Who are the Least of These? And Why Does it Matter?
For more on this topic, read what Pastor Kevin De Young has written (here and here). And for more by other authors, read here, and here.
In Matthew 25, Jesus makes a bold statement: whoever cares for “the least of these” has an eternal reward. Wow! That’s a weighty declaration. The Least of These are hungry, naked and imprisoned; certainly they are very needy. But who are they? Are they all needy people? That seems unlikely. How could taking care of somebody get you to heaven? Acts 4:12 clearly states that the only way to eternal reward is through Jesus, and the Bible doesn’t contradict itself.
Deeper reading of the text gives us a clue. Jesus says eternal reward follows those who care for the “least of these, my brothers.” But who are Jesus’s brothers? Jesus's brothers are those men and women who are members of the family of God, which is the global church (Matthew 9:37-38). So that means that Jesus’s brothers (that is, Christians) are hungry, naked, and imprisoned. This interpretation actually parallels Matthew 10:1-42 and Mark 9:38-41 quite nicely. Additionally, this description also precedes the Apostle Paul’s own experiences. He wrote to the Church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 11: 23-28):
“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times, I was beaten with rods; once, I was pelted with stones; three times, I was shipwrecked; I spent a night and a day in the open sea, and I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
And why? Why was Saint Paul flogged and imprisoned? Why were Jesus’s disciples hungry and naked? The answer to the question is this: Jesus’s disciples were destitute because they had laid everything aside to share the gospel, and it was not always well received. To reiterate Matthew 10, Jesus sent his disciples out with a message from Jesus himself: the Kingdom of Heaven is near. He told them not to bring a spare set of clothing or a bag of money. These messengers he was sending out would be arrested, he warned, and imprisoned. Their bodies might be killed, he said, but their souls would be saved. How amazing that his followers did this willingly!
Finally, we must consider who it is is that receives the eternal reward? Who is it that cares for the least of Jesus’s brothers? If it is correct that the disciples of Jesus went out destitute, sharing the gospel message and leading people across the world in the knowledge and worship of God, then those who accepted the least of Jesus’s brothers were the unbelievers who welcomed the gospel message.
This interpretation is consistent with the whole of scripture; those who accepted the disciples and their gospel message ultimately accepted Jesus, and in accepting Jesus through the testimony of the “least of these” they would have an eternal reward (Acts 4:12). And by contrast, those people who did not accept the disciples and their gospel message did not accept Jesus and therefore they would go into everlasting punishment.
The least of Jesus’s brothers are the men and women of God who are sacrificing it all for the sake of sharing the gospel. Like all of us, they live their lives fulfilling the Great Commission, the one and only Mission Christ has prepared for us. For the “least of these, my brothers,” however, their commitment to the cause costs them more than the average Christian. For this reason, Jesus says, “Treat them well! For however you treat my brothers is how you treat me.”
Post script:
Christians can care for the marginalized and needy without erroneously referencing Matthew 25. For example, Paul writes to the Church in Galatia, “Be sure to do good to all people, especially those in the household of God,” which I think is a great perspective for how Christians are to navigate the many necessary causes available to us today.
Do good to everyone.
Especially the Church.