Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me

 

 "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 to eternal life."

 

- Matthew 25:31-46 

 

In our present readings, Jesus has been giving His discourse on end times to the disciples.  He concludes with several parables illustrating the need to remain prepared for His return.  In yesterday's reading, He taught the parables of the Talents:   "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest."  

 "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."  My study Bible calls the passage in today's reading the majestic climax of Christ's discourse on end times.  This is not simply a parable, it notes, but a prophesy of the universal judgment which will indeed come.  Now the Cross is near Christ, events are unfolding quickly, and He raises His hearers to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat and the whole world before Him. Here He uses sheep to illustrate the righteous, my study Bible explains, for they follow His voice and are gentle and productive.  Goats symbolize the unrighteous, as they do not follow the shepherd and they walk along cliffs, which are symbolic of sin.

"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.'"  To inherit is a term which is used regarding sons and daughters, rather than strangers or servants; my study Bible comments that the righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  The standard of judgment which Jesus expresses here is uncalculated mercy toward others.  The works which are produced by faith are emphasized.  My study Bible says that saving faith always produces righteous works, and what we do reflects our true inner state.  It notes that the least refers to the poor and needy.  The needs described here are both physical and spiritual; so, the hungry or thirsty are not only those who need physical sustenance of food or drink, but also who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel (see Matthew 5:6).  To see Christ in everyone, my study Bible comments, is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).

 

"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 to eternal life."   My study Bible notes that this fire was prepared for the devil, showing that God did not create hell for human beings.  Rather, people choose this torment by their coldness of heart.  

Perhaps its important to first note that what we leave undone has consequences as well as what we have done.  This is what Christ's parable teaches to us, when He notes the incidents where people had the opportunity to show mercy or compassion, and did not.  It tells us that God seemingly presents opportunities in our lives for such works of faith, times when we may be so "moved with compassion," as we have seen Christ on various occasions, to offer something to others, a kindness, an extension of our faith, if you will.  This is what it is to be a "practicing Christian," someone who lives one's faith.  It may be a perspective others don't share, but it seems to be poignant that Jesus calls those who are the objects of compassion "the least of these my brethren."  It reminds us of the repeated warnings Jesus has given to the disciples regarding treatment of the "little ones" in His Church.  We might wonder what defines a person as "brethren" to Christ, but it does seem to suggest that Christ is not asking us to take in those whose aims are to do us harm or cause evil; we're asked to share love with the "least of these" -- to love neighbor as oneself.  If we visit the parable of the Good Samaritan, we find that to act as a neighbor is to be a neighbor, and this principle is upheld and defined further in today's parable of judgment.  Perhaps our greatest warning we should take from it is that it is not only our positive actions which have determined outcomes, but our negative actions as well.  Therefore, each moment is precious and defined in God's sight, all of it counts and none of it is lost or wasted.  Let us, then, be alert to opportunities; that is, to what God is presenting us with today. For every day counts, all things are before us each day.  We might seek to pray for the discernment to see, and to find God's way for us through it all.

Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

 "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 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 to eternal life."

- Matthew 25:31-46

In our recent readings, Jesus has been telling the disciples about the end times, and the time of His return.  In yesterday's reading, He gave the following parable:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two,  and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent on the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

 "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.'"  This is what my study bible calls the majestic climax of Jesus' discourse, which is not simply a parable, but rather a prophecy of the universal judgment that will indeed come.  Since Jesus' Cross is now near to Him, He raises the hearer to the sight of the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat and the whole world before Him.  He is clearly preparing His disciples for the Cross, and also all the rest of us for the time in which we live, in which we await His return.  The true standard of Christ's judgment is uncalculated mercy toward others.  Works that are produced by faith are the true emphasis here.  Saving faith always produces righteous works, my study bible tells us.  What we do reflects our true inner state.  The least refers to all the poor and the needy, in any sense of those words.  The needs that are described here include both physical and spiritual needs.  So, the hungry or thirsty aren't only those who need physical nourishment, but rather include all those who hunger and thirst for the hope of the gospel.  Sheep are used by Christ to illustrate the righteous, as sheep follow His voice and are gentle and productive.  But goats indicate the unrighteous, not because any creature is inferior to another, but because they do not follow the shepherd and they also walk along cliffs, representative of sin.  To inherit is a term used only with regard to sons and daughters, rather than strangers or servants.  The righteous, we are to understand, become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  Seeing Christ in others is the fulfillment of the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself  (22:39).

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into 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 to eternal life."  My study bible comments that the fire that was prepared for the devil shows that God did not create hell for human beings; rather, people choose this torment by their own coldness of heart.

One really couldn't think of a more eloquent parable than this, illustrating the importance of the practice of mercy, compassion, and love.  It is a perfect illustration of the golden rule, and -- as my study bible says -- the great commandment that Jesus cites to love one's neighbor as oneself.  Jesus has very frequently emphasized the importance of caring for the "little ones," here equivalent to "the least of these My brethren."  He is speaking directly to those who will become the leaders and founding pillars and bishops of His Church, so we must take into consideration His emphasis on this type of leadership among those who will be in authority.  But the teaching in the parable applies to each one of us, no matter what our situation, as we will each find circumstances in which there is an opportunity to exercise our own leadership and authority.  If you have a child, that is an opportunity.  If there is someone who is in some way one of the "least of these My brethren" who could use your help or care, then that is also an opportunity for the proper use of authority or position in a type of hierarchy.  In any situation or circumstance, someone who is powerful has the capacity to exercise the authority He proclaims in the parable for others who simply do not possess the strength, or the currency, or the capacity for doing for themselves what each of us would wish for if we were in such a position.  All of these are concepts of opportunity for the exercise of Christ's kind of leadership, helping the "least of these My brethren," whether that be someone with an illness, a deficiency of any kind, an inability to function in one dimension or another, or any other type of incapacity in any situation.  Let us consider how often we come across another who cannot fulfill every capacity or function for themselves, whether they are debilitated by their own frailties or susceptibilities or ailments of any kind, or subject to forms of prejudice or social stigma and hierarchies.  Frailty can be as simple as age and infirmity, or the helplessness of a child.  Let us consider the infinite ways God presents us with an opportunity to exercise the type of leadership and authority Christ proclaims as His own here.  He has already taught the disciples, on more than one occasion, that "whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (20:26-28, 23:11; see also James 1:27).  Each of us is presented with opportunities to "step up" and be the kind of authority that Jesus proclaims belongs to His household, His Church, His Kingdom, and the mansions therein.  Let us keep in mind that Jesus is not talking about pity when He speaks of caring for others.  He speaks of caring for "My brethren." 

Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me

 "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

In our current readings, it is Holy Week and Jesus and the disciples are in Jerusalem.  He has taught them about the destruction of the temple, and also about end times, the time of His return, and of judgment.  In illustration of that time and of judgment, in Monday's reading, He gave the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins.  In yesterday's reading, He gave another parable:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.'  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.'  But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  so take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 "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."  Here He speaks more plainly of the time of His return.  It is the climax of His discourse on end times, the Second Coming, and the Judgment, and it is a prophecy of the universal judgment to come.  My study bible says that since the Cross is now near to Him, He raises the hearer to the sight and the glory of the Son of Man on His judgment seat and the whole world before Him.  Sheep are used to illustrate the righteous, as they are those that follow His voice, and are gentle and productive.  Goats symbolize the unrighteous as they follow their own way (not the shepherd) and walk along cliffs, symbolic of the danger of sin.

"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.'"  The standard by which Judgment comes is uncalculated mercy toward others.  There is an emphasis on works of faith, because saving faith produces righteous works.  The things we do reflect our true inner state, says my study bible.  We remember that Christ is the heart-knower.   The least of these My brethren repeats a theme used with the disciples when Jesus repeated taught about care of the "little ones" (see Matthew 10:42, 18:6-14; Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2).   In that understanding, the needs described here reflect both physical and spiritual needs.  Those who are hungry or thirsty aren't only those who need food and drink, but also those who hunger and thirst for righteousness -- the hope of the gospel.   We note Jesus speaks of the least of these My brethren, and also of inheritance.  My study bible points out that inherit is a term used for sons and daughters, not strangers or servants.  The righteous become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).   The least of these My brethren is also reflective of Christ's earlier teaching to the disciples, again illustrative of the "little ones" - the powerless, humble, and vulnerable, who will come to His Church:  "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me" (Matthew 18:5). 

"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."  My study bible notes that Jesus says the fire was prepared for the devil and his angels:  this indicates God did not create hell for human beings.   But those who ally themselves with the ones who work against God's love and mercy through coldness of heart choose the same for themselves.

If we look very closely at today's reading, we get quite a clear picture when we consider and keep in mind that Jesus is speaking to His disciples.  Just as the language echoes language used earlier in the Gospel when Jesus was teaching His disciples about care of the little ones who will come to them, so the language is very evocative of the mission of the disciples:  service to the littlest ones, the least of these.  We are reminded of His teaching that whoever would be great among them must be the servant of all, and whoever would be first must be slave to all - "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (see Matthew 20:26-28).  In this light, the emphasis is on those who would be His disciples, and how each of us chooses to care for the least of these My brethren.  In this light, there is a clear emphasis on those who will come to Him, but that is not so easily delineated either, for Christ's Church is everywhere that the Spirit is, in each heart touched by the Spirit.  In this respect the teaching is about how all those who may come to Him are cared for by those who would be His disciples.  In this perspective, to give food and drink, to take in a stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and in prison is to minister to all those who would come to Him, who need Him.  To feed, clothe, to take in strangers, to visit the sick and in prison is to address all manner of spiritual care, not only "good deeds" to those who are in want.  To be a disciple is to step into His shoes, so to speak, to walk and He walked and do as He did, to remember His priorities and keep His commands as those which serve the least of these My brethren.  The earlier parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins and the parable of the Talents teach us about the things God entrusts to us, the use of mercy and grace, the gifts were given to use in His name.  Both of those parables emphasized what we do while the Master is away, while we await the Bridegroom.  Today's reading speaks plainly about what we do, and what we neglect to do.  But all of it is in service to Him, and service to Him means -- as He has taught over and over again -- service to the least of these, the littlest ones, in whom we must see Christ.   Ultimately, we reflect the work of discipleship, of feeding and nurturing the sheep, as Christ, in His final appearance after the Resurrection, will tell to Peter, "Feed My lambs" (see John 21:15-22).  We note that this passage in John 21 is often referred to as the "restoration" of Peter (after his three-time denial of Christ before the Crucifixion).  It is a restoration to discipleship.  We note another detail in that passage as well, that the disciple who is not named (understood as John the Evangelist himself) has his own work to do for Christ, further cementing the understanding from the past two parables He's given that the work of feeding and nurturing and caring for the least of these My brethren, may indeed take on innumerable forms in accordance with our gifts of grace, our "talents."  Those who are sick and in prison are not just descriptions of physical suffering, but also understood as images of those who suffer spiritually.  Judgment is a kind of final roll-call in which the Knower of hearts, who is Christ, places those who would be in His Kingdom and those who would not (see Revelation 2:23).  If we look at the text with an understanding of the teachings that have come before it to these disciples, what we see is an emphasis on their service, on how they treat the littlest ones -- the most humble and powerless and vulnerable -- who would come to Him.  By extension it is a warning and teaching to all of us who would be His disciples about how we are to live our lives in relation to any who may be in His Church, who may come to Him and be one of the least of His brethren.   Only the true knower-of-hearts, Christ Himself, understands who may be one of His own in this respect, and so for us, it remains to use the discernment He teaches.  Yet we must remember that we do not know whom we may receive - for all bear His image -- who will respond to the care we give in His name.