Who Are 'The Least of These:' Is Social Justice an Aspect of the Great Commission?

Try it sometime: google "Matthew 25 ministries;" see whether you get a list of social agencies? Check a directory of social agencies where you live and see how many have a reference to either "Matthew 25 or :"the least of these" in their titles? The Catholic Parish near my home runs a social agency called "Matthew 25 ministries." You can usually find a  benevolence, social, mission or political organization with a title that either includes "the least of these," or a reference to Matthew 25 within 25 miles of any address in the US. These agencies state their mission is tho serve those whom Jesus called "the least of these." Many Christians believe that Jesus came to redeem (or liberate) "the least of these," from social and political injustice,and therefore, social justice is an aspect of the Great Commission. Those who call themselves liberation theologians argue that Jesus came principally to provide economic and political equality among disparate populations. They point to Matthew 25:31-46 to define the mission of the church, which I believe seriously misconstrues the passage.

I recognize that the Bible has a plethora of references requiring Christians to serve the poor, the oppressed, widows and orphans, prisoners and children. One cannot be a disciple without proactively engaging the helpless, the homeless, the hurting and the injustices around us. I have made a career of providing spiritual care to the sick and suffering. Luke 4:18 makes it clear that Christ came to institute  a kingdom to proclaim the gospel and to liberate people from sickness, poverty, oppression and injustice. But how does that kingdom advance? A church that merely evangelizes with little or no tangible effort to alleviate human suffering and injustice is neglecting a significant aspect of its calling.  Is His kingdom realized through the individual transformation of the gospel only, as some evangelicals claim? Bring redemption and liberation to the hearts of sufficient numbers of people and they will treat each other with dignity and respect and society will be transformed to a place of justice and fairness, or so they say. They point to the abolition of slavery, women's right, the modern practice of medicine, public education, the development of 20th century hospitals, the development of shelters for homeless men and women, the pro-life movement and much international medical care which can all to some extent be traced to the work of evangelical missions.  Other Christians claim social reform is as much a work of the gospel as individual transformation. The church is God's agency to ensure fairness, often referred to as social justice. Since Jesus paid for the sins of everyone the work of the church is to introduce all people to His love, which will compels those who have to share with those who do not have until there is no economic or political disparities in the world. The founding of groups like the salvation army, Catholic social services, YMCA, YWCA, many soup kitchens, clothing exchanges and most ivy league colleges have related to mainline churches and denominations when they were founded. Social Justice ministries usually connect the gospel with a plan to redistribute wealth. Some who embrace the cause  of social justice believe the gospel politically aligns them with either socialism or collectivism as informed by their understanding (or, in my view, misunderstanding) of Matthew 25:31-46: 

Does the Gospel Compel The Wealthy to Distribute Their Wealth Among The Have-Nots?

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by 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 welcomed me, 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? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal 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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, 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, ‘Truly, I say to you, 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 eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46 ESV)  

The meaning of  narrative text (the stories of the gospel) is sometimes hard to discern. Almost anyone can interpret a story anyway they want. Bible believing Christians believe that scripture has a single meaning that God intended in each passage He has inspired (2 Peter 1: 19 - 21). When we look to the scripture to guide our lives we are not looking for "what it means to me," but for what God intends for me. We are seeking the contemporary application of the message that God lead the prophet (or scriptural author) to apply to the people in their historical context. Seeing the timeless principle that applies to our life leads to God's truth for us today (Romans 15:4). Understanding what God is communicating through the gospel writer requires some understanding of the meaning that writer attached to it at the time of its writing. Since gospel are not biography (they are not chronological accounts) structure is significant to the meaning. Each writer has arranged selected pericopes from Jesus' life to illustrate the meaning they are giving to those incidences. So like all other sections of the gospel the way the passage is structured along with it context has bearing on it's meaning.

A perusal of this passage might lead one to a rather simplistic perception that the righteous people, who are doing Christ's work and are rewarded with blessing and eternal life, are those who help hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned, aliens, while the unrighteous, cursed who go to hell, are those who neglect the social needs of the less fortunate. By this understanding of the gospel, moral character of the believer are not as important as the relationships with the less fortunate. A closer look at the passage makes this understanding impossible. It is inconsistent with the context in which the passage is found and the structure of this text.

No one questions the significance of this text. The Lord Jesus Christ is dividing the sheep and goats at judgment day, sending the sheep to heaven and the goats to hell based on how they treated "the least of these," This is a passage we have to get right, eternity depends on it. Those who neglect"the least of these "will go away into eternal punishment," while those who respond and serve them will go "into eternal life." It is ironic that some who would deny the "single intent" of scripture or who deny the authority in a normal or literal meaning of the words, would insist so strongly on what they see as the literal meaning of these words. A careful look at the words of this text creates some problems for those who want to embrace it as a social justice manifesto. Isn't the conclusion that Jesus is going to judge the church based on our social responsibility based on some premises about the text? Whether you hold to a "literal" understanding or otherwise Jesus' judgment in this case is based on certain premises. One premise is that some people will go to a literal blissful heaven and other to "eternal punishment" based on how they respond to Christ's mandate delivered here. Christ clearly interprets what we do to "the least of these," as being done to him. People are gathered together as nations, but then Jesus separates them from their national grouping and regroups them into two groups--sheep and goats. The sheep are the righteous who are rewarded with eternal life. The goats are the unrighteous who are condemned to eternal punishment. Often those who would use this text to portray Christ as an advocate of social justice give little attention to themes of salvation and judgment this passage also portends.  The passage belies the teaching that Christ's atonement saves everyone, and that it is the role of the church is to establish "income equality" to all people. If some people go to heaven and some go to hell, then clearly the work of the church does not liberate everyone in this life or the next. Social justice advocates need hold back on saying Amen to this passage. Amen's need not come from evangelical either.

This text reveals that the gospel is more than a movement of social reform, and is more than force to transform individual lives.

It is too simplistic to preach from this text that the gospel is either a message of liberating social reform, or a liberating transformation of the individuals that will reform society. This text reveals that the gospel is more than a movement of social reform, and is more than force to transform individual lives.One would be remiss to follow a sermon on this text with the Hymn JUST AS I AM, and an altar call, or with the Hymn WE SHALL OVERCOME and a march in protest of some injustice, though both evangelizing and marching are legitimate expressions of the gospel message. Doctors Martin Luther King and Billy Graham both proclaimed the gospel to prior generations. So what light does this text shed on the meaning of the gospel and the mission of the church? Who are the least of these that we are required to serve?

As is the case with so many narrative passages context and structure determine meaning. In the 23rd Chapter of Matthew Jesus cast judgment on the Pharisaical leaders of the Jews who have rejected him and in the 24th he goes on to predict the coming Great Tribulation. At the end of the Tribulation Jesus makes a determination about how the nations will be judged at the final judgment.

Who Are The Least of These

The Judgment Following the Tribulation. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus Declaration About The Righteous, Those on his Right: Inherit the Eternal Kingdom And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Jesus Declaration to the Condemned, Those on His Left: Depart to Eternal Punishment “Then he will say to those on his left, e‘Depart from me, you fcursed, into gthe eternal fire prepared for hthe devil and his angels. 46 And these will go away kinto eternal punishment, but the righteous kinto leternal life.” Reasons for Jesus’ Judgment Of the Condemned on the Left                                                                 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25:35-36 ESV)\ Of the Righteous on the Right 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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ (Matthew 25:42-43 ESV) Response of Both: Surprise Then they also will answer, 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?’ (Matthew 25:44 ESV) ( Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ (Matthew 25:37-39 ESV)   Jesus Answer to Both Then he will answer them,[the unrighteous] saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ (Matthew 25:45 ESV) And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:40 ESV)   " Following the description of the suffering and persecution Christians will endure during the tribulation, and parables about preparing for judgment. Jesus describes the judgment that takes place at the end of the tribulation. He sits on his throne and divides the nations. Some see Jesus reference to the least of these as his brothers, means they are his clan, his ethnic group the Jews and see this as making a distinction between what happens to Jews in the end time and the gentile believers .Some postulate that he is separating the gentile nations from "the least of these," who are the Jews, because the tribulation is part of a two-stage second coming from which gentile believers, the church is spared.  The problem with that view is Jesus makes it clear that his "brothers" are not the Jews, but his followers. From observing the structure of the text we can identify the least of these. : 1. Jesus uses the same standard for judging the righteous and the unrighteous; their relationship to "the least of these." 2 Both groups are surprised by his determination. Neither group understands the least of these to be the downtrodden of society. Both wonder to whom he refers. 3. Jesus says the least of these are his "brothers." In explaining to the righteous how the served the least of these he describes the downtrodden as "his brothers."  Had Jesus merely meant that our eternal destinies are determined by our care for the poor. He would have said this, but he identifies himself with the least of these and calls them his brethren. The surprise of the righteous makes it impossible to believe that Jesus was basing their salvation on works. He tells the condemned only that they have ignored him.  Who are the least of these? Can we identify theem? Jesus calling them his "brothers" is significant, because Matthew always refers to his brothers the same way (12: 46-50; 23:8; and 28:10) as his disciples or his followers. "The "least of these" are identified as Jesus' brothers," or those impoverished or persecuted in the Great Tribulation. As the end times approach and life becomes more difficult for believers to live, true believers will need to be required to make sacrifices and take costly stands for the Kingdom.  Though many will claim the name of Christ only those who remain true to Christ and support and care for the persecuted believers in the harsh times of end will be saved. Even today we live in a world where Christians are being behead for the faith, their children are sold into slavery, they lose jobs home and security for the sake of Christ. No one can be a follower of Christ and be complicit in the persecution of his people. Those Christians who claim to be Christian and either passively neglect the persecution of their brothers or actively participate in it due for political gain show their own testimony to be counterfeit. This is no way implies that the work of helping the persecuted saves you, rather the point is one can not be true to their confession of faith and be complicit in persecution.  Those of us living today are preparing for Jesus return. The Bible calls the period "The Last Days," Being a Christ-follower has little to do with a mere profession or with social justice. Alignment with Christ involves caring for and helping his people who suffer due to their testimony about Christ. If we betray our fellow Christians we betray him, and he will not forget.  The fact that our country continues to ignore the atrocities committed against believers in foreign lands continues to reveal how far we have turned from our Christian roots. The fact that the organized confessional church does so little about the persecuted believer shows that faith has little to do with denomination or theological identifications or labels. When tribulation comes those believers who stand together to help alleviate the suffering that faith will require will demonstrate saving faith. While Christians are called upon to serve and minister to the downtrodden and disenfranchised this passage in no way connects our salvation with our compassionate work. Those who are saved are those who align themselves with Christ despite the cost. In cultures where Christians are persecuted one cannot be saved who is complicit or passive regarding the distresses of the persecuted. Understanding who the least of these are is fundamental to our eternal destiny. Salvation has nothing to do with work or status. Jesus did not come for Christian entertainers who produce hit songs, authors who produce books. He is unimpressed with the number of people we've evangelized, the degrees we've been awarded, the philanthropic actions of the church. Both believers and unbelievers are surprised by Jesus' determination of saved and unsaved. In all most all cultures and history the faithful Christians have been the downtrodden, but also in all most all cultures and history church people have elevated celebrities. We give aplomb to the pastors with the biggest churches, we interview Christian Rock stars as if their success validates their faith. Jesus was born to a poor family in an obscure village, because status and success mean nothing to the kingdom. Jesus doesn't save those people with the right eschatology, nor does he save those who are members of the right party. The people he saves are often those whom society rejects. Those of us who know him are aligned with him and with them. Our lives are about worshiping him and serving the hurting among us. The great commission is not a call to social justice, but to alignment with Him and His people.