Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples when they minister to people who are “hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and in prison”, they are serving Him. He said, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” Jesus continued, “Then shall he say also unto them 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 meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse forty-four of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus said the “cursed” asked, “Lord, when did we see you , hungry, thirsty, a stranger, or naked, or sick or in prison” where we read:
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto you?
The verse reads, “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, ...” Matthew began with Jesus' word, “then” which means “at that time and moment” “shall they also answer him” or “will the nations and people upon Jesus' left hand even so and indeed respond ”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring or proclaiming” ,“when” or “at what time and moment” “did we see you hungry” or “did the nations and people on Jesus' left hand observe, notice, discover and discern that Jesus was in need or want of food”, “or athirst” which means “or thirsty and in need of water or irrigation”, “or a stranger” or “or a foreigner or as one not known”. Matthew shared how Jesus said those who were on His “left hand” questioned Him as to when they observed that He was “hungry, thirsty or a stranger”.
The verse continues, “... or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto you?” Matthew added Jesus' words, “or naked” which means “of without clothing and garments”, “or sick” which means “weak, with infirmity and feeble”, “or in prison” which means “and incarcerated and under guard and watch”, “and did not minister” or “and did not serve, attend to, supply and furnish” “unto you” which refers to “to Jesus”? Matthew shared how Jesus said those upon His “left hand” were unaware of the time of not serving Jesus when He was “without clothing, weak, feeble and incarcerated”.
When we think through upon Matthew's words in this verse, we notice that those upon Jesus' “left hand” did not know when they did not minister to Him while He was “hungry, thirsty, naked, sick or in prison”. They were oblivious to people who had these needs and were unaware of the connection between them and Jesus Himself. When people in need are served, they represent Jesus, and those who have submitted their lives to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” are to emulate Him in His service to mankind. God loves people, and they have needs so He employs His disciples to minister to them accordingly. May all who read these words yield their lives to Jesus and align themselves with Jesus as they serve others.
Next time Matthew writes how Jesus shares how the “inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
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