In verse 40 Jesus makes a very important statement that preachers and theologians have missed for centuries. A lot of them have taken this to be a social gospel. Just be good to people and help them whenever you can. However, the context is flowing from the chapter before it. It is one long narrative that Jesus spoke to those that were listening (24:3b “the disciples came unto him privately” (don’t forget the disciples are Jews)). It starts in chapter 24:3 and ends at chapter 25:46.
Jesus is telling them what is going to happen to the Jewish people and what will happen to the gentile people on the way they treat the Jewish people. A gentile would be anyone that is not Jewish. His statement in chapter 25:31-46 is what will happen to people as to how they treated the Jewish people, thats from when He spoke it, to the present time. His statement about his brothers is about Jewish people not about gentiles. So the only way this could be looked at as a social gospel is how the world treats the Jews. If you are anti-Semitic it’s going to be bad for you, but if you love the Jewish people and Israel and help them whenever you can, then it will be good for you. God says Israel is the apple of His eye and that will never change.
Zechariah 2:8
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
Now in the 21st-century it is not looking good for all the gentile nations. The anti-Semitism that is running rampant around the world and condemning the Jewish people is setting themselves
up for a very bad judgment. God chose the Jewish people to bring the the Messiah into the world. Since they are chosen it is wise to try to bless them. That doesn’t mean that you have to agree with everything they do. God will judge them Himself, it’s not our job.
It’s easy to understand the Bible if you keep it in it’s proper context. Just remember, it’s mainly a Jewish book and every book in it was written by a Jewish author that God chose. With the exception of Luke, Acts and maybe Job, but God chose them all. But it’s still all about the Jewish Messiah that came to save the world. His name is Jesus.
Maranatha.
Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 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: 33 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.