We are probably making problems here by interpreting ethne in a rigid nationalistic

sense, whereas if we take the word to mean Gentile people in an individual sense the

problem is eased. In Gal. 2: 12 we are told that Peter ate "with the Gentiles (ethnon)".

This certainly does not mean that Peter ate with nations, but with individuals who were

Gentiles not Jews.

The separation here of sheep from goats reminds us of the similar separation of wheat

from tares and good fish from bad (Matt. 13: 40-43, 48-50). The separating is often

done by the "goats" themselves in the present age (Luke 6: 22), but the reverse happens

when the Lord Jesus returns in glory. He does the separating. The standard here is

externally of "works". It is the way they have treated "these My brethren" (25: 40) that

decides their end. We have noted before that works dominate the Sermon on the Mount.

They are crucial when the question of forgiveness is considered (vi.14,15; xviii.32-35),

but this does not mean that people are saved by works or merit. The works are the

external fruit of those who are born again (John 3: 5) and then produce acceptable

service which the Lord can reward by entry into the great Messianic kingdom.

This is the position of those reckoned as "sheep" by the Lord. They "inherit the

kingdom prepared for them by Him from or since the foundation of the world" (25: 34),

that is, since creation. (We do not enter here into the argument as to whether the correct

translation is "foundation" or "overthrow", as this would make too big a digression).

We should also note that there was a redeemed calling in the mind of God the Father

"before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1: 4), that is before He created, so we have a

revelation here of part of His great purpose and it shows how extremely important this

must be if this occupied His thoughts before He commenced to create.

The illustration of "sheep" is usually kept to Israel (Psa. 79: 13; 95: 7; 100: 3;

Ezek. 34: 11, 12), but here in Matthew it designates Gentiles. Further, we should

remember that the Lord revealed that He had "other sheep" to bring who were not of (ek)

Israel (John 10: 16), that is they did not originate from Israel; this is the force of the

preposition and therefore these must be saved Gentiles whom the Lord will unite with

Israel to become "one flock" (not "fold" A.V.).

As we regard the kingdom of the future, we must therefore allow for a strong Gentile

element linked with redeemed Israel, and this is all in line with the revealed purpose of

God from the beginning, for it was declared to Abraham that his posterity would finally

be a blessing to "all families of the earth" (Gen. 12: 1-3). The divine order was to be

Israel first and the nations second. If this seems to be a contradiction to the Lord's

statement in the Sermon on the Mount that only few were entering (Matt. 7: 14), we

should remember He was dealing with the lack of response to the ministry of John the

Baptist and His own, whereas in Matt. 25: the Lord is dealing with what is yet future

after His Second Coming.

Another important fact we must not overlook is the doctrine concerning the two seeds,

one of God and the other of Satan which is clearly taught in the parable of the wheat and