Matthew 25: 31 36 Last Judgement

Target year level: Year Three, Year Five, Year Six

Scripture text

World behind the text

Many scholars believe Matthew’s Gospel was written at Antioch, a Greek speaking city with a number of Jewish synagogues. Antioch became the capital of the Roman province in Syria in 64 BCE and in the first century CE was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Christianity had become well established in Antioch by 80 CE. A number of other possible locations with a similar demographic to Antioch are also suggested as possible sites for the writing of Matthew’s Gospel.

Scripture scholars think that the Gospel of Matthew was written in the last part of the first century CE sometime after 70 CE. Matthew’s intended audience was Jewish Christians and GentileChristians who were familiar with Jewish culture, religious belief and religious practice.

Matthew 25:31-36 needs to be read and understood in relation to questions and disputes in Matthew’s community about the precise relationship between the Christian churches and Judaism, particularly with regard to the relevance, for both Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus, of Jewish Law and its associated religious practices and observances. Matthew 25:35-36sets out core requirements according to which Individual Christians and Christian communities are to be judged. For Matthew, observance of Jewish Law was not an end in itself. Religious observance is only authentic when it results in merciful attitudes and actions. Issues of law and religious observance find their proper place in relation to the authentic Christian attitudes and merciful actions that they produce.

For further information, see the teacher background information, Who Wrote the Gospels and When? and the The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), Introduction to Matthew.

World of the text

Matthew 25 consists of three parables: The Ten Bridesmaids (25:1-13), The Talents (25:14-30) and The Judgment of the Nations (25:31-46). The first two parables focus on the coming of the Son of Man and his judgment while the third parable describes the nature of the judgment itself. Commentators have pointed out that the parable, The Judgment of the Nations (The Last Judgment (25:31-46), is the last formal teaching that Jesus gives in the Gospel of Matthew. The parable sums up many themes that Matthew has given prominence to throughout his Gospel. These themes include the need for righteousness (right relationship with God and others) to enter the Kingdom. Another theme is the need for performing good deeds or works of mercy as an expression of righteousness. A third theme is that all will be judged according to their deeds, especially the works of mercy towards those who are weak and marginalised. For further commentary on the text 25:31-36 see Michael Fallon p. 330. (pdf)

World in front of the text

The Catholic Christian tradition emphasises both/and, rather than either/or. For Catholic Christians there is no necessary contradiction between being conscientious about religious observance and performing good works such as those set out in Mt 25:35-36. Ideally, authentic religious observance and performing the works of mercy go together and are mutually supportive and enriching. The ‘Golden Rule’: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a worthwhile maxim for living whether one is a Christian or otherwise. However, building a relationship with Jesus Christ is at the heart of being a Christian and this involves both being engaged in the life of the Christian Church and performing works of mercy in the world - “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”