Matthew 25:31-45 The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
Introduction
When I was teaching at Rockway I participated twice in an urban plunge called Toronto Outdoor Opportunity for Learning and Service (TOOLS for short) in downtown Toronto with a group of our grade 9 students (I think there were a couple of groups from here that did TOOLS a number of years ago).
We slept overnight on the floor of the Danforth Mennonite Church. We rode the subway to and from our destinations, we walked a lot around the downtown core. We heard personal stories of people living on the streets, and those who supported them. We helped out at shelters. We prepped and served meals. And then we debriefed and destressed back at the church later on. While the big city can be a dynamic and exciting place to visit, most of us were well out of our comfort zones. Coming from smaller cities or towns, we were not used to the overwhelming sights, sounds and smells of Toronto at street level for 3 days.
At one point, when we walked into Union Station, we were invited to see it through the eyes of a young, runaway teen, just arriving by train or bus, trying to escape an abusive situation, a common story for young people who end up living on the streets of Toronto. Where would we go now? What would we do next? Where would we sleep tonight? Where would we store our belongings? Where would we find access to bathrooms? Who could help us? Who could we trust?
One of the goals of TOOLS was to make us uncomfortable: to unsettle our perspectives; to shake up the bias in our language and assumptions and prejudices about who lives on the streets and why they ended up there; to show us how our privilege shapes us; to help us see and hear in a new way. Not unlike Jesus’ goals with his parables.
Remember what Jesus said when his disciples asked why he always taught in parables? He says “The reason I speak to them in parables is ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand’ (Matthew 13: 13). They have shut their eyes! Their ears are hard of hearing! And their hearts have grown dull! (Matthew 13:14-15; quoting Isaiah 6:9-10). There is a difference between listening and understanding. Between looking and perceiving.There is a difference between a dull heart and a compassionate heart. Jesus challenges people to see and hear deeply and fully, and maybe even in new ways.
I wonder how your eyes and ears and hearts are experiencing this parable this morning. I suspect there is a wide range of reactions. And maybe you have had several reactions all at once.
- If you identify with ‘the least of these’ perhaps there is comfort and relief at finally being seen and heard
- If you identify with the goats, maybe you feel guilty for not doing enough for those in need
- Maybe if you focus on the one who hands out reward and punishment there is satisfaction that justice is served finally!
- Maybe it has triggered a bad memory of church being a place of judgment
- Or Maybe it has conjured up a fearful image of God as one who punishes
- And maybe you just want to plug your ears and close your eyes and avoid it
I suspect for many of us it is the ending, the final punishment that is the most unsettling. I will get to that, but first I think it is helpful to set the context.
Context
This story comes late in Matthew’s gospel. Here, Jesus’ stories have an edge to them. They sound more urgent, intense, provocative, even apocalyptic. He tells several parables with violent endings (if you think that only the OT has violence and troubling images of God, this part of Matthew will shock you!).
Prior to this story, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, cheered on by the crowds, just days before the Jewish festival of the Passover. He drives out all those who are buying and selling in the temple. The chief priests and elders challenge his authority for doing such a thing. And later they test him with tough questions about paying taxes, the nature of the resurrection, and the greatest commandment.
Jesus criticizes them harshly. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 23).” He calls them fools and blind guides, accusing them of hypocrisy and neglecting the “weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith” (Matthew 23:23). That is harsh! To top it off he predicts the destruction of the temple! And then heads out to the Mount of Olives outside the city with the disciples. What is going on with him?
His disciples, understandably, have all kinds of questions for him. In response Jesus launches into a long teaching session. There are five of these in Matthew’s gospel. This is the last one–his farewell address to his disciples (see Richard B. Gardner, Matthew, 341). It’s all very intense and urgent. It deals with questions about the end times, ending with this image of the final judgment–the parable of the sheep and the goats. We can appreciate the tension in the last week of Jesus’ life. Opposition is building, his life is in danger, and he doesn’t have much time left with his disciples.
Several decades later, when Matthew’s gospel was written down, near the end of the first century, it reflected an intense and scary time too–what must have felt like the end of the world. There was a sense that the present age was “convulsing ever more violently” (Gardner, 342).The Jewish Roman War destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and scattered the surviving Jews. An earthquake and volcanic eruption destroyed Pompeii. Followers of Jesus were severely persecuted. There was famine, turmoil and trauma. One commentator writes that it was a time of distress “unparalleled in human history” (Gardner, 346). It seemed like “the present era of history [was] hopelessly in the grip of evil…[and a] cataclysmic intervention by God [was] required to transform history” (Gardner, 348).
Is it any wonder the early church was preoccupied with the expected return of Jesus–the second coming–part of a larger plan of God, “to redeem history and creation” (Gardner, 349)? Jesus would return and take charge and set things right. It was a time that called for intense and urgent language about the end times, full of dramatic, symbolic, poetic images (Gardner, 346-7).
Here in chapters 24-25 of Matthew’s gospel there are all kinds of warnings and signs of the end of the age: there will be wars and rumors of wars, nation will rise against nation. There will be famines and earthquakes. People will betray and hate one another and false prophets will arise, and the love of many will grow cold (see Matthew 24: 3-14). Is any of this feeling familiar?
And that’s where Matthew places these three parables of Jesus: The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids, the Talents, and this one, the Sheep and the Goats. They are “readiness parables” about being prepared for the end of the age, and the final judgment on all human history (Gardner, 357). These stories all emphasize that at the end of time there is moral accountability. “Life choices really matter” and sadly, “some will remain stubbornly resistant to God’s reign” (Gardner, 362). Which brings us to the parable of the sheep and the goats.
Exploring the Story
Jesus’ last big teaching session in Matthew’s gospel ends with this parable about the last judgment. It is a throne room scene, the Son of Man is sitting on the throne, separating the people. It involves all nations. It is universal. Some are blessed and called into inheriting the kingdom, some of them are cursed and sent away into eternal punishment. Until that point, none of them seem to know their own status, nor why they are on the right or the left.
Let me make some observations to help us understand this text.
Observation 1: The Genre
First of all, it is a story–a parable. It is dramatic, memorable, and meant to be provocative. It is a teaching tool. It uses stark and disturbing images to get our attention. There is urgency and seriousness to it, with existential consequences. Why the urgency? Why is it so disturbing? Because Jesus sees people suffering around him, and he cares. And he is upset by the structures and systems that keep them suffering.
Observation 2: An Echo
This text echoes other texts in scripture, especially Isaiah 58. It doesn’t come out of a vacuum. Jesus draws on the scriptures and teachings of his tradition. A call to care for widows and orphans and foreigners is all over the scriptures that Jesus knew. This is bedrock teaching from his Jewish tradition. In Isaiah 58 there is a passage that contrasts false and true worship. What should your religion and spirituality look like? Isaiah writes:
Isaiah 58
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
“Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
We find a similar emphasis in the epistle of James, which is full of practical wisdom about how to live as a follower of Jesus we read:
James 2:14-17
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Here is the centre of what it means to be disciples of Jesus. Genuine faith in Jesus must be expressed in how we live. This emphasis on discipleship lies at the heart of the Anabaptist/Mennonite convictions, and echoes Jesus’ teachings, particularly those in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
Observation 3: The Sorting
In the parable of the sheep and the goats, notice who does the sorting. The Son of Man/shepherd/king. The Jesus figure. Not us. We don’t get to decide who is in and who is out, because we would mess it up.
And notice the criteria for the sorting. It is not based on having the right theology, or doctrine or a certain set of beliefs. It is not based on following certain traditions and rituals. It is not based on appearance or dress or wealth, or skin colour or gender or age. Rather it is based on deeds of compassion: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, and visiting those in prison. It puts compassion and mercy at the heart of the gospel. At the heart of what it means to follow Jesus.
Observation 4: The Surprise
Notice the surprise and confusion in this parable. Everyone is shocked, not by whether they are a sheep or a goat. The greatest surprise of this text is the king’s identity with “the least of these,” who are members of his family. Everybody asks,“Lord, when did we see you…?” (Matthew 25: 37, 44). He shocks them when he tells them that he was there among them as a stranger and prisoner, as someone who was hungry, thirsty, naked or sick (see Tom Yoder Neufeld, Recovering Jesus: The Witness of the New Testament, 176). Jesus identifies with the ones needing care. “To see the faces of people who are poor, powerless, suffering, vulnerable, oppressed, and abused is to see the face of Jesus. To show compassion to ‘the least of these’ is to show compassion to Jesus himself.” (Dorothy Jean Weaver, p. 78 of the Shine curriculum resources).
An impressive religious resume will mean very little. We might find ourselves asking, Did we not…keep all the commandments, make our confessions, keep the fasts and the festivals? Did we not preach and teach and prophecy in your name, cast out demons and perform miracles in your name? (Matthew 7:21-23). And Jesus will say, “I don’t recognize you because you did not recognize me. You failed to see me and meet me and serve me in the poor, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the prisoner, and the stranger. As John Chrysostom, a fourth century theologian warned, ‘If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find him in the chalice.’” (See the online essay by Bradley Jersak at https://bradjersak.com/the-parable-of-the-sheep-goats-matthew-25-bradley-jersak/)
Jan Richarson, in a blog post reflecting on this story says we are being called “to learn to look more closely” (Jan Richardon blog post, Christ Among the Scraps). “I pray for eyes to see the ways that Christ already inhabits every place. How there is no place it hasn’t occurred to him to visit, no space in which he isn’t already working to make a home, no person through whom he might not startle me with…his presence.” The problem is we neglect “to recognize and respond to him where he already is” (Richardson).
Observation 5: The Words of Judgment
The words of judgment directed at the goats in this parable are troubling. A closer look at the original Greek here can be helpful. The most troubling phrase is usually translated as eternal punishment. The Greek words are aion and kolazo or kolasis. An aion means an age, or a period of time, or can mean an intense experience. The other word, kolasis is a term from horticulture which refers to pruning and trimming the branches of a plant so that it can flourish. So ‘eternal punishment’ could mean a period of pruning, a time of trimming–in other words an intense experience of correction. That would suggest there is hope for the goats.
Richard Rohr reminds us that there isn’t any reference to hell in the Torah, or in John’s writings or in Paul’s writing. In the OT there was the concept of Sheol, the place of the dead, a sort of limbo awaiting the final judgement. But our idea of hell comes mostly from Dante’s Divine Comedy, an Italian narrative poem–an allegory of the soul’s journey toward God–written in the 1300’s. It is brilliant Italian poetry but non biblical.
Now, Richard Rohr recognizes that there are images in Matthew of judgment and punishment. Several of Jesus’ parables, like this one, end with fiery images and the phrase “thrown into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (see Matthew 18:8-9; 22:13-14; 24:51; 25;30). The word “hell” does get used several times. The Greek word for this is Gehenna referring to the Valley of Hinnom which was the dump outside the walls of Jerusalem, where there was always a fire going to burn the garbage. And where people who were desperate scavenged for scraps, and animals came to fight over what was left and gnaw on the scraps. Hence, the weeping and gnashing of teeth. So again, not a vision of eternal punishment. Harsh and troubling none-the-less.
Why does Jesus tell stories that describe such harsh judgment–stories that seem to undo all the mercy and forgiveness Jesus demonstrates through his life and teachings? Jesus and Matthew choose strong, dramatic language to try and convey the severity of their concerns. To get their point across. To let people know how serious they are. Richard Rohr sees Hell as a much needed metaphor found in most religions for the ultimate tragedy of not choosing life and love. The dramatic language calls people to decision, choice and action. Jesus and Matthew had no way of predicting readers centuries later would take it so literally. (see Richard Rohr’s blog post, A Toxic Image of God, Jan 28, 2016).
Focusing on the fear of a literal Hell takes away from the purpose of the parable. The least of these are humans in need, and they are the embodiment of Christ. This parable is about recognizing Christ in every person, particularly those who are invisible in the social order. A focus on Hell makes this all about individual salvation, when this parable is really about our collective responsibility.
Observation 6: Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
Because it is a parable, there is an opportunity for redemption. Those who hear Jesus tell this story can change their ways. They can learn to see the face of Christ in all those they meet. They can learn to act with mercy and compassion.
Perhaps this is what is most unnerving about this parable–the grace–what Brad Jersak calls the “scandalous hope of the gospel.” The judgment of God is committed to restore rather than punish (see Hebrews 12:1-12). God’s “heart is always and only to lift us up, to raise us to life, rather than destroy anyone…Divine Love, by nature, is life-giving, not death-dealing.”
(see his on-line reflections at https://bradjersak.com/the-parable-of-the-sheep-goats-matthew-25-bradley-jersak/)
Pope Benedict XVI reminded people that “the punchline to every parable is the Passion (death and resurrection) of Christ. Whatever judgments we find in the parables raise difficult questions (especially about God) that Christ decisively answers from that Cross with prayer–’Father, forgive them,’ and a word: tetelestai–‘it is finished, accomplished, complete, fulfilled…Mercy triumphs over judgment.’ Could such a hope be possible? (also from the Brad Jersak online essay)
Brad Jersak asks:
-what if the unquenchable fire is actually the fire of God’s love?
-what if the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth is met with the promise that God will wipe away every tear from every eye?
-what if the Judgment Seat where the Son of Man sits is actually a Mercy Seat, and the verdict is forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation?
-What if the One who says “depart from me” is also the one who says, “come to me, all you who are weary and carrying a heavy burden, and I will give you rest for your soul.” (also from the Brad Jersak online essay).
One of the things that happens during worship in the Orthodox Christian tradition is the Father/priest circulates around the sanctuary and waves the incense at the icons of the saints on the church walls. The icons depict the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before. But then the priest waves the incense over each person, recognizing that each one bears the dignity of being created in the image of God. The priest sees Christ in each person, and they meet Christ in him. Our love for Christ becomes our love for one another. In this parable Jesus invites us to sense the presence of Christ in everyone we meet, especially, the least of these.
The heart of the gospel is mercy and love. “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear,” Jesus says to his disciples (Matthew 13:16). Thanks be to God.