Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:33
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Shall set the sheep … – By the sheep are denoted, here, the righteous. The name is given to them because the sheep is an emblem of innocence and harmlessness. See Joh 10:7, Joh 10:14-16, Joh 10:27; Psa 100:3; Psa 74:1; Psa 23:1-6.
On the right hand – The right hand is the place of honor, and denotes the situation of those who are honored, or those who are virtuous. See Ecc 10:2; Eph 1:20; Psa 110:1; Act 2:25, Act 2:33.
The goats – The wicked. See Eze 34:17.
The left – That is, the left hand. This was the place of dishonor, denoting condemnation. See Ecc 10:2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 33. He shall set the sheep, c.] The right hand signifies, among the rabbins, approbation and eminence: the left hand, rejection, and disapprobation. Hence in Sohar Chadash it is said, “The right hand is given, the left also is given – to the Israelites and the Gentiles are given paradise and hell – this world, and the world to come.” The right and left were emblematical of endless beatitude and endless misery among the Romans. Hence Virgil:-
Hic locus est, partes ubi se via findit in ambas,
Dextera, quae Ditis magni sub moenia tendit:
Hac iter Elysium nobis at laeva malorum
Exercet poenas, et ad impia Tartara mittit.
AEn. vi. 540.
Here in two ample roads the way divides,
The right direct, our destined journey guides,
By Pluto’s palace, to the Elysian plains;
The left to Tartarus, where bound in chains
Loud howl the damn’d in everlasting pains. PITT.
Of the good and faithful servants he approves, and therefore exalts them to his glory; of the slothful and wicked he disapproves, and casts them into hell.
SHEEP, which have ever been considered as the emblems of mildness, simplicity, patience, and usefulness, represent here the genuine disciples of Christ.
GOATS, which are naturally quarrelsome, lascivious, and excessively ill-scented, were considered as the symbols of riotous, profane, and impure men. They here represent all who have lived and died in their sins. See Eze 34:17, and Zec 10:3.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
33. And he shall set the sheep onhis right handthe side of honor (1Ki 2:19;Psa 45:9; Psa 110:1,&c.).
but the goats on the lefttheside consequently of dishonor.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand,…. That is, the elect of God, and true believers, such as have the grace of God truly implanted in them; the sheep the Father gave unto Christ, and made his care and charge, whom he, as the good shepherd, laid down his life for; and who know his voice in effectual calling, and follow him in the way of his ordinances and appointments; and are comparable to sheep for their meekness and innocence, their simplicity and usefulness, and their harmless and inoffensive lives, and conversations: these Christ will set on his right hand, as a token of his affection for them, and a mark of respect and honour shown them, and as a pledge of that exaltation and glory he will be about to raise them to.
But the goats on the left; that is, the foolish virgins, wicked, and slothful servants, graceless professors, who, because of the impurity of their hearts, the filthiness of their lives, and their offensiveness to Christ, are compared to goats: these he will place at his left hand, in token of his disaffection for them, as a brand of disgrace upon them, and as an intimation of that dishonour, and miserable condition they will quickly be in. These different situations plainly pre-signify how things will go with each, that one will be acquitted, and made happy, the other will be condemned, and become miserable. Agreeable to which the Jews say c, that there is a right hand and a left hand with the Lord: they that are on the right hand, are such as have done well, and are , “for absolution”; and they that are on the left hand are criminals, and are , “for condemnation”. Some think the allusion is to the two Scribes in the sanhedrim, who stood before the judges, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and wrote the sentences; the one of those that were acquitted, and the other of those that were condemned d.
c Jarchi in Gen. i. 26. Kimchi in 1 Kings xxii. 19. Lex. Cabalist. p. 132. Zohar in Numb. fol. 93. 4. d Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 4. sect. 3. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 9. Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. affirm. 97.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Goats [] . Diminutive. Lit., kidlings. The sheep and goats are represented as having previously pastured together. Compare the parables of the Tares and the Net.
On the right [ ] . Lit., from the right side or parts. The picture to the Greek reader is that of a row, beginning at the judge ‘s right hand.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
“And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”
He is pictured as a shepherd dividing the flock. The separating of sheep from goats for various reasons was a regular part of the shepherd’s life. Goats required different treatment from sheep, and especially to be protected from the cold at night, while sheep had at some time to be sheared, and were more highly regarded. Other reasons for separation may have been for breeding, or for the purposes of the market. To be placed on the right hand was to be placed on the favoured side. It indicated judgment in favour. To be placed on the left indicated guilt and judgment. A similar idea is found in other ancient literature.
This division between the sheep and the goats, the righteous and the unrighteous, the elect and the non-elect is pictured elsewhere in many ways. See for example Mat 13:30; Mat 13:41-43; Mat 13:49-50; Mat 24:31; Mat 24:38-41; Dan 12:2-3; Joh 5:28-29; Rev 20:13-15. The righteous are those whom Jesus has saved from their sins (Mat 1:21). We must remember that when God goes about His judgment there will not be the same logistical difficulties as there would be for men. This is not so much a description of how it will be done, but of what will be accomplished.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Ver. 33. The sheep on the right hand, &c. ] A place of dignity and safety. Our Saviour seems here to allude to that of Moses’ dividing the tribes on Gerizim and Ebal. Those six tribes that came from the free women are set to bless the people; as the other five, that came of the bondwomen (whereunto is adjoined Reuben for his incest) are set to say Amen to the curses,Deu 27:11-13Deu 27:11-13 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 25:33 . , etc., the bare placing of the parties already judges, the good on the right, the evil on the left; sheep, emblems of the former; goats, of the latter. Why? No profit from goats, much from sheep; from their wool, milk, lambs, says Chrys., Hom. lxxix. Lust and evil odour secure for the goat its unenviable emblematic significance, say others: “id animal et libidinosum et olidum” (Grotius). Lange suggests stubbornness as the sinister quality. More important is the point made by Weiss that the very fact that a separation is necessary implies that all were one flock, i.e. , that the judged in the view of Jesus are all professing Christians, disciples true or false.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 25:33. , kidlings) A diminutive. Although giants, they will be kidlings. They will not then be , mighty, and , he-goats.[1099]
[1099] This play upon words, on such a solemn subject, appears rather extra-ordinary in a man of Bengels piety. The Hebrew is used of the leader of a flock, and, metaphorically, of the leader of a people.-(I. B.)
Perhaps Bengels language will not appear so inappropriate when compared with that of Scripture, to which he evidently alludes. Isa 14:11, Hell from beneath stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones [Hebr. leaders; lit. great goats] of the earth. Comp. Eze 34:17; Zec 10:3.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the sheep: Psa 79:13, Psa 95:7, Psa 100:3, Joh 10:26-28, Joh 21:15-17
his: Gen 48:13, Gen 48:14, Gen 48:17-19, Psa 45:9, Psa 110:1, Mar 16:19, Act 2:34, Act 2:35, Eph 1:20, Heb 1:3
Reciprocal: Lev 3:12 – a goat 1Ki 2:19 – she sat 2Ki 10:23 – the worshippers Psa 16:11 – pleasures Jer 24:3 – What Eze 20:37 – pass Eze 20:38 – I will purge Eze 34:17 – I judge Zec 10:3 – and I Mat 25:41 – them
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:33
There is no moral value of a man’s right hand over his left, but the separation had to be made and the assignment to these respective hands is so worded for its psychological effect.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 25:33. The sheep on his right hand, the place of preference. The pre-millenial view refers the sheep to the unconscious Christians among the heathen, hinted at in Rom 2:7; Rom 2:10, including the other sheep, not of this fold. But how unlikely that, in this great picture, believers should be excluded, when the term sheep is appropriated to them so often.