Matthew 25:37 Commentary and Bible Study

The surprise expressed by the righteous is genuine; they are astonished. Though they do not doubt Christ’s words, the idea that they have personally ministered to him is so far from their minds that they cannot see how it can be true. Christ has long since returned to heaven. When the righteous were on earth, did they not long to see him face to face, and keenly feel his absence from them? Did they not yearn for the day when he would appear and they would see him face to face? How can he say that they did these acts of kindness to him personally, for many of them were born and lived long after his return to heaven? Then again, they know that Christ is risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father with all his former glory restored to him. He receives the praise of the angels and all power is given to him in heaven and in earth. How then can he possibly have the sort of needs he describes here? How can he be hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison? Yes, it is true that if he had been in any of these conditions, they would gladly have ministered to him with all their might. There is no one in the world they would rather have expressed kindness to, so that if Christ had placed himself in a state of need, they would have responded with alacrity, but the opportunity simply did not arise. The Lord had commanded them to love one another, but they had not understood the full implication of that command. They had indeed fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, taken in strangers and given shelter and accommodation to those in need; they had clothed the door and destitute as it lay within their power to do so, and they had ministered to the sick and dying, and visited those who were imprisoned falsely on account of their testimony and for the sake of the gospel. That was only natural for them as part of Christ’s little flock; it was natural that they should love those who shared a common experience of salvation. But they had not done these things to Christ personally. They therefore find what he has said hard to understand, for humility has formed itself deep in their character, causing them to have a low estimation of themselves and not to evaluate their works highly. They truly see themselves as unprofitable servants.