Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:32
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats:
And before him … – At his coming to judgment the world will be burned up, 2Pe 3:10, 2Pe 3:12; Rev 20:11. The dead in Christ that is, all true Christians – will be raised up from their graves, 1Th 4:16. The living will be changed – i. e., will be made like the glorified bodies of those that are raised from the dead, 1Co 15:52-54; 1Th 4:17. All the wicked will rise and come forth to judgment, Joh 5:28-29; Dan 12:2; Mat 13:41-42; Rev 20:13. Then shall the world be judged, the righteous saved, and the wicked punished.
And he shall separate … – Shall determine respecting their character, and shall appoint them their doom accordingly.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 32. All nations] Literally, all the nations – all the Gentile world; the Jews are necessarily included, but they were spoken of in a particular manner in the preceding chapter.
He shall separate them] Set each kind apart by themselves.
As a shepherd divideth, c.] It does not appear that sheep and goats were ever penned or housed together, though they might feed in the same pasture yet even this was not done but in separate flocks; so Virgil, Eclog. vii. v. 2.
Compulerantque greges Corydon et Thyrsis in unum;
Thyrsis OVES, Corydon distentas lacte
CAPELLAS.
“Thyrsis and Corydon drove their flocks together: Thyrsin his sheep; and Corydon his goats, their udders distended with milk.”
These two shepherds had distinct flocks, which fed in the same pasture, but separately; and they are only now driven together, for the convenience of the two shepherds, during the time of their musical contest.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
32. And before him shall be gatheredall nationsor, “all the nations.” That this shouldbe understood to mean the heathen nations, or all exceptbelievers in Christ, will seem amazing to any simple reader. Yet thisis the exposition of OLSHAUSEN,STIER, KEIL,ALFORD (though latterlywith some diffidence), and of a number, though not all, of those whohold that Christ will come the second time before the millennium, andthat the saints will be caught up to meet Him in the air before Hisappearing. Their chief argument is, the impossibility of any thatever knew the Lord Jesus wondering, at the Judgment Day, that theyshould be thought to have doneor left undoneanything “untoChrist.” To that we shall advert when we come to it. But here wemay just say, that if this scene does not describe a personal,public, final judgment on men, according to the treatment they havegiven to Christand consequently men within the Christian paleweshall have to consider again whether our Lord’s teaching on thegreatest themes of human interest does indeed possess thatincomparable simplicity and transparency of meaning which, byuniversal consent, has been ascribed to it. If it be said, But howcan this be the general judgment, if only those within the Christianpale be embraced by it?we answer, What is here described, as itcertainly does not meet the case of all the family of Adam, is ofcourse so far not general. But we have no right to concludethat the whole “judgment of the great day” will be limitedto the point of view here presented. Other explanations will come upin the course of our exposition.
and he shall separatethemnow for the first time; the two classes having beenmingled all along up to this awful moment.
as a shepherd divideth hissheep from the goats(See Eze34:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And before him shall be gathered all nations….. That is, all that have professed the Christian religion in all the nations of the world, whether Jews or Gentiles, high or low, rich or poor, wise and foolish, such as have had greater or lesser talents; though it is also true of every individual of mankind of every nation, tribe and family, of every sex, age, and state, that ever has been, is, or will be. Yet Christian professors seem only here intended, as the following distinction of them, their final state, and the reasons of it show. This collection of them before Christ, the righteous judge, will be made by the holy angels, who will come with him for this purpose; and being mighty, as they are, will be able to accomplish great a work; and especially as being under the direction, influence, and authority of so divine, glorious, and illustrious a person, as the son of man will then to all appear to be.
And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: they shall be gathered before him, as they were together in their visible church state, as being all under a profession of religion; some wise, some foolish virgins; some sheep, and others goats; some industrious, diligent, faithful, and laborious servants; others wicked, slothful, and unprofitable ones; many of whom pass undistinguished and undiscovered now: but then the judge, who is of quick understanding, will easily discern the one from the other; such as have the oil of grace in the vessels of their hearts, together with their lamps, from such as have only the outward visible lamp of a profession, but destitute of the grace of God; and good and faithful servants, who have made a right use of their gifts, from such who have been negligent, careless, and remiss; and though these have been folded together, sheep and goats, in the sheepfold of the church, where they have all bore the character of the sheep of Christ; yet now when the chief shepherd appears, who knows his own sheep, and calls them by name, he will as easily separate the one from the other, and more so, than any shepherd, among men, can part a flock consisting of sheep and goats. Hypocrites in Zion shall now be no more, nor sinners stand any longer in the congregation of the righteous, nor both together as one body, and on one side in judgment.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
All the nations (panta ta ethn). Not just Gentiles, but Jews also. Christians and non-Christians. This program for the general judgment has been challenged by some scholars who regard it as a composition by the evangelist to exalt Christ. But why should not Christ say this if he is the Son of Man and the Son of God and realized it? A “reduced” Christ has trouble with all the Gospels, not merely with the Fourth Gospel, and no less with Q and Mark than with Matthew and Luke. This is a majestic picture with which to close the series of parables about readiness for the second coming. Here is the program when he does come. “I am aware that doubt is thrown on this passage by some critics. But the doubt is most wanton. Where is the second brain that could have invented anything so original and so sublime as vv. Matt 25:35-40; Matt 25:42-45?” (Sanday, Life of Christ in Recent Research, p. 128).
As the shepherd separates ( ). A common figure in Palestine. The sheep are usually white and the goats black. There are kids (, ) which have grazed together. The goats devastate a field of all herbage. “Indeed they have extirpated many species of trees which once covered the hills” (Tristram, Natural History of the Bible, pp. 89f.). The shepherd stands at the gate and taps the sheep to go to the right and the goats to the left.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
All the nations [ ] . The whole human race; though the word is generally employed in the New Testament to denote Gentiles as distinguished from Jews.
Separate them [] . Masculine, while the word nations is neuter. Nations are regarded as gathered collectively; but in contemplating the act of separation the Lord regards the individuals.
The sheep from the goats (or kids, so Rev. in margin). “The bald division of men into sheep and goats is, in one sense, so easy as not to be worth performing; and in another sense it is so hard as only to be possible for something with supernatural insight” (John Morley, ” Voltaire “). Goats are an appropriate figure, because the goat was regarded as a comparatively worthless animal. Hence the point of the elder son’s complaint in the parable of the Prodigal : Not so much as a kid (Luk 14:29). The diminutive [] expresses contempt.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
32. And all nations shall be assembled before him. He employs large and splendid titles for extolling his kingdom, that the disciples may learn to expect a different kind of happiness from what they had imagined. For they were satisfied with this single consideration, that their nation was delivered from the miseries with which it was then oppressed, so that it would be manifest that God had not in vain established his covenant with Abraham and his posterity. But Christ extends much farther the benefit of the redemption brought by him, for he will be the Judge of the whole world. Again, in order to persuade believers to holiness of life, he assures them that the good and the bad will not share alike; because he will bring with him the reward which is laid up for both. In short, he declares that his kingdom will be fully established, when the righteous shall have obtained a crown of glory, and when the wicked shall have received the reward which they deserved.
As a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats. When our Lord says that the separation of the sheep from the goats is delayed till that day, he means that the wicked are now mixed with the good and holy, so that they live together in the same flock of God. The comparison appears to be borrowed from Eze 34:18, where the Lord complains of the fierceness of the goats, which attack with their horns the poor sheep, and destroy the pastures, and pollute the water; and where the Lord expressly declares that he will take vengeance. And therefore Christ’s discourse amounts to this, that believers ought not to think their condition too hard, if they are now compelled to live with the goats, and even to sustain many serious attacks and annoyances from them; secondly, that they ought to beware of being themselves infected by the contagion of their vices; and, thirdly, to inform them that in a holy and innocent life their labor is not thrown away, for the difference will one day appear.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(32) Before him shall be gathered all nations.Better, all the nations, or even better, perhaps, all the Gentiles. The word is that which, when used, as here, with the article, marks out, with scarcely an exception, the heathen nations of the world as distinguished from Gods people Israel (as, e.g., in Rom. 15:11-12; Eph. 2:11). The word, thus taken, serves as the key to the distinctive teaching that follows. We have had in this chapter, (1) in the Wise and Foolish Virgins, the law of judgment for all members of the Church of Christ; (2) in the Talents, that for all who hold any office or ministry in the Church: now we have (3) the law by which those shall be judged who have lived and died as heathens, not knowing the name of Christ, and knowing God only as revealed in Nature or in the law written in their hearts. Every stage in what follows confirms this interpretation.
As a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.Elsewhere the shepherds work is the symbol of protective, self-sacrificing love, and, as such, our Lord had emphatically claimed for Himself the title of the Good Shepherd (Joh. 10:14). Here we are reminded that even the shepherd has at times to execute the sentence of judgment which involves separation. The right hand and the left are used, according to the laws of what we might almost call a natural symbolism, as indicating respectively good and evil, acceptance and rejection.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
32. All nations Of all ages and all continents. Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, Russia, England, and America shall, with all their populations, come up before God. All the lesser tribes and all the unorganized wanderers shall appear; for “every eye shall see him.” Rev 1:7.
That it is a judicial arraignment of individuals, and not of organic nations, is plain; because the merits and demerits upon which they are judged are purely individual, and not national, (Mat 25:35-40; Mat 25:42-45.) So in Mat 28:19, the apostles are commanded to go teach all nations, baptizing them, etc. That is, the entire nation is to be baptized by the baptism of every individual in it. Mark expresses it: “Preach the gospel to every creature.” So “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body.” 2Co 5:10. He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world.
Separate them
In this allusion, as in other Scripture allusions of the same kind, no doubt some reference is made to the character of the two animals. The goat is especially a repulsive animal, and so a fit image for wicked men; and in Hebrew there is a single word which seems to designate the goat and a demon. And similarly, in all ages perhaps, the right hand has had the preference, and the right hand seat has been the place of honour.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
From His throne He surveys ‘all nations’. These include the ‘all nations’ who have hated His disciples and followers throughout the age (Mat 24:9), and the ‘all nations’ who have been evangelised prior to His coming (Mat 24:14) and have been ‘discipled’ (Mat 28:19). Thus, as with those verses it has in mind individuals, and it includes the living and the dead. Now His voice has spoken and the dead have come from their graves to receive either life or judgment (Joh 5:28-29). It includes the nations who had been waiting in their tomb worlds for this time (Eze 32:17-32), and the righteous raised from the dust of the earth (Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2-3) which also at the same time includes the unrighteous (Dan 12:2). For at His coming the dead in Christ are raised, and the living are transformed (1Th 4:16-17).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Final Judgment (25:32-46).
That this is the final judgment comes out in that its verdict determines the eternal destiny of men (Mat 25:46). It should be noted that it is not said to take place on earth, it includes everyone, that is ‘all the nations’, whether living or dead, for all the dead await His coming too. (See Joh 5:28-29; Compare Eze 32:17-32 where the nations as nations are in their graves on earth awaiting judgment; Psa 2:9 with Mat 25:1 where the nations are finally to be severely judged). There the righteous will inherit the Kingly Rule prepared for them ‘from the foundation of the world’, in other words the Kingly Rule of God which began from the beginning in Eden, where man was appointed as God’s representative on earth (Gen 1:26-28), continued on in a small way under the patriarchs, was re-established at Sinai with the promise that they would become a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:6; Num 23:21; Deu 33:5), looked as though it was being set up by Joshua, leaked away through disobedience in Judges, was promised again through David (2Sa 7:13; 2Sa 7:16; Isa 11:1-9; Eze 37:25), but never came to fruition, and has, however, never ceased in Heaven (Psa 22:28; Psa 103:19) in spite of man’s failure, and has now been reintroduced as a heavenly kingly rule on earth by Jesus Christ the son of David, and David’s Lord, that is as a Kingly Rule on earth by God over His responsive people, which will finally result in an everlasting kingdom in Heaven. This is what Matthew is all about. Compare Gen 1:26-28; Psalms 8 with Heb 2:9-11; Exo 19:5-6; Num 23:21; Deu 33:5; Isa 9:6-7; Isa 11:1-9; Eze 37:25.
The idea of a ‘glorious throne’ should not be taken literally (see, however, Ezekiel 1, although there also it was visionary), for God is Spirit, but for those who wish to see it as such it is depicted as the throne of His glory which is in Heaven where He shares it with His Father (Rev 5:6; Rev 6:16-17; Rev 14:14; Dan 7:13-14; Jer 14:21), in the same way as He has taken His seat at the right hand of God (Act 2:34; Act 7:55-56; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; Heb 1:13; Heb 8:1; Heb 10:12; Heb 12:2; 1Pe 3:22) and all creation cries ‘glory’ Mat 4:9; Mat 4:11; Mat 5:12-13). From this throne the covenant was confirmed and made sure (Jer 14:21) We can compare it also with the great white throne (Rev 20:11-15), the seat of impeccable judgment, from which Heaven and earth fled away. No doubt the same happens here. Indeed we should recognise that God’s judgment through His Son is pictured in many ways, all vivid, and the common idea behind all is the separation between the righteous and the unrighteous, and the appalling end of the unrighteous (compare Mat 13:41-43; Mat 13:49-50; 2Th 1:8-9; Rev 6:16-17; Rev 14:6-20; Rev 16:17-21; Rev 19:11-21). The details are never to be pressed. It is the ideas, the principles and the final results that are important. Thus Jesus will not come on a white horse, nor will He and His accompanying angels have to do battle with earthly forces (as the account itself makes clear all is accomplished through His word of power). The world’s armouries would be powerless against His all prevailing presence, (to say nothing of their ineffectiveness against spirits). These are pictures emphasising that He is the true Messiah (contrast Mat 6:2), coming in purity and divine power, and in triumph, to bring about His will, and bring all into judgment by His word (Rev 19:11-21). But the picture is nevertheless magnificent and conveys the foundational ideas perfectly adequately in a way that people can understand and appreciate.
Here in Mat 25:31-46 the emphasis is to be on the grounds of judgment, a judgment which applies to individuals, and is based on both the Law and the Sermon on the Mount. It examines men’s willingness to show consideration and mercy. It can be paralleled with Rev 20:12-13, where the question is again the manner of life, and there also the result is eternal life for those in the book of life, and eternal punishment for the remainder (Rev 20:15, compare Mat 25:46). The reason that the righteous are spared is not because they are seen as ‘not guilty’ on the basis of their own merits (they do not think that they have any merits; compare Rom 3:19-20), but rather because the quality of their lives will reveal that they are those who have been blessed by God (Mat 5:3-9) who have been ransomed (Mat 20:28) and forgiven (Mat 18:27; Mat 18:32 compare Mat 6:12-15), who have been filled with righteousness by the Righteous One (Mat 5:6 compare Mat 6:33), and have thus begun to walk in the way of righteousness (Mat 21:32) with their light shining clearly before men. They are those who from the beginning have been chosen by Him (Mat 25:34; Mat 24:31). They are judged by their changed lives, because they have become new creations (2Co 5:17), and are living out the effects of the blessing of God (Mat 5:3-9).
This has little in parallel with the judgment scene described in Joel 3 where it is the nations who are charged as nations. There it is because they have scattered His people, cast lots for them in order to sell both males and females into prostitution, stolen God’s possessions, and have sold His people as slaves. Furthermore they would be sold off as slaves in return, demonstrating that that is an earthly judgment scene carried out by earthly people with earthly results (Joe 3:2-8). Their judgment would come on the battlefield in the valley of Jehoshaphat (often the battleground of the nations) where they would be punished as nations (Joe 3:9-12 a), by awesome defeat, something which in fact happened fairly regularly (e.g. 2Ki 23:29), although such judgments are then seemingly connected with (although not necessarily following immediately by) the last judgment to which they lead up (compare Joe 3:12-14 with Rev 14:14-20). In the Old Testament all God’s judgments on nations are pointers to the end, but we must distinguish those judgments from the last judgment which is necessarily of a totally different kind.
It is significant how much that is in the verdict given here is connected with the Law, the Sermon on the Mount, and the remainder of Matthew’s Gospel:
* “For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat.” See Mat 14:16; Mat 5:42; Mat 6:25-26; Mat 7:9-12; Lev 19:9-10; Lev 19:34; Lev 25:6; Lev 25:35; Deu 12:18; Deu 14:28-29; Deu 24:19-22; Deu 26:12; Isa 58:7; Eze 18:7; consider also 1Ki 17:10-16 ; 2Ki 4:43-44.
* “I was thirsty, and you gave me drink.” See Mat 10:42; Mat 5:42; Mat 6:25-26; Lev 25:6; Lev 25:35; Deu 24:21; Deu 26:12.
* “I was a stranger, and you took me in.” See Mat 5:43-47; Mat 22:39; Exo 23:9; Lev 19:34; Lev 25:6; Deu 14:28-29; Deu 15:13-15; Deu 23:7-8; Deu 23:15-16; Deu 26:12; Isa 58:7.
* “Naked, and you clothed me.” See Mat 5:40; Mat 5:42; Mat 6:27; Lev 25:35; Isa 58:7; Eze 18:7.
* “I was sick, and you visited me.” See Mat 10:8. The gifts of healing in the early church would very much encourage this, compare Jas 5:14; consider also 1Ki 17:17-24; 2Ki 4:22-37 and compare Sir 7:35 .
* “I was in prison, and you came to me.” See Mat 10:18; Mat 11:2; Mat 5:25-26; Luk 21:12; Heb 13:3.
* For the whole see Mat 5:13-16; Mat 5:23-24; Mat 5:38-48; Mat 6:3; Mat 6:20; Mat 7:9-12; Mat 7:17; Mat 7:20; Mat 7:24; Mat 11:29-30; Mat 12:33; Mat 12:35; Mat 22:39 Lev 19:18; Deu 15:7-8; Deu 15:11; Deu 22:1-4; Isa 58:7; and the whole example of Jesus.
Note how in one way or another all these benefits were given by God to His erring people in the Old Testament, for He regularly promises to feed and water His people (e.g. Psa 146:7 and often); to welcome them when they have become as strangers (Hos 1:9-10) and to welcome the Gentiles (e.g. Isa 49:6; Isa 49:22; Mal 1:11), to clothe His people (Gen 3:21; Deu 8:4; Eze 16:10-14; Zec 3:4-5), to visit the sick (Psa 103:3; Psa 146:8; Isa 35:5-6; Isa 42:7; Isa 61:1) and to show compassion on the prisoners (Psa 102:20; Psa 146:7; Isa 42:7; Isa 61:1; Zec 9:11-12). Thus to be like this is to be God-like (Mat 5:48).
Analysis.
The analysis of the passage is simple:
a Introduction (Mat 25:31-33).
b Judgment on The Righteous (Mat 25:34-40).
b Judgment on The Unrighteous (Mat 25:41-45).
a Final Verdict and Ending (Mat 25:46).
It will be noted that the two Judgments follow precisely the same pattern.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Ver. 32. And before him shall be gathered all ] Then shall Adam see all his nephews at once; none shall be excused for absence at this general assizes, none shall appear by a proxy, all shall be compelled to come in and hear their sentence; which may be, as some conceive, a long while adoing. It may be made evident (saith one) from Scripture and reason, that this day of Christ’s kingly office in judging all men shall last haply longer than his private administration now (wherein he is less glorious) in governing the world. Things shall not be suddenly shuffled up at last day, as some imagine. (Mr Shepeard’s Sincere Convert, p. 87.)
And he shall separate them ] Before he hears their causes; which is an argument of singular skill in the Judge; it being the course of other judges to proceed, Secundum allegata et probata. accoprding to their deeds. But he shall set men’s sins in order before their eyes, Psa 50:21 , with items of the particulars.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
32. ] The expression implies all the nations of the world, as distinguished from the already gathered to Him , just as the Gentiles were by that name distinguished from his chosen people the Jews. Among these are “the other sheep which He has, not of this fold,” Joh 10:16 .
. . .] see Eze 34:17 . The sheep are those referred to in Rom 2:7 ; Rom 2:10 ; the goats in ib. Rom 2:8-9 , where this same judgment according to works is spoken of.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 25:32 . naturally suggests the heathen peoples as distinct from Jews, though the latter may be included, notwithstanding the fact that in one respect their judgment day had already come (Mat 24:15-22 ). : first a process of separation as in the interpretation of the parable of the tares (Mat 13:40 ). , the sheep from the young goats. Sheep and goats, though feeding together under the care of the same shepherd, seem of their own accord to separate into two companies. Tristram and Furrer bear witness to this.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
shall be gathered all nations. There is no resurrection here. Therefore no reference to Rev 20. The gathering is to be on earth (Isa 34:1, Isa 34:2. Joe 3:1, Joe 3:2, Joe 3:11, Joe 3:12). There are three classes, not two. The test is not even “works”, but the treatment of the “brethren” by the other two. No believer, i.e. those who “received the word” (Act 2:41. 1Th 2:13): for these were (and will yet he)”taken out of all nations”, Act 15:14, Israel not gathered here, because “not reckoned among the nations” (Num 23:9). The Church of the Mystery (Eph 3) not here, because the reward here is “from the foundation (App-146) of the world” (Mat 25:34); while the Church was chosen “before” that (Mat 1:4). The “throne” is that of David (Luk 1:32).
all nations = all the nations.
them. Refers to individuals, because it is Masc, while “nations” are Neuter, and therefore are regarded collectively
goats. Greek. eriphion. Occ only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
32.] The expression implies all the nations of the world, as distinguished from the already gathered to Him, just as the Gentiles were by that name distinguished from his chosen people the Jews. Among these are the other sheep which He has, not of this fold, Joh 10:16.
…] see Eze 34:17. The sheep are those referred to in Rom 2:7; Rom 2:10; the goats in ib. Rom 2:8-9, where this same judgment according to works is spoken of.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 25:32. , he shall separate) The separation will not be complete before then.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
And before him
This judgment is to be distinguished from the judgment of the great white throne. Here there is no resurrection; the persons judged are living nations; no books are opened; three classes are present, sheep, goats, and brethren; the time is at the return of Christ (Mat 25:31); and the scene is on the earth. All these particulars are in contrast with Rev 20:11-15.
The test in this judgment is the treatment accorded by the nations to those whom Christ here call “my brethren.” These “brethren” are the Jewish Remnant who will have preached the Gospel of the kingdom to all nations during the tribulation. See “Remnant” Isa 1:9; Rom 11:5.
The test in Rev 20:11-15 is the possession of eternal life. See, for the other six judgments: (See Scofield “Joh 12:31″) 1Co 11:31” See Scofield “2Co 5:10” See Scofield “Eze 20:37” See Scofield “Jud 1:6” See Scofield “Rev 20:12”
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
before: Psa 96:13, Psa 98:9, Act 17:30, Act 17:31, Rom 2:12, Rom 2:16, Rom 14:10-12, 2Co 5:10, Rev 20:12-15
he shall separate: Mat 3:12, Mat 13:42, Mat 13:43, Mat 13:49, Psa 1:5, Psa 50:3-5, Eze 20:38, Eze 34:17-22, Mal 3:18, 1Co 4:5
as: Psa 78:52, Joh 10:14, Joh 10:27
Reciprocal: Gen 49:10 – the gathering Lev 3:12 – a goat Deu 29:21 – separate 1Sa 2:10 – judge 2Ki 10:23 – the worshippers Psa 26:9 – Gather not Psa 50:1 – called Jer 24:3 – What Eze 18:30 – every Eze 20:37 – pass Mic 4:3 – he shall judge Zep 3:8 – to gather Zec 10:3 – and I Mat 13:30 – both Mat 22:11 – when Mar 13:27 – shall gather Joh 14:3 – I will Joh 21:16 – my sheep Eph 1:10 – he 2Th 2:1 – and by Heb 4:13 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:32
All nations denotes that no human beings will escape the judgment bar of God, in which He will have seated his Son as the sole judge. The people will be divided into only two groups, for all human creatures will belong to one or the other, no third group. The reference to sheep and goats is for an illustration only. It is based on the practice of a shepherd who is getting ready to lead his flock into a fold for permanent shelter. While out over the fields some goats may have straggled in among the sheep, and the shepherd would not want them in his fold.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 25:32. Shall be gathered. Whether voluntarily or involuntarily is not stated; but all submit (Php 2:10).All the nations, all mankind. The pre-millenial view excepts the elect, but of this exception there is here no hint. Even if gathered before (chap. Mat 24:31), they may appear again as their Master does, at the public declaration of the gracious judgment, indicated by previously gathering them out in the days of tribulation.
Shall separate them. A process which is further described.
As the shepherd. Christ is really the Shepherd of all mankind.
Separateth the sheep from the goats, lit, the lambs (gentle, tractable) from the he-goats (proverbially wild, intractable, of less value, to which the idea of wantonness, uncleanness may be added). Together in the pasture, they are now divided.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 25:32-33. Before him shall be gathered all nations That is, all the individuals of all nations and ages; not only all that are found alive at the time of his appearing, and are changed in a moment, and rendered immortal, that they may be capable of enjoying eternal happiness, or of suffering everlasting misery, but all that had ever lived from the beginning to the end of time. All of every clime, country, and place, great and small, even from the remotest corners of the world. And he shall separate them one from another According to their different characters, (which he most perfectly knows,) with as much ease as a shepherd divideth his sheep, which belong to his flock, from the goats, which may be mingled with them, and places them in distinct companies. And he shall set the sheep The righteous, whom he will own as such, and who are termed sheep on account of their innocence, meekness, and usefulness; on his right hand In token of his favour to them, and of the further honours he purposes to bestow upon them. And the goats That is, the wicked, called goats because of the exorbitancy of their lusts; on his left To intimate his displeasure against them, and their final removal from among his people; nor shall the haughtiest and mightiest sinner be able to resist that appointment by which he is placed in this situation. I cannot imagine, says Dr. Doddridge, a more magnificent image than this; the assembled world distinguished with such unerring penetration, and distributed into two grand classes, with as much ease as sheep and goats are ranged by a shepherd in different companies. The wicked and the godly in this world dwell together in the same kingdoms, cities, churches, families, and are not with certainty distinguishable always one from another: such are the infirmities of saints, such the hypocrisies of sinners, and one event frequently happening to both; but in that day they will be separated and parted for ever: for the Lord both knows them that are his, and them that are not, and he can and will separate them: and the separation will be so exact, that the most inconsiderable saint shall not be lost in the crowd of sinners, nor the most plausible sinner hid in the crowd of saints, Psa 1:5; but every one shall go to his own place. Dr. Whitby thinks, that there is an allusion here to the received custom of the Jews in capital causes, to place them who are to be acquitted on the right hand, in the sanhedrim, and those who were to receive the sentence of condemnation, on the left.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Usually "the nations" (Gr. ta ethne) refers to Gentiles distinguished from Jews (e.g., Luk 21:24; Act 14:16). [Note: Abbott-Smith, pp. 129-30; Thayer, A Greek-English . . ., p. 168; Vincent, 1:135. ] Because of this some interpreters believe the judgment of Mat 25:31-46 is a judgment of Gentiles only. [Note: E.g., Barbieri, p. 80; Bailey, in The New . . ., p. 53; and Eugene W. Pond, "Who Are the Sheep and Goats in Mat 25:31-46?" Bibliotheca Sacra 159:635 (July-September 2002):288-301.] However the phrase "all the nations" is often more inclusive, referring to all people, including the Jews (cf. Rom 16:26; Rev 15:4). Here it probably refers to all people living on earth when Jesus establishes His kingdom (cf. Mat 28:19; Mar 13:10). Everyone will have heard the gospel of the kingdom preached during the Tribulation (Mat 24:14). In Jesus’ day, shepherds separated the sheep from the goats in their flocks for various reasons at various times (cf. Eze 34:17). Also, sheep and goats in the Middle East look more alike than they do in some other parts of the world. [Note: Bailey, in The New . . ., p. 54.] The right often signified the place of favor, and the left the place of comparative disfavor in biblical and Jewish literature. [Note: J. M. Court, "Right and Left: The Implications for Mat 25:31-46," New Testament Studies 31 (1985):223-29.]