Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 25:42
For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Verse 42. I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat] I put it in your power to do good, and ye would not. A variety of occasions offered themselves to you, but ye neglected them all, so that my blessings in your hands, not being improved, according to my order, became a curse to you.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat,…. Hence it appears, that these were such as dwelt among Christians, and professed the Christian name, and yet disregarded the poor members of Christ in distress, when it was in the power of their hands to help them; but when they were hungry and ready to starve for want of food, did not communicate to them for Christ’s sake; which showed I that they had no true faith in him, and love to him, and therefore are justly condemned by him; whereas such who never knew Christ, nor any of his people, or any obligation they were under to regard any for Christ’s sake, these will never be condemned for the non-performance of these things:
I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; as not the least morsel of bread to eat, so not so much as a cup of cold water to drink; which with what follows, are manifest tokens and evidences, that they did not belong to Christ, were not true believers in him, nor had they any real love to him: the grace of God was not in them, and therefore had neither right unto, nor meetness for, the kingdom of heaven; but were righteously banished from the presence of the Lord, and sent to dwell among everlasting burnings; for righteous it was, that such as they who would not show any love to him here, should not dwell with him for ever hereafter.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
No meat ( ). You did not give me anything to eat. The repetition of the negative in 42 and 43 is like the falling of clods on the coffin or the tomb. It is curious the surprise here shown both by the sheep and the goats. Some sheep will think that they are goats and some goats will think that they are sheep.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
“For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.”
And their rejection was based on their attitude towards the followers of Christ. They had refused to help them because of Whose they were, and by it they had revealed their attitude towards Jesus Christ Himself.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Ver. 42. For I was an hungred, &c. ] Ill works are the just causes of damnation, as being perfectly evil. But good works can be no such causes of salvation, because due debts to God, and at the best imperfect.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 25:42-43 , imply negative all the statements contained in Mat 25:35-36 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 25:42. , …, not, etc.) Sins of omission.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mat 25:35, Mat 10:37, Mat 10:38, Mat 12:30, Amo 6:6, Joh 5:23, Joh 8:42-44, Joh 14:21, 1Co 16:22, 2Th 1:8, Jam 2:15-24, 1Jo 3:14-17, 1Jo 4:20
Reciprocal: Job 22:7 – not given Mat 26:11 – ye have Jam 2:16 – one
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2-43
The same list of good works is named in the sentence against the folks on the left hand as was said to the others. It might be well to note that these people were not condemned because of any wicked thing they had done. See the comments on verse 25 about the negative principle in the conduct of life.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Observe here, 1. How Christ lays the charge of the wicked’s damnation upon themselves alone, Ye gave me no meat, ye took me not in: man, and man alone, is the cause of his own destruction and damnation.
Observe, 2. The kind of sin charged on the wicked at the great day.
Consider it, 1. In general, it is a sin of omission.
Whence learn, That sins of omission are certainly damning as well as sins of commission, or want of love to Christ and his members.
Learn thence, That one reigning sin, one prevailing corruption, is enough to damn a person, because it deprives a man of the grace of the gospel, and excludes him from all the benefit of the promises.
Note lastly, If such as do not give to Christ in his members shall be miserable at the great day, what will the condition of them be that take from them, who strip and starve them, who persecute and hate them, who imprison or banish them? If the uncharitable shall scarcely be saved, yea, shall certainly be damned, where shall the unmerciful and cruel appear?