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I love the music of Keith Green. I love the intense, heavy-handed piano. I love the wordy lyrics. I love that it’s so early-1980s. I love that it’s Jesus People-ish. I love its passion.
My dad originally introduced me to Green—often during our drives home from school. In my opinion, there is no better example of a Green song than “The Sheep and the Goats.”
In this song, Green sings through Jesus’s parable in Matthew 25:31–46. In the passage, Jesus describes the final judgment of the world as a shepherd separating the righteous sheep from the unrighteous goats. The way the shepherd distinguishes between the two groups is by examining the sacrificial love they have shown toward the “least of these, my brothers” (Matt. 25:40, 45).
Green stays remarkably close to the text. However, in the song’s last line, Green gives this final commentary on the passage: “And my friends, the only difference between the sheep and the goats, according to this Scripture, is what they did and didn’t do.”
These words rocked my childhood world because they highlighted my hypocrisy. At this point in my young life, I was a professing Christian, but I was actually far from Jesus. I claimed to love Jesus, but I was not loving like him. As a result, this song made me feel the unnervingly heavy weight of my loveless hypocrisy.
There is nothing uglier than hypocrisy, is there? Especially Christian hypocrisy. There is nothing quite as disheartening, dishonest, and disorienting as a professing Christian who does not love others.
Supreme Fitness of Love
Why does Christian hypocrisy bother us so much? Why do the loveless sins of professing Christians cause such a sense of disorientation, dissonance, and (if we are not careful) disillusionment?
There is nothing quite as disheartening, dishonest, and disorienting as a professing Christian who does not love others.
Most important: why does the Shepherd hate loveless hypocrisy?
It seems clear from Matthew 25 that sacrificial love is supremely fitting for the Christian. It is the basis on which the Good Shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.
However, we do not merely infer this fittingness from passages like Matthew. We see it explicitly articulated throughout the New Testament. In John 13, Jesus declares, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
Jesus could not be clearer. The way we love others (especially the “least of these, my brothers”) matters. It matters because it makes us distinct. It matters because this kind of love is how the shepherd distinguishes his sheep from the goats. It matters because entrance into the Father’s kingdom is at stake (Matt. 25:34).
All this raises another question: In what sense is it at stake? If we cannot earn our salvation, then why does Jesus say all this in Matthew 25? In other words, what is the real difference between the sheep and the goats?
Real Sheep, Real Wool
Although I love Green’s music generally and I love “The Sheep and the Goats” in particular, I think the song’s last line is misleading.
Jesus could not be clearer. The way we love others (especially the ‘least of these, my brothers’) matters.
The only difference between righteous sheep and unrighteous goats is not what they did or did not do. The difference is not merely in outward characteristics. Sheep and goats have different DNA. The difference is cellular. They are different species.
Yes, there are external differences between sheep and goats. Yes, we are able to distinguish between the two based on these external differences (“by this will all men know that you are my disciples”). But we must be careful not to confuse symptoms with causes. We must be careful not to confuse fruit with root. We must be careful not to confuse wool with DNA.
The New Testament is consistently clear. The way we love others has eternal significance. Make no mistake, the righteous will be separated from the unrighteous based on the presence of real love for others. However, this sacrificial love is not the cause of a righteous new nature. It is the inevitable fruit of receiving a new nature.
Sacrificial love is the real wool that distinguishes the sheep from the goats. Having real wool does not make you a sheep. But being a sheep causes you to have real wool.
Having real wool does not make you a sheep. But being a sheep causes you to have real wool.
Thus, when Christ separates the sheep and goats, he is separating them based on the presence of inevitable outcomes. Yes, we can recognize true conversion by the presence of sacrificial love. But we must never believe that our sacrificial love causes true conversion. Sacrificial love is to new birth as real wool is to being a sheep.
Inevitable Fruit of Imperishable Seed
Peter expresses this reality when he commands believers to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart” because they have been “born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable” (1 Pet. 1:22–23).
The command to love others is real. But it is never meant to be obeyed in our own strength. Peter makes it abundantly clear: sacrificial love is the inevitable fruit of an imperishable seed.
Instead of the stench of sin’s death, sacrificial love is the aroma of the resurrected new creation. Instead of the slop-stained rags of the rebel son, sacrificial love is the beautifully fitting robe of the reinstated prodigal. Instead of the superficial niceties of the unrighteous goats, sacrificial love is the real and lasting wool of real sheep.
Instead of the fading flowers that grow from Babylon’s rotten roots, sacrificial love is the beautiful, eternal, and inevitable fruit of an imperishable seed.
The difference between the sheep and the goats is that the sheep are Christians, the goats are not. Sheep go to heaven. Goats go to hell. Jesussaid that when He comes in His glory (the Day of Judgment), He will separate the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:32) and that the sheep. So, who are the sheep and the goats? Are they different groups of people? Can a sheep become a goat and can a goat become a sheep? Biblically, the sheep are the saved people, the goats are the damned.
The following table compares the two groups of people. I find it interesting that there is more to say about the sheep than the goats.
| “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,” (Matt. 25:32). | |
| Sheep | Goats |
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| Flock | Wolves |
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| Lambs | |
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- the word “sheep” is not in the verse, but the context is about sheep.
** the word “goats” is not in the verse, but the context is about goats.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. – Matthew 25:31-33
In the middle of a conversation with his disciples about the end of the age, Jesus begins to talk about, of all things, sheep and goats. It seems like an unusual comparison. Yet, this comparison causes me to wonder why Jesus would use such an analogy. After all, what is so special or different about sheep and goats? When you begin looking closely at what Jesus says especially after making this analogy it brings into clear perspective who are the sheep and goats that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 25. Let’s take a closer look.
What Is the Nature of a Sheep and a Goat?
If we are going to talk about sheep and goats let’s consider what their natural characteristics are like. Since I am not a farmer or shepherd, I grew up in NYC and there are not a lot of goats and sheep walking around NYC. I’ve seen lots of dogs, cats, and pigeons but not sheep and goats. To help me understand the differences I turned to National Geographic. Here is a direct quote from their website which I think is very helpful in understanding this analogy Jesus used.
“WHEN IT COMES to barnyard animals, goats might be the weirdest. Unlike sheep, which are content to stay with their herd, goats are naturally curious and independent, often getting into mischief as a result. In a recent interview with National Geographic, University of Maryland sheep and goat expert Susan Schoenianexplained that of all the livestock she’s worked with, goats exhibit the oddest behavior. Even getting them to stay in a pen proves surprisingly challenging.”
As I read that there are two things that jumped out at me. Sheep tend to be more cooperative and inclined to stay with the herd while goats tend to be more independent. It seems to me that sheep tend to be dependent on the shepherd and more inclined to stay with him and near him. Goats seem to want to forge their own way almost as if they are saying I don’t need the shepherd I will do it all myself. With this let’s define now who are the sheep and who are the goats in Matthew 25.
Who Are the Sheep?
Let’s apply some of the characteristics of the sheep to humans. Jesus helps us when you read further down in the passage.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. – Matthew 25:34-36
If sheep tend to be more content to stay with the herd then this is a perfect description of those people here in Matthew. Clearly, these people care about the herd. In fact, they display their love for Jesus by how they show love to the ones that Jesus loves.
Who Are the Goats?
The goats are exactly the opposite. Instead of caring for these Jesus loves they despise them. Look what the kings says about these.
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. - Matthew 25:41-43
Notice the Ones Jesus Mentions
I think it is important not to overlook or casually dismiss the ones that Jesus mentions in these verses. The hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the unclothed, the sick, and the prisoner. Jesus uses a term in verses 40 and 45 calling them the least of these. The truth is that there are those in our society who are the least of these. They exist in every ethnic group, age range, and literally all throughout our society. If we are going to be the body of Christ, then we can’t look past these people. What these people all have in common is that these are the ones that often get rejected in our society. Maybe they get the short end of the stick. Yet, these are the very ones that Jesus loves and encourages us to show love and compassion to. When we do this, we are doing it unto Jesus. Notice what Jesus says
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ – Matthew 25:40
The Gospel in Action
I think there is another truth here that we need to understand about the people Jesus is talking to. Sometimes before you can address the spiritual need of an individual you must acknowledge their physical need. The sheep because they care for the flock recognize this. The goats do not. In many instances, the best way to open the door to preach the gospel is to simply meet a need someone has. This could be food, shelter, or maybe just companionship. Jesus did this constantly when he walked the earth. When you study the Gospels, pay attention to the ones Jesus spent time with. It wasn’t usually the socially elite, but often it was the least of these. We should do the same. Consider what 1 John says,
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:16-18
I believe within this one passage it sums up the difference between the sheep and the goats.
Why Does He Wait Until the End to Separate Them?
If there is further food for thought beyond who the sheep and the goats are it would be this. Why does Jesus wait until the end of the age to do the separating? I can think of one important reason. Grace. One of the unique things about God’s character is that God never rushes to judgment. The Bible calls the judgment of God a strange act, which means it is not his first act and something he is never quick to execute. In fact, he would much rather pour out grace and mercy than judgment. Look at what Ezekiel says,
Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. – Ezekiel 33:11
God in his great love and mercy waits as long as possible to judge those who are the goats because his heart is to give them as much time as possible to allow for repentance. This does not mean he won’t eventually bring judgment, but he is patient before he does.
Where Do You Go from Here?
If there is anything to learn about this story it’s simply this. Let’s take care of the least of these. This is how Jesus identified who are the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. The sheep cared. The goats didn’t. Could it simply be that the mark of your love for God is how you love the unlovable? How you care for those who are the less fortunate. How you address those that many in our society overlook. Jesus never did and we shouldn’t either. It is the difference between the sheep and the goats.
Jesus ends the parable of the maidens by saying, “And the door was shut. Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’” (Matthew 25:10-12CSB).
He ends the parable of the talents by saying, “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! …throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 25:26-30).
To the goats in the last parable he says, “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” (Matthew 25:41)
I don’t think it could get any clearer: When we talk about judgment, we’re not dealing with simply “loss of reward.” We are talking about heaven and hell.
The Spiritual Difference Between Sheep and Goats
This is a big deal, because there are a lot of people in our churches who think they are Christians that are tragically mistaken. So, what exactly is the spiritual difference between sheep and goats? What is the difference between those who go to heaven and those who go to hell?
According to the parable of the sheep and goats, it had little to do with how much they went to church or (more surprising) what they believed. There isn’t a single word about that.
The only spiritual difference between sheep and goats is what they did or did not do: Whether or not they were actively, tangibly engaged in the mission of God and generous toward the poor, particularly poor believers.
Apart from that, all other religious activity is useless.
In Isaiah 56 and 58, God told Israel, “You’re doing all your religious exercises, but those things mean nothing if you ignore the poor. You claim to know me, but you turn a deaf ear to the poor. You don’t know me.”
James says it this way: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27 ESV). There are two signs of a true believer: You love the people God loves, and you are busy rooting sin out of your life.
You may say, “Well, doesn’t the Bible teach that salvation is by faith alone, through grace alone? Isn’t saying it is determined by how we respond to those poor brothers and sisters a contradiction?”
No, it’s not. What Jesus is showing us is that real faith—the kind of faith that saves you—is more than just intellectual assent and church attendance. Saving faith transforms you from the inside out, and then you demonstrate that transformation by engaging in the mission of God.
James, Jesus’ half-brother, said it this way: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). In other words, intellectual beliefs without a change of heart that results in good works is like a body with no breath in it. We are saved by faith, not works; but saving faith will always work.
This is where it helps to reflect on the fact that the ones Jesus specifically identifies with are Christians—particularly Christians who are suffering because of their commitment to the gospel.
He is saying that if you believe this message at all, of course you are going to be moved to action by the stories of those who are suffering for their commitment to this message.
In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out his disciples on their first mission as his representatives to preach what he preached and heal like he healed. He told them they were going to be dependent on the hospitality of the villagers wherever they ministered: “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” (Matthew 10:42 NIV).
In the ancient world, taking someone into your home was a sign of friendship, intimacy and support for what the person stood for. So, Jesus equated the welcome of his representatives with acceptance of their message.
He’s saying the same thing in Matthew 25: If you really believe the gospel, how can you not be moved by the suffering of those who are suffering because they are committed to my message?
Jesus is not saying that we will be saved by our giving to the poor (or any other good deed). He’s saying that there is no way we can be saved if we do not give to the poor. If we are really saved, we will show that by our kindness and generosity to others, especially those who represent Jesus himself. As the Apostle John put it, it’s simply not possible to love God and hate others (1 John 4:20).
You see, there are two ways to tell what you believe: what your mouth says, and what your life says. And one of them never lies.
If what your life says you believe differs from what your mouth says you believe, God’s not fooled: He always accepts the candid testimony of your life.
This article about the spiritual difference between sheep and goats originally appeared here.
The male goat represents strong-mindedness, singleness of purpose, and leadership rather than following. Interestingly, Scripture does not view the goat in nearly as good a light as a sheep. Perhaps this is so because people who exercise these characteristics are frequently offensive to their brethren and tend to go off in their own direction in their drive to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, a great deal of ego often accompanies leadership and initiative.
First, let us look at the good side. Jeremiah 50:8 contains this curious command to those living in Babylon. "Move from the midst of Babylon, go out of the land of the Chaldeans; and be like the rams [margin, male goats] before the flocks." Proverbs 30:29-31from the NIV helps explain. "There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him." The imagery of a he-goat in its positive sense is of leadership. If it is among a flock of sheep, it assumes command. Along with this is a sense of dignity, stately bearing, and undaunted courage—but also a strong inclination toward haughtiness.
The gospel reading in the lectionary for the last Sunday before Advent (now known as ‘Christ the King’) is Matthew 25.31–46, the so-called ‘parable of the sheep and the goats’. But it isn’t actually a parable (since there is no suggestion that ‘the kingdom of heaven is like this’), and isn’t really about sheep and goats (as we shall see). But it is very well known, and is most commonly interpreted as an encouragement for followers of Jesus to care for the poor—which it isn’t.
It comes as the conclusion to this long section of Jesus’ teaching about The End, answering the second part of the disciples’ two-part question about the fall of the temple, and the ‘sign of your coming and the end of the age’ in Matt 24.3. That answer began with a parallel with the time of Noah in Matt 24.36(when Jesus teaches that we should want to be left behind), and the theme of his coming being unexpected; it continues with three parables (Matthew likes to organise things in threes) about the wicked servant, the wise and foolish girls, and the talents/bags of gold.
In the narrative, there are three groups of people: the ‘sheep’ who are placed on the king (= Son of Man)’s right; the ‘goats’ who are placed on his left; and the ‘least of these my brethren’ who are the ones who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick and in prison. The story itself is very memorable; many years ago I learnt it by heart and performed it as the Bible reading in an all age service, and I noticed the four-fold structure of dialogue (the king to those on his right, their response, the king to those on his left, and their response), and the six experiences of the ‘least’ which are grouped into three pairs (hungry/thirsty; stranger/naked; sick/in prison). In each of the four repetitions in the dialogue, this list of six things gets slightly compressed at the end. This kind of structuring to Jesus’ teaching is common, especially in Matthew’s gospel, and it makes it very memorable. (You should try memorising and performing this reading—it makes it highly engaging for your audience, especially any sitting on your post-pandemic left!)
The most common interpretation of the narrative allocates the people groups in the following way. The ‘least of these’ are the poor in general; the sheep are those (probably followers of Jesus, obeying his teaching here) who care for the poor rather than just having a theoretical faith; and the goats are those who neglect Jesus’ teaching. Thus this becomes a general argument of the importance of caring for the poor.
But this interpretation has only been around since around 1850 (which raises issues about how we should respond to ‘novel’ interpretations…) [note: I remembered this from some teaching on this I heard years ago, but a friend has pointed out that Aquinas’ Catena Aurea which compiles patristic comments on the biblical texts suggests that this might claim be wrong!] and in fact has some serious obstacles to it.
The first is the issue at the heart of the narrative itself. Although it is often passed over, in favour of focussing either on the two groups or on their reported activities, the central feature of the whole narrative is Jesus himself, described in the most exalted terms. First, he is the ‘Son of Man’, Jesus’ favourite self-description in the gospels, and a term primarily taken from Dan 7.13, where it refers to the vulnerable corporate figure of Israel, exalted to God in the face of the trampling beasts of the earlier part of the vision. This personification of faithful Israel ‘comes with the clouds of heaven’ to the throne of the Ancient of Days, and is given an everlasting kingdom. It is therefore not so surprising that in Matt 25.31 the Son of Man ‘sits on the throne of his glory’ and thereafter is referred to as ‘king’ as he exercises judgement. As Craig Keener notes (Commentary p 602), in rabbinical parables, the figure of the king is nearly always God, and it is God’s role to exercise judgement over the nations. The attendance of ‘his angels with him’ is an allusion to Zech 14.5, there the ‘holy ones’ accompany Yahweh, ‘my God’. Lastly, this Son of Man/king/judge also takes the role of shepherd; in Ezek 34, whilst the leaders are supposed to shepherd God’s people, the chief shepherd is God himself. Jesus is making some truly astonishing claims here. Thus France comments (p 959):
The debate about the criterion of judgment, however, theologically important as it is, should not be allowed to distract the reader from what is surely the main thrust of this passage as the climax of the discourse on judgment, its portrayal of the ultimate sovereignty of the Son of Man as the universal judge.
Why is the division of sheep and goats a suitable metaphor for judgement here, and what does Jesus have against goats? In richer pasture further west in the Mediterranean, the land is good enough to support single-species herds. But further east, where the grazing land is scrubbier, then mixed herds are essential, since the goats can graze the harder ground.
Why then does Jesus appear to have a negative view of the goats in Matt 25? This passage has almost universally been read in the light of the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matt 13:24–30, so that the emphasis of the contrast is between the good ones and the bad ones. But in Rabbinic literature, goats are seen as of equal value with sheep, and in some cases more valuable. Goats have a higher milk yield than sheep, and so the idea of the promised land as ‘flowing with milk and honey’ is actually most likely a reference to the benefits of a land where goats graze. Interestingly, many commentators think that Jesus’ teaching in Matt 25 has been influenced by Ezekiel 34:17–22, a passage which mentions the action of separation as judgement, and includes a reference to both sheep and goats:
As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture?
So what is going on? Goats reproduce faster than sheep, and if a herdsman is going to keep his flock properly balanced, then as a matter of course he will need to cull the male kids (baby goats), since otherwise they will outnumber the sheep, and with too many males he will not have a supply of milk (a small herd would typically only need a couple of males). When we look at Matt 25, we see that the word translated ‘goat’ is actually the word eriphos, the male term for a baby goat—also used ironically by the elder brother in Luke 15.29 (‘you never even gave me a kid’). So Jesus’ reference to the separation appears to be drawing on a well-known and regular occurrence in herding—the separation out and culling of the young male goats the herdsmen would do as a natural part of their work.
In other words, the focus is not on the different types of animals, but on the process of separation. This is supported when we read on in the parable; beyond Matt 25.32–33, the two groups are not again referred to as ‘sheep’ and ‘goats’, but as those on the king’s right and on his left. Reading the text carefully in its cultural context actually drives us back to read the text itself more carefully. A modern equivalent which could have been used a few years ago might be: ‘The king will separate the nations as easily as a housewife separates apples from pears’. This no longer applies, since all sorts of people do shopping, and fruit now comes in separate bags—but it illustrates the point.
A major difficulty with the popular reading is presented by the shape of the narrative, and its emotive effect. The king invites those on his right to ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world…’, they respond with complete surprise, and the king has to explain that ‘Whenever you did this for the least…you did it for me’. Likewise, those on his left are also surprised to have encountered the king in his moment of need. If the narrative were about helping the poor, then those who helped the poor (having read this story!) would hardly be surprised to find that they had been doing as the king asked.
And the language here challenges the notion that entrance into the kingdom is a ‘reward’ which has been merited by a life of good works. Rather, the language of ‘inheritance’ echoes God’s promise to Israel, for whom the land is an ‘inheritance’, granted to them not because of their virtue, but because they are God’s son, and they inherit as a son inherits from a father in the ancient world (and in the modern world until quite recently). In order to inherit, you don’t need to be good, you just need to be a son, and this image—of adoption by God, and so receiving the inheritance because of God’s gracious generosity—is found all over the New Testament.
And there are further problems with the popular interpretation, when it is read in the context of Matthew’s gospel as a whole. As Dick France points out in his commentaries (NIC and TNTC), Matthew never records Jesus referring to his ‘brothers’ or sisters as anyone other than those who do the will of God by becoming his followers. This is particularly clear in Matt 12.49, when Jesus is rather radically proposing that his new family are the disciples gathered around him (which of course includes women). Moreover, Jesus is clear that to follow him means to be homeless; in reply to a teacher of the law who would follow him, Jesus replies:
Foxes have dens, and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head (Matt 8.20 = Luke 9.58).
In other words, if you follow Jesus you will be like him, and this could involve being without home, a wandering stranger, reliant on the charity and provision of others. Some therefore interpret the ‘least of these’ as itinerant missionaries, sent out in the manner of the 12 and the 72 in Luke 9 and 10, who are indeed reliant on the charity of those they go to. But in the gospels, Jesus never draws a hard line between these groups and his disciples in general, so focussing on ‘missionaries’ is to make the reference too narrow.
Put together, all this data points to the ‘least of these’ not being the poor in general, but being Jesus’ own followers. Thus those on the king’s right are people who have welcomed his poor followers, and in doing so have welcomed Jesus. At the end of Jesus’ second block of teaching in Matthew (which Matthew attaches to the sending out of the 12 in chapter 10) we have a very similar idea—whoever receives the disciples in effect receives Jesus, and how they treat the disciples is in effect how they treat Jesus. (These verses, Matt 10.40–42, don’t have an exact parallel in the other gospels, though there is a similar saying in a different context in Mark 9.41). France, in his comment on Matt 25, describes this as the closest Matthew gets to a Pauline notion of the believers as the body of Christ, and it it likely that Paul was shaped in this by the words he heard on the Damascus Road. Persecuting Jesus’ followers, he hears Jesus ask: ‘Why do you persecute me?’
So the division is not between those who care for the poor or don’t (and there is plenty of encouragement to do that elsewhere in the gospels), but those who receive and care for the followers of Jesus or don’t—and in doing so reveal their attitude to the king himself.
This gives rise to some challenging lessons from this better reading of the narrative:
- To coin a cliché, it is all about Jesus. He is the exalted Son of Man, who takes the concerns of the people of God into the presence of God, and now sits on God’s throne as rightful king. He is the true Shepherd of Israel, and in him God exercises his reign and his just judgement.
- To follow Jesus means (to risk?) being hungry, thirsty, naked, as stranger, sick and in prison. This has not been hard to imagine for many Christians in many parts of the world in many times in history. In fact, it is perhaps only in a rich West that Christians could have misread this teaching, by naturally reading themselves in the role of the powerful helper rather than the powerless in need of help.
- It raises big questions about the status of those who don’t appear to have named Christ as Lord (Romans 10.9), but have responded to Christ in being the ‘sheep’ who have assisted his disciples because they are his disciples. This question was raised by someone listening to me teach on this, who worked in inner cities primarily with Muslims. ‘If my Muslim friend helps me out are they counted as sheep?’ In a sense it asks the bigger question of whether it is possible to become a Muslim follower of Jesus rather than become a Christian.
- But as a complement to that, we need to note that the judgement doesn’t just take place on the grounds of whether people like us and help us, or not. It is on the grounds of whether they receive us as we are living the lives Jesus called us to, in particular, whether we are healing the sick, driving out demons, calling people to repentance, and proclaiming the kingdom. It is how people receive us as disciples of Jesus, that is, while we are doing the things he calls us to. This means that there is not perhaps quite the gap between response to us and faith in Jesus that at first we might think.
- It suggests a rather different model for mission. We are not going as the strong with resources to help the weak, but we come as the weak ready to receive from those to whom we have been sent. And of course this is the idea behind the idea of finding the ‘person of peace’, taught by Mike Breen and others from the sending of the 12 and the 72 in Luke 9 and 10 and Matt 10. You can read about this in my co-authored Grove booklet How to be Fruitful.
- Jesus as judge will separatethose who have responded to him, in whatever way they were able, from those who have rejected him. We might not be able to tell the difference now (since we do not know the secrets of people’s hearts), but he will be able to do so just as easily as a herdsman separates his flock for culling. He is a competent and a just judge, and we can trust him to do his job.
Churches ought to be characterized by a loving unity that permeates all relationships within the congregation. Sometimes, certain leaders or members can turn divisive to the detriment of the whole flock.
Jesus taught about three different types of people that you might find within a church by three different animal characterizations:
- Sheep – A sheep is a member of the flock and protected by the Shepherd. While these animals are not the fastest and the brightest, they endure because of who cares for them and who is around them (Ps. 100:3; Luke 15:4; Matt. 9:36; John 10:14; Isa. 53:6).
- Goat – A goat displays common characteristics with a sheep but is of a different essence. The Shepherd will eventually separate them from the flock being able to differentiate those who truly belong there (Matt. 25:32).
- Wolf – A wolf is someone who comes into a flock disguised as a sheep with dangerous motives. While appearing to be a part of the flock, the wolf actually comes to destroy the flock one at a time (Matt. 7:15; John 10:12; Acts 20:29).
It appears that a wolf can be a leader or a member. Often categorized as a false prophet, it is someone who is leading others astray, but it doesn’t mean that it has to come from a leadership position necessarily.
What makes the difference between a dangerous wolf and a misguided sheep?
This question concerns me. When can I know that someone in the church needs to be corrected, and when is someone dangerous for the whole flock and must be dealt with more seriously?
Look at the verses where the New Testament speaks of these wolves.
#1. Sheep’s Clothing
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 7:15none
They come with the appearance of a sheep. You think they belong. They appear harmless. They fit in very well, but through their words, they have evil motives sharing false ideas to gobble others up. They are dangerous for the safety of the flock.
#2. Scattered Flock
He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
John 10:12none
The wolf is intimidating. When he shows his colors, most people are going to flee. A true shepherd will stay strong, but the wolf is enough of a formidable opponent to send many running. While the wolf can’t grab all the sheep, just the catching of one leads to the scattering of many. The wolf seeks to disperse the flock. The endgame is to get them all isolated.
#3. Selective Timing
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Acts 20:29none
When Paul left the church at Ephesus, he warned them that wolves would rise in his absence. Apparently, some of these wolves wouldn’t mess with that flock while that shepherd was around. But once he was gone, they were bold enough to attack. It appears that for all the cunning ways of wolves, they are intimidated in the presence of strong, steady leadership. They will wait till there’s an opening to attack.
Which One Is It?
When I think about local churches, I know the need to be able to identify real threats. If someone is being divisive, are they a sheep, goat, or wolf?
In this post, I want to focus on how you know that someone in your church (leader or member) needs to be corrected or needs to be challenged. Do they need correction or confrontation?
Here’s how I have come to help think through the issue.
How to Spot a Sheep
A sheep is someone who may be slow and cause issues for the shepherd, but that person rarely endangers others. The harm they risk is only to themselves. The Shepherd hunts them down, brings them to safety, and establishes them with the flock. These people need correction.
How to Spot a Wolf
A wolf is someone whose words and actions reveal a real danger to others. Unlike the sheep, whose mistakes cause pain for themselves, wolves are out to destroy others. These people need confrontation.
- These false prophets are leading others to believe in ideas that are not Scriptural.
- They come across as those that would fit in, but they have dangerous motives.
- They isolate people in a flock to make them scared or scattered.
- They cower in the presence of real authority and would rather wait for sneaky, opportune times to attack.
The Good Shepherd gathers the sheep, separates the goats, and chases off the wolves.
Which one are you? Who is in your church right now? Within the leadership and membership, what do actions reveal about identities?
How can you determine the difference between what Jesus would call a sheep and a wolf in a church? One hurts themselves; the other intends to endanger others.
I’m learning that misguided sheep need correction. Like myself, we can get off into beliefs and behaviors that could endanger us, and we often need someone to help bring us back.
But I’m also learning that dangerous wolves need confrontation. They need to be run off for the health of the flock. These people aren’t trying to hurt themselves; they are out to devour others.
These two groups of people are doing two different things and require two different ways to address them.
Correct the sheep. Confront the wolf.
Question: What does the parable of the sheep and the goats mean? Why will Jesus separate them? When and where did he give this teaching?
Answer: The parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31 - 46) was preached by Jesus at Jerusalem's temple. It was given on Sunday, April 2 in 30 A.D., just two days before his final Passover and subsequent crucifixion.
Jesus stated in his parable, in Matthew 25, that he will gather up all people when he returns to the earth as King (verse 31). He will then divide them into two groups, the sheep and the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left (Matthew 25:32). He will then say to the people on his right, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father! (those who lived a truly converted life and obeyed God) Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world." (verse 34).
Christ will then turn away and state to the "goats" or those who are on his left, "Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!" (Matthew 25:41).
What time is it referencing?
This parable is about the time of the judgment. The sheep are symbolic of those who follow and obey Christ, while the goats represent those who chose not to follow Jesus and His example on earth (a witness).
All this is not to suggest that salvation is based on works for the "sheep." Ephesians 2:8 - 10 clearly shows salvation is a gift. But verse 10 states that believers are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." In other words, believers obey God and do good works because they love God and are saved. The goats knowingly reject salvation and make a choice to not follow Jesus.
One overlooked fact concerning this judging is that Jesus considers one set of animals HIS ("as a shepherd divides HIS sheep . . . ", as verse 32 is translated in the NKJV) but the others he does not! He owns (Christians have be bought and redeemed by him at a price - 1Corinthians 6:20, 7:23) and is the true shepherd over the sheep or those willing to follow him and do what he says.
Jesus does not, however, claim ownership or responsibility over the animals on his left side! They are those who are rebellious and stubbornly refuse to follow anyone anywhere. Their ultimate fate is to be thrown into the lake of fire.
The real point of the message, as you have likely guessed, is the difference in behavior between the two groups. One group (the sheep) is merciful, kind, generous, loving and willing to do whatever it takes, even at their own expense, to help out another fellow human in true need. Jesus regarded their actions as personally affecting him.
The "sheep," because of their unselfishness and giving behavior, inherit God's kingdom. The other group, the "goats," is selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed and self-seeking. They are rejected in the judgment.
Jesus' sheep and goats parable can thus be summed up as love is the answer! Those dedicated to loving will receive love in return from all others of a like mind. But, where there is no love given, none will be returned. No love, no Kingdom.
Matthew 25 includes a series of parables about the kingdom of heaven. One of them uses the image of a shepherd separating sheep from goats:
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. (Matthew 25:31-33)
Where is the parable of the sheep and goats? The Gospel of Matthew does not relate a parable of the sheep and the goats. It only conveys some metaphoric language employing the symbolism of a shepherd separating his flock. The Gospel of Matthew may have omitted the original parable of the sheep and goats (if one ever existed) and left us only with the Master’s explanation of the missing parable. The original parable (if one existed) may have sounded similar to the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-32). The following recreation imagines the original parable Matthew may have omitted:
The kingdom of heaven will be like a shepherd who kept both sheep and goats. While he pastured them in the day, the sheep and the goats mingled with one another. When he returned to lead them home, he wanted to separate the two flocks one from another. What did he do? First, he gathered them all before him, and then he separated them one from another, putting the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
Yeshua explains the parable’s symbolism. The shepherd represents the Son of Man who comes at the beginning of the Messianic Era and takes up His glorious throne. He comes in the company of all the angels. The glorious throne of the Messiah is the throne of His father David. He will divide between the sheep and the goats.
Replacement theology interpretations ordinarily understand the “sheep” to represent Christians and the “goats” to represent unbelievers, but according to Yeshua, the flock represents “all nations … gathered before Him,” i.e., Jews and Gentiles. The use of “all nations” moves the parable out of the category of journey parables and into a teaching about the redemption of Israel and the subjugation of the nations. The sheep represent “the elect,” whereas the goats represent the other nations. This implies that judgment will fall on lines of national identity: Jews will receive reward; unbelieving Gentiles will receive comeuppance.
The teaching that follows, however, focuses on individuals, not nationalities. The shepherd separates people one from another, categorizing them as sheep or goats, dividing all of humanity into one of the two categories based on their deeds: the righteous and the wicked. Many who assumed they were sheep will find themselves with the goats, and not a few supposed goats will actually turn out to be sheep.
The messianic shepherd-and-flock imagery comes from the same chapter of Ezekiel that seems to have inspired Yeshua’s parable of lost sheep and His parable of the good shepherd. Ezekiel 34 depicts the LORD as a shepherd seeking the lost sheep of Israel, separating between sheep and goats, and appointing the Messiah as shepherd over His flock:
As for you, My flock, thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats … Behold, I even I, will judge between one sheep and another. Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd.” (Ezekiel 34:17-23)
As the passage continues, the criteria by which someone is assessed as a goat or a sheep become clear:
Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. … Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:34-36, 40)
God will judge human beings based on how we treated the vulnerable, disenfranchised, and downtrodden among us. Feeding the hungry, sating the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the imprisoned are all examples of what the Talmud calls “acts of lovingkindness.” The sages regarded “acts of lovingkindness” as higher than all sacrifices and more meritorious than all the commandments. Like the Samaritan in the parable of the good Samaritan, those who practice acts of lovingkindness live out the Torah’s commandment of loving one’s neighbor as oneself.
They are blessed by the Father, and they “inherit the kingdom prepared for [them] from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34), i.e., the Messianic Era and the World to Come. Those who do not observe the commandment of loving their fellow human beings through acts of compassion must depart “into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Yeshua stated the verdict succinctly: “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).
These are very bold statements coming from the Lord Jesus. Those people who are called his sheep, are safe and secure in God’s hands. They are given to Jesus by God himself. No being can snatch them out of God’s hands because God is greater than all. This means, there is nothing that Satan can do to take these people away from Christ. The only way Satan can take them, is if he becomes greater than the Father.
Jesus also assures the sheep that they have eternal life and they will never ever ever perish. If any of the sheep is lost, then Jesus will be a liar and a failure.
4. Jesus knows and calls each sheep by name.
Joh 10:3 (WEB)
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
It is very important that Jesus knows each sheep by name. When Jesus shall reject those who call him Lord but do not follow his will, the reason shall be that he never knew them. So the fact that he knows each sheep by name is important in relation to their salvation.
5. It is Jesus Christ responsibility to make sure the sheep never get lost.
Joh 10:3 (WEB)
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
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Jesus is the great shepherd who will not lose a single sheep. If one of his people who ate sheep goes astray, Jesus himself will go after that one, and bring him back.
As you can see from these 5 points, Once a sheep always a sheep. The doctrine of eternal security only applies to The Sheep.
The sheep always follow Christ, they flee from strangers, they can not be deceived, they have eternal life, they never perish and if they go a stray Jesus will go bring them back.
HOW TO BECOME A SHEEP
1. Enter by the door
Joh 10:9 (WEB)
I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.
You can only enter Salvation through Christ. He is the door way to Salvation.
Let’s hear him.
2. Deny Yourself
Luk 9:23 (WEB)
He said to all, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.
Jesus says, the sheep hear his voice and follow him. Here he says, if anyone desires to follow him, he must first deny himself.
What is to deny yourself?
Jesus is addressing the state of the heart that one must have when they want to follow him. To deny yourself is to be willing to let go of certain benefits for the sake of another. A person can only truly follow Christ if they have reached a place where they are willing to deny themselves things of this world for the sake of the gospel. Such a person, will easily overcome many temptations of Satan.
To carry your cross, is to be willing to sacrifice the desires of your flesh for Christ.
3. Bear your own cross
Luk 14:27 (WEB)
Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple.
This is interesting. Jesus says, if you can not carry your own cross you CAN’T be his disciple. Again, this is addressing attitude of the heart. A willingness to crucify the desires or the flesh. Thats what is meant by carrying your cross.
Gal 5:24 (WEB)
Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
4. Love Christ above all
Mat 10:37 (WEB)
He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
You can never love your son more than Christ loves him. This is why you must love Christ above all others. If Christ is not number 1 in your heart, you can’t be the sheep.
Luk 14:26 (WEB)
“If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple.
It is impossible to become a sheep if you still regard another person, even yourself above Christ. Christ can not change you, if you love who and what you already are. Now from these we can see that our criteria for a disciple of Christ and God’s criteria is different. A person who is willing to deny themselves can not be tempted by the goods of this world.
A person who loves Christ more than their own life and more than any other person, can not be threatened by death or sickness. Such a person will always lean to Christ, and Christ will never let them down.
Such a person will never get lost. And if he goes astray, he will easily be returned because he has given himself over totally to Jesus.
5. Remain in the word.
Joh 8:31 (WEB)
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.
The true disciples of Christ will remain in the word of Christ. All the characteristics come as a result of you having complete faith in Jesus as your Lord (Master) and Christ (Saviour).
The amplified bible describes faith in this way.
Colossians 1:4
For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [ the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints (God’s consecrated ones),
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A person who has that faith, will become a sheep.
They have placed their entire human personality in Christ’s hands, trusting His wisdom, his power and his goodness. Such a person can not be snatched out of God’s hands, they can not be deceived, they will never perish.
THE WOLVES AND THE GOATS
When we look at the flock which is the Church. Not everyone is a sheep. Some are wolves, others are goats.
Wolves
Wolves are people who are not saved but are part of the church. They are like Judas. They are placed there by Satan to destroy the church.
Mat 7:15 (WEB)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Act 20:29-30 (WEB)
29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Goats
Goats are those believers who never completely gave their hearts to Christ. They never had the faith where they completely gave their entire human personality on Christ and they fully trust and have confidence in his power, his wisdom and goodnesz.
As a result they never become sheep. When Christ comes, he shall separate the goats from the sheep.
Mat 25:33 (WEB)
He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
32 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:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
(2) Goats are arrogant.
(3) Goats are aggressive against others.
(4) Goats jump the fence regularly.
(5) Goats are always in a bad mood.
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
(2) If they come, they don’t seek communion and fellowship with their brethren (they arrive late, and leave immediately).
(3) They do not participate in church activities like evangelism, teaching, nor church community things.
(4) They don’t economically support the work of God which suggests where their loyalties lie (outside their own spiritual family).
(5) they do not permit the pastor to counsel them on their personal lives. They don’t talk over the matters of their life with the pastor, neither do they seek nor receive pastoral advice. The most famous here is when the pastor makes a comment that their life is out of order with Scripture, and they attack the pastor and their brethren getting mad in the process instead of heeding good counsel.
15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
So what are you? a sheep or a goat?
god knows! one day he will make this clear to you!
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Do you know the difference between a sheep and a goat?
here in pamphlet form!
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
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