SEV Biblia, Chapter 25:32
Y sern reunidas delante de l todas las naciones; y los apartar los unos de los otros, como aparta el pastor las ovejas de los cabritos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 25:32
Verse 32. All nations] Literally, all the nations-all the Gentile world; the Jews are necessarily included, but they were spoken of in a particular manner in the preceding chapter. He shall separate them] Set each kind apart by themselves.
As a shepherd divideth, &c.] It does not appear that sheep and goats were ever penned or housed together, though they might feed in the same pasture; yet even this was not done but in separate flocks; so Virgil, Eclog. vii. v. 2.
Compulerantque greges Corydon et Thyrsis in unum; Thyrsis OVES, Corydon distentas lacte CAPELLAS "Thyrsis and Corydon drove their flocks together: Thyrsin his sheep; and Corydon his goats, their udders distended with milk." These two shepherds had distinct flocks, which fed in the same pasture, but separately; and they are only now driven together, for the convenience of the two shepherds, during the time of their musical contest.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 32. And before him shall be gathered all nations . etc.] That is, all that have professed the Christian religion in all the nations of the world, whether Jews or Gentiles, high or low, rich or poor, wise and foolish, such as have had greater or lesser talents; though it is also true of every individual of mankind of every nation, tribe and family, of every sex, age, and state, that ever has been, is, or will be. Yet Christian professors seem only here intended, as the following distinction of them, their final state, and the reasons of it show. This collection of them before Christ, the righteous judge, will be made by the holy angels, who will come with him for this purpose; and being mighty, as they are, will be able to accomplish great a work; and especially as being under the direction, influence, and authority of so divine, glorious, and illustrious a person, as the son of man will then to all appear to be. And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats : they shall be gathered before him, as they were together in their visible church state, as being all under a profession of religion; some wise, some foolish virgins; some sheep, and others goats; some industrious, diligent, faithful, and laborious servants; others wicked, slothful, and unprofitable ones; many of whom pass undistinguished and undiscovered now: but then the judge, who is of quick understanding, will easily discern the one from the other; such as have the oil of grace in the vessels of their hearts, together with their lamps, from such as have only the outward visible lamp of a profession, but destitute of the grace of God; and good and faithful servants, who have made a right use of their gifts, from such who have been negligent, careless, and remiss; and though these have been folded together, sheep and goats, in the sheepfold of the church, where they have all bore the character of the sheep of Christ; yet now when the chief shepherd appears, who knows his own sheep, and calls them by name, he will as easily separate the one from the other, and more so, than any shepherd, among men, can part a flock consisting of sheep and goats. Hypocrites in Zion shall now be no more, nor sinners stand any longer in the congregation of the righteous, nor both together as one body, and on one side in judgment.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 31-46 - This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every ma shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his ow glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches, families, and are not always to be known the on from the other; such are the weaknesses of saints, such the hypocrisie of sinners; and death takes both: but in that day they will be parte for ever. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd; he will shortl distinguish between those that are his, and those that are not. All other distinctions will be done away; but the great one between saint and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for ever. The happiness the saints shall possess is very great. It is a kingdom; the most valuabl possession on earth; yet this is but a faint resemblance of the blesse state of the saints in heaven. It is a kingdom prepared. The Fathe provided it for them in the greatness of his wisdom and power; the So purchased it for them; and the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the kingdom, is preparing it for them. It is prepared for them: it is in all points adapted to the new nature of a sanctified soul. It is prepared from the foundation of the world. This happiness was for the saints, and they for it, from all eternity. They shall come and inheri it. What we inherit is not got by ourselves. It is God that makes heir of heaven. We are not to suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness. Good works done for God's sake, through Jesu Christ, are here noticed as marking the character of believers mad holy by the Spirit of Christ, and as the effects of grace bestowed of those who do them. The wicked in this world were often called to com to Christ for life and rest, but they turned from his calls; and justl are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come to him Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses. The punishment of the wicked will be an everlasting punishment; their state cannot be altered. Thus life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before us, that we may choose our way, and as our way s shall our end be __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ συναχθησεται 4863 5701 V-FPI-3S εμπροσθεν 1715 PREP αυτου 846 P-GSM παντα 3956 A-NPN τα 3588 T-NPN εθνη 1484 N-NPN και 2532 CONJ αφοριει 873 5692 V-FAI-3S αυτους 846 P-APM απ 575 PREP αλληλων 240 C-GPN ωσπερ 5618 ADV ο 3588 T-NSM ποιμην 4166 N-NSM αφοριζει 873 5719 V-PAI-3S τα 3588 T-APN προβατα 4263 N-APN απο 575 PREP των 3588 T-GPM εριφων 2056 N-GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
32. All the nations (panta ta eqnh). The whole human race; though the word is generally employed in the New Testament to denote Gentiles as distinguished from Jews.Separate them (autouv). Masculine, while the word nations is neuter. Nations are regarded as gathered collectively; but in contemplating the act of separation the Lord regards the individuals.
The sheep from the goats (or kids, so Rev. in margin). "The bald division of men into sheep and goats is, in one sense, so easy as not to be worth performing; and in another sense it is so hard as only to be possible for something with supernatural insight" (John Morley, "Voltaire"). Goats are an appropriate figure, because the goat was regarded as a comparatively worthless animal. Hence the point of the elder son's complaint in the parable of the Prodigal: Not so much as a kid (Luke xv. 29). The diminutive (erifia) expresses contempt.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
25:32 {All the nations} (panta ta eqne). Not just Gentiles, but Jews also. Christians and non-Christians. this program for the general judgment has been challenged by some scholars who regard it as a composition by the evangelist to exalt Christ. But why should not Christ say this if he is the Son of Man and the Son of God and realized it? A "reduced" Christ has trouble with all the Gospels, not merely with the Fourth Gospel, and no less with Q and Mark than with Matthew and Luke. this is a majestic picture with which to close the series of parables about readiness for the second coming. Here is the program when he does come. "I am aware that doubt is thrown on this passage by some critics. But the doubt is most wanton. Where is the second brain that could have invented anything so original and so sublime as vv. #35-40,42-45?" (Sanday, _Life of Christ in Recent Research_, p. 128). {As the shepherd separates} (h"sper ho poimen aphorizei). A common figure in Palestine. The sheep are usually white and the goats black. There are kids (eriph"n, eriphia) which have grazed together. The goats devastate a field of all herbage. "Indeed they have extirpated many species of trees which once covered the hills" (Tristram, _Natural History of the Bible_, pp. 89f.). The shepherd stands at the gate and taps the sheep to go to the right and the goats to the left.
