How will Jesus separate
the SHEEP from the GOATS?

Q. In Matthew 25:31 it says that the Son of Man, as a shepherd, will separate the sheep from the goats. Different commentaries I have read say that this particular practice was done mainly at night. What does this mean?

(Submitted by: B. G.)

A. The context of your question is in Matthew 25:31-46 :

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, AND HE WILL SEPARATE THEM ONE FROM ANOTHER, AS A SHEPHERD DIVIDES HIS SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand,  'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  for I was hungry and you gave Me food;  I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;  I was a stranger and you took Me in;  I was naked and you clothed Me;  I was sick and you visited Me;  I was in prison and you came to Me.'

"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,  'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand,  Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food;  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.'

"Then they also will answer Him, saying,  'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-46, NKJV)

The parable is about the time of the judgment. The separating of the sheep from the goats is a foretelling of the sheep that are Christ's followers and the goats that chose not to follow Christ and His example on earth (a witness).

Verse 32 states Jesus is the shepherd over the sheep BUT NOT THE GOATS. Therefore, the sheep are Christ's followers and do whatever the shepherd (Jesus) tells them to do. The goats are rebellious, and therefore, are thrown into the lake of fire.

The real point of the message, as you guessed, is the difference of the behavior between the sheep and goats. Christ in verse 40 said the sheep were a loving and giving people, and therefore, He regarded their behavior as personally feeding HIM. This was because Christ was the shepherd and the sheep were His. Because of this giving behavior, they inherit God's Kingdom.

The goats were SELFISH and SELF-SEEKING; therefore, they are rejected in the judgment.

What is the significant point of the behavior of the sheep and goats? LOVE IS THE ANSWER. No love, no Kingdom.