What did Jesus mean he will someday
separate the sheep from the goats?

What did Jesus mean he will someday
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 shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 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: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

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: 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: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 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.

"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: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 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. 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? 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. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. "

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.