faith in God. We can pray, and as long as we are doing it for God, not other people, then God recognizes it as an act of faith. We can get baptized, and as long as it is not an empty social ritual, God recognizes it as an act of faith in Jesus. But one of the most significant acts we can do to show that our faith is real is by giving. In James, giving to a brother in need is used as an example of faith (James 2:15-17). In I John, giving to a brother in need is used to show our love of God (I John 3:16-17). But even giving is only potentially an act of faith. It isn’t necessarily. We can give to others through empty motives, or we can give for the sake of God, wishing him alone to reward us.
How to give without faithfulness to God
Giving as a ritual
Sacrifices in the Old Testament were ultimately a gift to God, in hopes that he would listen to the needs of the giver. God often accepted the sacrifice, but if a person was just shallowly obeying a ritual, without any desire for God or his salvation, then God refused to accept the sacrifice (Isaiah 1:11-15). And most often, God was unhappy with sacrifices because the people were giving to God, but refusing to give justice to the poor and needy (Isaiah 1:17; Isaiah 58; Matthew 12:7). Also if the people offered sacrifice without love of God, he would refuse it (Hosea 6:6). God desires giving to assist the needy—not to just increase a church’s coffers. And he desires people to give out of a desire for him—not just because they are “supposed to.”
Giving just for personal gain
Some people give because they know they can receive from others in the long run. If we give parties and do favors for the wealthy and important, then later we can ask them for favors. Perhaps they will treat us kindly and give us gifts. The thinking, says Jesus, is not wrong, but our only patron should be God alone. If we want to gain good gifts, we should give to God alone. And who does God want us to give to? The needy. So Jesus tells us to gain God’s favor, we should shower parties and gifts on the needy and do favors for them—and then God, the greatest benefactor, will do us mighty favors. (Luke 14:12-14; Luke 16:9)
Giving to impress others
Some people give in order to gain praise and recognition from others. Some of the most famous philanthropists give huge amounts of money so that they will gain recognition as philanthropists—and their every gift is advertised. Others are interested in recognition only by the IRS, in order to gain a tax deduction. Or some want their name on a plaque, or even a newsletter, gaining recognition of their gifts. However, Jesus told us to give in secret in order to give in a way that only God sees. (Matthew 6:1-4) If we are only trying to impress God, then we will gain God’s reward. But if we are trying to impress other people, then God will not give us any reward—no matter how good we think we are. Remember, God doesn’t care about how “good” our reputation is, only how faithful we are before Him.
How to show your faithfulness to God through giving
1. To give sacrificially is to impress God
Jesus saw many people giving to God. Many people gave many huge gifts. But the only gift that impressed him—the only one that caused him to take notice was the small, sacrificial gift. God doesn’t care how large our gift is. It could be millions or dollars, or it might be just a few dollars. But our love to God is shown when we give all that we have to God. And God does not reward a large pocket, but a large heart. (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 7:47)
2. To give willingly is to show pure motivation
Many people give, but they feel that it is a terrible trial, an overwhelming burden. And often they let everyone know about it. But the Lord is looking for those who give to him and to his people willingly—those who give happily to those who need it. These people who give with open hearts show the purity of their love for God, for they give out of joy, not because they feel forced by God. (II Corinthians 9:7)
3. We give in love, for to love is to fulfill the word of God
It is easy to give without a desire to benefit another. We can sacrifice everything we have, and only do it because we are forced to. We can give because of social pressure. We can give because we want something out of God or out of someone else. But Paul warns us that even if we give everything we have, if we do not give out of a concern to benefit others, then our giving was pointless (I Corinthians 13:3). To love is to fulfill God’s word, and to do God’s word is life, both now and eternally (Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 7:21). To love is to do all that God requires of us, and we will gain our reward from Him.
4. To give to the needy is to represent God’s interest
When God told us to give, he did not tell us to build buildings or to create statues. There is nothing wrong with these things as gifts of love to God, but they are not God’s heart. God’s heart is with the needy, those who cry out to him day and night for justice. God hears the people who have no one else to turn to, no one else to save them. They are God’s true heart, and God wants us to give to them. To give to a church is not necessarily to give to God. Rather, to give to the poor—that is storing treasure in heaven. (Luke 12:33; Mark 10:21; Exodus 22:22-27; James 1:27)
5. To give to the representatives of Jesus is to give to Jesus
If we give to those who love God, then we are giving to God, and showing our love of God as well. The world can know how much we love God by how much we love those who love God. The world can know that we belong to Jesus if we love those who love Jesus. And the world can see that we love Jesus if we give to other’s who come in Jesus’ name. On the last day, our love of Jesus will be measured—not by our prayers to God or by our faithfulness in evangelism—our love will be measured by how much we showed our love to Jesus’ people. (Luke 16:9; Matthew 10:40-42; John 13:35; Matthew 25:31-46)
6. If we give for the next age, we are increasing our reward from God
All that Jesus said about giving could be summarized in this way: don’t make investments for this age—this age is falling apart. This age will soon be destroyed. Rather, give so that you can gain great benefits in the next age, where the only rewards are handed out by God. If we want to impress someone with our giving—impress God. If we want to gain something from our giving—let’s get something from God. If we want to make investments for the future—let’s invest in God’s future. When you compare a finite present to an eternal future, eternity is all that counts. (Matthew 6:19-24)
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Thursday, December 25, 2008
What Does God Want Me To Do With My Money?
Often, this is the last question we want to ask. Our money is ours! We should be able to do with it what we want. This is what our society teaches us and how everyone acts—whether Christian or not.
Some Basic Principles
Money is serious business
However, whether we have a whole lot of money, or whether we have a little, how we use our money will determine how God will use us. (Luke 16:10-12) And if we use our money without regard to God’s desire, then we will certainly not receive God’s salvation, no matter how holy we are in other areas (Matthew 6:24; Mark 10:17-21; Luke 12:33-34). How we use our money indicates whether we really have faith in God or not.
We do not need money, we need God
Money will not meet our needs. We can’t eat or drink money. Money will not shelter us from rain. Money will not give us pleasure. Money is just a means to an end. We need food and drink. We need a roof over our heads. We need companionship and security. Money can be used to give us some of these things, but we don’t really need it. All good things come from God, and so he is the one we should seek. (James 1:17) Do not focus on money—focus on God (Luke 16:13). He is the one who will meet our needs, and he is the one who teaches us what to do with what we have (Matthew 6:25-33).
Our Money is not ours
The first thing we need to realize is that our money is not actually ours. Perhaps we have worked for it, or it was given to us, but nothing we have is actually ours. It is all God’s. “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Psalm 24:1. We do not own anything—rather, we care for it for God’s sake. God has placed things in our care, and we are to use all these things in accordance with God’s instruction, for it is all His.
We are to use money to build God’s kingdom
If we are committed to Jesus, then we have surrendered everything we have to his use—our relationships, our possessions, our labor, and our money (Luke 14:25-33). They no longer belong to us, but to Jesus. And Jesus tells us that to use our resources in his way is to build up God’s kingdom and to increase our righteousness in God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Nothing else should be so important. And whatever is important to us is what we will use all of our resources on (Luke 12:34).
We are not to think that paying for an elaborate building or establishing things in the here-and-now will build up God’s kingdom. Tangible things and buildings and collections of books or CDs or videos will not build God’s kingdom. Rather, it is people that will survive to be in God’s kingdom. Political entities and nice cars will all be destroyed. God’s kingdom is built by giving to people and their needs (Luke 12:33-34; Luke 16:9; Acts 4:34-35).
What Not To Do With Money
Do not increase your debt
Even if you are looking to meet your needs, do not increase your debt. Try to rely on God’s people, not on those who will charge you interest and cause you difficulties. (Romans 13:8)
Do not build up your life on earth
It is pointless to increase our possessions or our life on earth. All of these things will be destroyed and are of no use in the kingdom of God. Rather, we are to focus on the things of God. ( Matthew 6:19;II Peter 3:10-12)
Do not pursue your own desires, comforts or entertainments
If we use our money to meet our whims or comforts, then we are in danger of gaining nothing when the Lord returns. Again, the Lord insists that we use our resources for his sake, not for our own comforts. (Luke 6:24-25; I Timothy 6:6-10)
Do not give to teachers insisting on your money
There are many teachers today who say to receive God’s blessing you should give to them, their ministry or their church. However, the scripture is clear that teachers who insist on their own gain are false teachers, and not deserving of our money. We are not to give any kind of help to false teachers—not even to welcome them into our house. Do not throw your money away by giving money to false teachers who oppose Jesus’ words—“Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8; II John 9-10; I Timothy 6:5)
Tithing To Our Churches
Tithing (giving 10% of) our money and giving it to our churches is a good idea, but how it is accomplished today isn’t found in the Bible. The ancient Hebrews had three annual taxes of 10 percent each and another tax of 10 percent taken every third year—equaling to 33 1/3% of their income every year going to things. Jesus isn’t requiring such a tax to meet the needs of his churches. Rather, he is advocating that everyone grant him all of their resources, and that they redistribute their income according to the following guidelines:
Jesus’ plan: What To Do With Money
1. Care for your own needs
We are all responsible to meet our own needs and not to depend on the church or their family to provide for us, if we can do anything about it. (II Thessalonians 3:6-10) This does not mean that we must all have a “job,” but we must work to meet our own needs. Thus, if we have money, then we should use that money to provide for our own needs.
2. Care for your family’s needs
If we have family that is dependant on us for sustenance, then we are responsible to care for them (Mark 7:10-13; I Timothy 5:8). This could mean children in our care, or aging parents that can no longer care for themselves, or someone who through injury or illness is unable to care for their own needs. By whatever means we care for our own needs, we must care for our family.
3. Pay your taxes
The government we live under now requires money. The scripture says that we must be faithful to give them what they ask, whether we agree with their policies or not. It is a part of the honor we are responsible to give them. (Romans 13:7)
4. Give to those who sacrifice themselves to build you up in the Lord
If our needs are met and our family’s needs are met—not everything they desire, but just their basic needs—then we are responsible to care for others as well. The first ones we are responsible to care for are those who have sacrificed their own well-being in order to bring us closer to the Lord. This could be teachers or healers that travel from town to town, or people who regularly teach us God’s word in our congregation—but the Scripture is clear that we are responsible to make sure that their needs are met, as well as those of their family. (Luke 10:5-9; Matthew 10:40-42; Galatians 6:6;I Timothy 5:17-18)
5. The Key: Give to the needy
If we are able to care for our basic needs, and our family’s and our minister’s, then we are also responsible to meet the needs of others, especially those who are following the Lord. If we see someone in need, and we do not respond with what we have, then we are not responding with the Lord’s love. To give to the needy is showing our faith in the Lord. If we fail to give to those who follow Jesus in need, then we will rejected by the Lord on the final day. (Luke 12:33; I John 3:17; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 25:31-46;
Planning and Giving
To redistribute our income in the above way is difficult and, in some ways, painful. In order to demonstrate our faith in giving to the needy, often we will have to sacrifice our desires and some of our needs so that others may be helped. Sometimes the Lord calls us to put other’s concerns and needs before our own. But if we are going to do that, we have to plan. It is so easy to overspend in our society, with commercials telling us every minute the newest thing we “need.” But the Lord says that what we need to do is to give to the needy. That is a part of our salvation—not a kitchen gadget or a better car or the food we always wanted to try. It isn’t easy to follow Jesus’ plan on redistributing our money, but if we pray to the Lord and seek the counsel and assistance of his Spirit, we can make the first steps.
If you have not been faithful to God in the use of worldly money,
how can God entrust true riches to you?
-Jesus Luke 16:11
Some Basic Principles
Money is serious business
However, whether we have a whole lot of money, or whether we have a little, how we use our money will determine how God will use us. (Luke 16:10-12) And if we use our money without regard to God’s desire, then we will certainly not receive God’s salvation, no matter how holy we are in other areas (Matthew 6:24; Mark 10:17-21; Luke 12:33-34). How we use our money indicates whether we really have faith in God or not.
We do not need money, we need God
Money will not meet our needs. We can’t eat or drink money. Money will not shelter us from rain. Money will not give us pleasure. Money is just a means to an end. We need food and drink. We need a roof over our heads. We need companionship and security. Money can be used to give us some of these things, but we don’t really need it. All good things come from God, and so he is the one we should seek. (James 1:17) Do not focus on money—focus on God (Luke 16:13). He is the one who will meet our needs, and he is the one who teaches us what to do with what we have (Matthew 6:25-33).
Our Money is not ours
The first thing we need to realize is that our money is not actually ours. Perhaps we have worked for it, or it was given to us, but nothing we have is actually ours. It is all God’s. “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Psalm 24:1. We do not own anything—rather, we care for it for God’s sake. God has placed things in our care, and we are to use all these things in accordance with God’s instruction, for it is all His.
We are to use money to build God’s kingdom
If we are committed to Jesus, then we have surrendered everything we have to his use—our relationships, our possessions, our labor, and our money (Luke 14:25-33). They no longer belong to us, but to Jesus. And Jesus tells us that to use our resources in his way is to build up God’s kingdom and to increase our righteousness in God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Nothing else should be so important. And whatever is important to us is what we will use all of our resources on (Luke 12:34).
We are not to think that paying for an elaborate building or establishing things in the here-and-now will build up God’s kingdom. Tangible things and buildings and collections of books or CDs or videos will not build God’s kingdom. Rather, it is people that will survive to be in God’s kingdom. Political entities and nice cars will all be destroyed. God’s kingdom is built by giving to people and their needs (Luke 12:33-34; Luke 16:9; Acts 4:34-35).
What Not To Do With Money
Do not increase your debt
Even if you are looking to meet your needs, do not increase your debt. Try to rely on God’s people, not on those who will charge you interest and cause you difficulties. (Romans 13:8)
Do not build up your life on earth
It is pointless to increase our possessions or our life on earth. All of these things will be destroyed and are of no use in the kingdom of God. Rather, we are to focus on the things of God. ( Matthew 6:19;II Peter 3:10-12)
Do not pursue your own desires, comforts or entertainments
If we use our money to meet our whims or comforts, then we are in danger of gaining nothing when the Lord returns. Again, the Lord insists that we use our resources for his sake, not for our own comforts. (Luke 6:24-25; I Timothy 6:6-10)
Do not give to teachers insisting on your money
There are many teachers today who say to receive God’s blessing you should give to them, their ministry or their church. However, the scripture is clear that teachers who insist on their own gain are false teachers, and not deserving of our money. We are not to give any kind of help to false teachers—not even to welcome them into our house. Do not throw your money away by giving money to false teachers who oppose Jesus’ words—“Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8; II John 9-10; I Timothy 6:5)
Tithing To Our Churches
Tithing (giving 10% of) our money and giving it to our churches is a good idea, but how it is accomplished today isn’t found in the Bible. The ancient Hebrews had three annual taxes of 10 percent each and another tax of 10 percent taken every third year—equaling to 33 1/3% of their income every year going to things. Jesus isn’t requiring such a tax to meet the needs of his churches. Rather, he is advocating that everyone grant him all of their resources, and that they redistribute their income according to the following guidelines:
Jesus’ plan: What To Do With Money
1. Care for your own needs
We are all responsible to meet our own needs and not to depend on the church or their family to provide for us, if we can do anything about it. (II Thessalonians 3:6-10) This does not mean that we must all have a “job,” but we must work to meet our own needs. Thus, if we have money, then we should use that money to provide for our own needs.
2. Care for your family’s needs
If we have family that is dependant on us for sustenance, then we are responsible to care for them (Mark 7:10-13; I Timothy 5:8). This could mean children in our care, or aging parents that can no longer care for themselves, or someone who through injury or illness is unable to care for their own needs. By whatever means we care for our own needs, we must care for our family.
3. Pay your taxes
The government we live under now requires money. The scripture says that we must be faithful to give them what they ask, whether we agree with their policies or not. It is a part of the honor we are responsible to give them. (Romans 13:7)
4. Give to those who sacrifice themselves to build you up in the Lord
If our needs are met and our family’s needs are met—not everything they desire, but just their basic needs—then we are responsible to care for others as well. The first ones we are responsible to care for are those who have sacrificed their own well-being in order to bring us closer to the Lord. This could be teachers or healers that travel from town to town, or people who regularly teach us God’s word in our congregation—but the Scripture is clear that we are responsible to make sure that their needs are met, as well as those of their family. (Luke 10:5-9; Matthew 10:40-42; Galatians 6:6;I Timothy 5:17-18)
5. The Key: Give to the needy
If we are able to care for our basic needs, and our family’s and our minister’s, then we are also responsible to meet the needs of others, especially those who are following the Lord. If we see someone in need, and we do not respond with what we have, then we are not responding with the Lord’s love. To give to the needy is showing our faith in the Lord. If we fail to give to those who follow Jesus in need, then we will rejected by the Lord on the final day. (Luke 12:33; I John 3:17; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 25:31-46;
Planning and Giving
To redistribute our income in the above way is difficult and, in some ways, painful. In order to demonstrate our faith in giving to the needy, often we will have to sacrifice our desires and some of our needs so that others may be helped. Sometimes the Lord calls us to put other’s concerns and needs before our own. But if we are going to do that, we have to plan. It is so easy to overspend in our society, with commercials telling us every minute the newest thing we “need.” But the Lord says that what we need to do is to give to the needy. That is a part of our salvation—not a kitchen gadget or a better car or the food we always wanted to try. It isn’t easy to follow Jesus’ plan on redistributing our money, but if we pray to the Lord and seek the counsel and assistance of his Spirit, we can make the first steps.
If you have not been faithful to God in the use of worldly money,
how can God entrust true riches to you?
-Jesus Luke 16:11
Friday, November 21, 2008
To Whom Do We Give? A Scriptural Guide
1. Give to those who are in need—the poor.
Luke 12:33—Sell your possessions and give to the poor
Hebrews 13:2—Provide hospitality to strangers
Acts 4—Apostles redistributed money to the poor.
Note: No one has to give to anyone not in need
a. Give to those who ask
Matthew 5/Luke 6—Give to those who ask of you
Luke 11—If anyone asks, then they will receive
b. Do not exclude people because they have been evil to you
Luke 6:27-36--Love your enemies... lend and do not expect in return
Romans 12:20-- If your enemy is hungry, feed him
Matthew 5:38-48
c. Do not exclude people because they are unrighteous
Luke 6:35-- The Lord is kind to ungrateful and unrighteous men
d. Give to those who are in need in front of you
Luke 10:30-37- The one who did mercy to the one in front of him in need loved his neighbor
I John 3:17—If you have resources, you must help the brother or sister right in front of you with a need
James 2—The one who has faith is the one who helps another believer in need who comes to them
2. Among those in need, prioritize giving to those who are believers.
Luke 16:9—Use money to make friends with those who will welcome you into the kingdom
Galatians 6:10—Do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith
I Thess 5:15—Always seek doing good to one another and to all people.
II Corinthians 8-9—Paul and others collecting for believers in need
a. Do not provide for believers who are living in sin.
II Thess. 3:6-12—If a brother does not work, neither let him eat
I Corinthians 5:9-13—Don’t judge the world, but if a brother is in continuous sin, do not even eat with such a one.
3. Among believers, prioritize giving to those who give the gospel to others
Luke 9; Matt 10—The workman (of God) is worthy of his hire
Matthew 10:40-48—The one who gives to these who Jesus sends to do mission work will not lose their reward
I Timothy 5:17-18—Elders who work hard, especially at teaching are worthy of their wages
a. Give to those who give the gospel from a simple lifestyle
Matt 10:9-10; Mark 6:8-9; Luke 9:3; Luke 10:4—Those whom Jesus sends out, he sends telling them to bring nothing except the clothes on their backs.
b. Do not give to those who teach something opposed to the teaching of Jesus.
2 John 1:9-11—Do not greet a person who teaches that which is opposed to Jesus
c. Do not give to those who use the gospel for their own greed.
I Timothy 6:3-11—The false prophet advocates greed.
II Peter 2—The false prophet advocates greed and will be punished eternally
Jude 1:16—False prophets are concerned with their own desires.
d. Do not give to those who sell the gospel
Matthew 10/Luke 9—Freely you have received, freely give.
I Corinthians 9:18—Paul’s reward is to give the gospel free of charge.
4. Among those who give the gospel, prioritize those who minister to the poor and who are being persecuted.
I Tim 5:9-10—Give to widows who are not given to pleasure, but to hospitality and helping the needy.
Hebrews 13:3—Remember the prisoners as if you were with them.
Luke 12:33—Sell your possessions and give to the poor
Hebrews 13:2—Provide hospitality to strangers
Acts 4—Apostles redistributed money to the poor.
Note: No one has to give to anyone not in need
a. Give to those who ask
Matthew 5/Luke 6—Give to those who ask of you
Luke 11—If anyone asks, then they will receive
b. Do not exclude people because they have been evil to you
Luke 6:27-36--Love your enemies... lend and do not expect in return
Romans 12:20-- If your enemy is hungry, feed him
Matthew 5:38-48
c. Do not exclude people because they are unrighteous
Luke 6:35-- The Lord is kind to ungrateful and unrighteous men
d. Give to those who are in need in front of you
Luke 10:30-37- The one who did mercy to the one in front of him in need loved his neighbor
I John 3:17—If you have resources, you must help the brother or sister right in front of you with a need
James 2—The one who has faith is the one who helps another believer in need who comes to them
2. Among those in need, prioritize giving to those who are believers.
Luke 16:9—Use money to make friends with those who will welcome you into the kingdom
Galatians 6:10—Do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith
I Thess 5:15—Always seek doing good to one another and to all people.
II Corinthians 8-9—Paul and others collecting for believers in need
a. Do not provide for believers who are living in sin.
II Thess. 3:6-12—If a brother does not work, neither let him eat
I Corinthians 5:9-13—Don’t judge the world, but if a brother is in continuous sin, do not even eat with such a one.
3. Among believers, prioritize giving to those who give the gospel to others
Luke 9; Matt 10—The workman (of God) is worthy of his hire
Matthew 10:40-48—The one who gives to these who Jesus sends to do mission work will not lose their reward
I Timothy 5:17-18—Elders who work hard, especially at teaching are worthy of their wages
a. Give to those who give the gospel from a simple lifestyle
Matt 10:9-10; Mark 6:8-9; Luke 9:3; Luke 10:4—Those whom Jesus sends out, he sends telling them to bring nothing except the clothes on their backs.
b. Do not give to those who teach something opposed to the teaching of Jesus.
2 John 1:9-11—Do not greet a person who teaches that which is opposed to Jesus
c. Do not give to those who use the gospel for their own greed.
I Timothy 6:3-11—The false prophet advocates greed.
II Peter 2—The false prophet advocates greed and will be punished eternally
Jude 1:16—False prophets are concerned with their own desires.
d. Do not give to those who sell the gospel
Matthew 10/Luke 9—Freely you have received, freely give.
I Corinthians 9:18—Paul’s reward is to give the gospel free of charge.
4. Among those who give the gospel, prioritize those who minister to the poor and who are being persecuted.
I Tim 5:9-10—Give to widows who are not given to pleasure, but to hospitality and helping the needy.
Hebrews 13:3—Remember the prisoners as if you were with them.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Faithfulness To The Absent King
Matthew 25:31-46 and Giving
Although often called, “The parable of the sheep and the goats”, it is really a straightforward description of judgment day which initiates the kingdom of God, being neither a parable nor is the phrase “sheep and the goats” anything more than a passing simile.
“My Brothers”
There have been various interpretations of the phrase, “my brothers”, which proves to be the crux of the text. Some have interpreted this phrase to mean the Jews, some to be the poor of the world, and more. However, this phrase is repeated two other times in Matthew, in chapter 12:50—“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” And in 28:10 where Jesus is sending a message to “my brothers” to meet him in Galilee. Both of these specifically designates his disciples. “The will of my Father” has already been associated earlier in Matthew as the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 7:21-24). Thus, these “brothers” of Jesus are those who live out the teaching of Jesus, become his disciples and so suffer loss because of it. This completely parallels the beatitudes, which speak of the persecuted and poor of those who are righteous inheriting the kingdom. Here in Matthew 25, we see this promise fulfilled—the brothers of Jesus and those who assisted them receiving the kingdom of God enter into the kingdom of the one finally coming to rule. It is also interesting to note that the beatitudes mark the first pericope of the first body of teaching in Matthew, while the description of the coming of the Son of Man is the final pericope of the final body of teaching in Matthew. The other phrase to indicate the identity of these brothers is the phrase “the least of these”. Although many translations put the word “even” in the English, the Greek has no equivalent. It is better seen as Jesus’ personal title for the disciples, “the little ones”, or “the least”, as seen in Matthew 10:42; 18:6, 10, 14, as “the little ones”. While specifically a different Greek word, the concept remains close, (see Luke 16:9—“He who is faithful to The Least, will be faithful in much…”)
Judgment in Matthew
There are many other passages in Matthew that deal with the righteous receiving the kingdom, and the unrighteous being punished:
• Matthew 7:21-27—Description of punishment of those who say “Lord” but do not obey Jesus; parable of the two houses.
• Matthew 8:11-12—Statement of judgment of those who apparently will receive the kingdom.
• Matthew 10:14, 40-42—Promise of reward for those who assist the righteous and the prophets.
• Matthew 11:20-24—Prophecy of judgment of the cities who rejected Jesus although works of power were done there
• Matthew 12:36-37—Prophecy that on the day of judgment individuals will be judged on the basis of their careless words.
• Matthew 12:39-41—This generation will be condemned by Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba because they listened to their prophets and one greater than those prophets has come to them.
• Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43—Parable of the wheat and tares
• Matthew 13:47-50—Parable of the fish in the net
• Matthew 16:27—Son of man will come to repay everyone according to what he has done
• Matthew 18:23-35—Parable of the unforgiving servant
• Matthew 21:28-32—Parable of the two sons; Sinners entering kingdom before the Pharisees
• Matthew 21:33-41—Parable of the tenants in the vineyard
• Matthew 22:2-14—Parable of the wedding banquet
• Matthew 24:44-25:13—Warning to be ready; parable of the 10 virgins.
• Matthew 25:14-30—Parable of the talents
Hospitality and Judgment
Out of these passages, Matthew 10:40-42 is most significant in comparison with the description in Matthew 25:31-46. Both in that passage and in this one, it is the one who offers hospitality or mercy to those who are righteous that are focused on, rather than the righteous themselves. The ones who “welcome” the righteous are said to gain the reward of the righteous. The term “welcome” is already used in 10:14, speaking of the hospitality the apostles should receive. If they should not receive this hospitality, Jesus says, then “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment.”
Genesis 18 and 19 offer a significant paradigm in relation to Matthew 10 and 25. Yahweh and two others appeared to Abraham, and Abraham bowed before them, begging them to accept his humble hospitality. After they accepted, he proceeded to offer them a great feast. There is no indication that Abraham understood his visitors to be powers of heaven, but simply to be strangers passing by. In opposition to this example is the reaction of Sodom to two of the same strangers. They enter the town, and the one righteous person in the town offer them hospitality—but it turns out he does so primarily out of fear of what the rest of the town would do. For even as Abraham went out of his way to offer hospitality to the strangers, so did Sodom go out of their way to do evil to the same strangers, threatening them with perverse acts of sex. This type of treatment of strangers is cause enough to destroy the town and the outlying areas. Jesus compares the towns who refuse to offer hospitality to the apostles with Sodom, but he claims that the punishment will be worse for those who reject the apostles than it was for Sodom.
All of this emphasized the place of those who may not be a prophet or an apostle themselves, but who come in contact with them. The prophet, righteous one or apostle of Jesus (in 25:31-46 called “my brothers”) becomes the point of reward or punishment, depending on how one responds to them. Should one respond with hospitality and kindness (as the teaching of Jesus commands—Matthew 7:12; 9:13; 12:7), then that one will be rewarded in the final judgment. Should one not offer hospitality or kindness to the righteous one, then he will be punished on the final day. This is the paradigm of Genesis 18 and 19, Matthew 10 and Matthew 25.
Faithfulness to the Absent King
There is one other significant point of Matthew 25:31-46. The act on which punishment or reward rests is not primarily an act of kindness, although it reflects a heart of mercy. If it was simply kindness Jesus was looking for, then to act this way to any stranger or poor person would do. However, Jesus emphasizes that it is “my brothers” who are the key point—the righteous ones who follow Jesus. In Matthew 10:42, the focus in on giving hospitality “in the name of a disciple”—“disciple” being a distinctive term of a follower of Jesus. Thus, the reward is not just given to those who are kind to those who are righteous in general, but specifically those who offer hospitality to those who are followers of Jesus. The emphasis is not mercy in general, but a display of faithfulness to Jesus by enacting his command of mercy to those who come in his name.
This fits the paradigm of a king returning to his people after an absence, as the context of 25:31-46 seems to indicate. The parable of the talents (25:14-30) immediately precedes it, describing the judgment of a property owner over his slaves about their work during an absence. The slaves were rewarded or punished in accordance with the instructions of the property owner. The parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13) describes the judgment of the virgins’ actions (or inactions) while awaiting the coming of the bridegroom. The virgins were included or excluded depending on their state of readiness when the bridegroom came. Before that (24:45-51) is the analogy of a slave who needs to be working for when his master arrives. If the slave is not working, he will be punished, but if he is faithful to the master by working when he is absent, then the master will reward him.
All of these parables speak of faithfulness to an absent master through actions. A slave is faithful to his master in his absence by working hard. A virgin is faithful to her coming bridegroom by being prepared in her responsibility. A steward is faithful to his master by increasing his money while he is absent. Even so, while the king is absent, faithfulness is given to him in his absence by caring for his appointed servants—those who obey Jesus’ commands and who suffer loss and persecution for it. On this is the day of judgment based.
Summary
Thus, the teaching of Matthew 25:31-46 can be summarized: While awaiting the coming of the Son of Man, those faithful to Jesus will be characterized by offering hospitality and mercy to those who suffer due to being obedient to Jesus. On the day of judgment, those who offered such mercy will be included in the kingdom, while those who refused will be excluded and punished eternally.
Although often called, “The parable of the sheep and the goats”, it is really a straightforward description of judgment day which initiates the kingdom of God, being neither a parable nor is the phrase “sheep and the goats” anything more than a passing simile.
“My Brothers”
There have been various interpretations of the phrase, “my brothers”, which proves to be the crux of the text. Some have interpreted this phrase to mean the Jews, some to be the poor of the world, and more. However, this phrase is repeated two other times in Matthew, in chapter 12:50—“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” And in 28:10 where Jesus is sending a message to “my brothers” to meet him in Galilee. Both of these specifically designates his disciples. “The will of my Father” has already been associated earlier in Matthew as the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 7:21-24). Thus, these “brothers” of Jesus are those who live out the teaching of Jesus, become his disciples and so suffer loss because of it. This completely parallels the beatitudes, which speak of the persecuted and poor of those who are righteous inheriting the kingdom. Here in Matthew 25, we see this promise fulfilled—the brothers of Jesus and those who assisted them receiving the kingdom of God enter into the kingdom of the one finally coming to rule. It is also interesting to note that the beatitudes mark the first pericope of the first body of teaching in Matthew, while the description of the coming of the Son of Man is the final pericope of the final body of teaching in Matthew. The other phrase to indicate the identity of these brothers is the phrase “the least of these”. Although many translations put the word “even” in the English, the Greek has no equivalent. It is better seen as Jesus’ personal title for the disciples, “the little ones”, or “the least”, as seen in Matthew 10:42; 18:6, 10, 14, as “the little ones”. While specifically a different Greek word, the concept remains close, (see Luke 16:9—“He who is faithful to The Least, will be faithful in much…”)
Judgment in Matthew
There are many other passages in Matthew that deal with the righteous receiving the kingdom, and the unrighteous being punished:
• Matthew 7:21-27—Description of punishment of those who say “Lord” but do not obey Jesus; parable of the two houses.
• Matthew 8:11-12—Statement of judgment of those who apparently will receive the kingdom.
• Matthew 10:14, 40-42—Promise of reward for those who assist the righteous and the prophets.
• Matthew 11:20-24—Prophecy of judgment of the cities who rejected Jesus although works of power were done there
• Matthew 12:36-37—Prophecy that on the day of judgment individuals will be judged on the basis of their careless words.
• Matthew 12:39-41—This generation will be condemned by Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba because they listened to their prophets and one greater than those prophets has come to them.
• Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43—Parable of the wheat and tares
• Matthew 13:47-50—Parable of the fish in the net
• Matthew 16:27—Son of man will come to repay everyone according to what he has done
• Matthew 18:23-35—Parable of the unforgiving servant
• Matthew 21:28-32—Parable of the two sons; Sinners entering kingdom before the Pharisees
• Matthew 21:33-41—Parable of the tenants in the vineyard
• Matthew 22:2-14—Parable of the wedding banquet
• Matthew 24:44-25:13—Warning to be ready; parable of the 10 virgins.
• Matthew 25:14-30—Parable of the talents
Hospitality and Judgment
Out of these passages, Matthew 10:40-42 is most significant in comparison with the description in Matthew 25:31-46. Both in that passage and in this one, it is the one who offers hospitality or mercy to those who are righteous that are focused on, rather than the righteous themselves. The ones who “welcome” the righteous are said to gain the reward of the righteous. The term “welcome” is already used in 10:14, speaking of the hospitality the apostles should receive. If they should not receive this hospitality, Jesus says, then “it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment.”
Genesis 18 and 19 offer a significant paradigm in relation to Matthew 10 and 25. Yahweh and two others appeared to Abraham, and Abraham bowed before them, begging them to accept his humble hospitality. After they accepted, he proceeded to offer them a great feast. There is no indication that Abraham understood his visitors to be powers of heaven, but simply to be strangers passing by. In opposition to this example is the reaction of Sodom to two of the same strangers. They enter the town, and the one righteous person in the town offer them hospitality—but it turns out he does so primarily out of fear of what the rest of the town would do. For even as Abraham went out of his way to offer hospitality to the strangers, so did Sodom go out of their way to do evil to the same strangers, threatening them with perverse acts of sex. This type of treatment of strangers is cause enough to destroy the town and the outlying areas. Jesus compares the towns who refuse to offer hospitality to the apostles with Sodom, but he claims that the punishment will be worse for those who reject the apostles than it was for Sodom.
All of this emphasized the place of those who may not be a prophet or an apostle themselves, but who come in contact with them. The prophet, righteous one or apostle of Jesus (in 25:31-46 called “my brothers”) becomes the point of reward or punishment, depending on how one responds to them. Should one respond with hospitality and kindness (as the teaching of Jesus commands—Matthew 7:12; 9:13; 12:7), then that one will be rewarded in the final judgment. Should one not offer hospitality or kindness to the righteous one, then he will be punished on the final day. This is the paradigm of Genesis 18 and 19, Matthew 10 and Matthew 25.
Faithfulness to the Absent King
There is one other significant point of Matthew 25:31-46. The act on which punishment or reward rests is not primarily an act of kindness, although it reflects a heart of mercy. If it was simply kindness Jesus was looking for, then to act this way to any stranger or poor person would do. However, Jesus emphasizes that it is “my brothers” who are the key point—the righteous ones who follow Jesus. In Matthew 10:42, the focus in on giving hospitality “in the name of a disciple”—“disciple” being a distinctive term of a follower of Jesus. Thus, the reward is not just given to those who are kind to those who are righteous in general, but specifically those who offer hospitality to those who are followers of Jesus. The emphasis is not mercy in general, but a display of faithfulness to Jesus by enacting his command of mercy to those who come in his name.
This fits the paradigm of a king returning to his people after an absence, as the context of 25:31-46 seems to indicate. The parable of the talents (25:14-30) immediately precedes it, describing the judgment of a property owner over his slaves about their work during an absence. The slaves were rewarded or punished in accordance with the instructions of the property owner. The parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13) describes the judgment of the virgins’ actions (or inactions) while awaiting the coming of the bridegroom. The virgins were included or excluded depending on their state of readiness when the bridegroom came. Before that (24:45-51) is the analogy of a slave who needs to be working for when his master arrives. If the slave is not working, he will be punished, but if he is faithful to the master by working when he is absent, then the master will reward him.
All of these parables speak of faithfulness to an absent master through actions. A slave is faithful to his master in his absence by working hard. A virgin is faithful to her coming bridegroom by being prepared in her responsibility. A steward is faithful to his master by increasing his money while he is absent. Even so, while the king is absent, faithfulness is given to him in his absence by caring for his appointed servants—those who obey Jesus’ commands and who suffer loss and persecution for it. On this is the day of judgment based.
Summary
Thus, the teaching of Matthew 25:31-46 can be summarized: While awaiting the coming of the Son of Man, those faithful to Jesus will be characterized by offering hospitality and mercy to those who suffer due to being obedient to Jesus. On the day of judgment, those who offered such mercy will be included in the kingdom, while those who refused will be excluded and punished eternally.
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