Hungry, Thirsty and A Stranger - Matthew 25:35

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse thirty-five of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus said, “I was hungry … thirsty and … a stranger” where we read:

For I was an hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

The verse reads, “For I was an hungry, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:” Matthew began with Jesus' words, “for” which means “because, since and on account that” “I was hungry” or “Jesus was craving and in want and need of food”, “and you gave me meat” which means “and the disciples of Jesus provided, delivered, extended and presented food”: “I was thirsty” or “Jesus was in want and need of drink”, “and you gave me drink” which means “and the disciples of Jesus provided, delivered, extended and presented irrigation or water”. Matthew shared how Jesus said He was “hungry” and “thirsty” and His disciples supplied His needs.

The verse continues, “ I was a stranger, and you took me in:” Matthew added Jesus' words, “I was a stranger” which means “Jesus was a foreigner and alien who receives and entertains another hospitably”, “and you” which refers to “and Jesus' disciples” “took me in” which means “gathered, drew and collected Jesus to join in” . Matthew shared how Jesus continued His “needy” states by including being a “foreigner” to His disciples, and yet, they received Him into their homes.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we may wonder where Jesus is going with these examples of His being in need. “Hunger, thirst and being a stranger” all speak to a person who is in “want and need”, and when He shared these traits with His disciples after promising them an “inheritance” in His Kingdom must have puzzled the disciples. Jesus knows people who are “needy” in this world, and His disciples who have yielded their lives to Him are to be busy about caring for them. The greatest need of mankind is to be “saved”, and God gave His Son Jesus to fulfill that need. From the time they receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, believers are to meet the needs of people who are “hungry, thirsty and a stranger”, and when they do, they will be ministering to Jesus Himself as we shall see.

Next time Matthew writes how Jesus says, “naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came unto me”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.