The Least of These

Selected Readings in Christian History

Severson

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2007
• eBook ISBN: 9781498270496
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

This collection of primary documents from Christian history spans the second to eighteenth centuries (Irenaeus to George Whitefield). Severson has chosen writings that all deal with the interpretation of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46).

1

Matthew 25:31–46

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.

34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

41Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

For Further Reading

Borsch, Frederick Houk. Many Things in Parables: Extravagant Stories of New Community. 1988. Reprinted, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2002.

Crossan, John Dominic. In Parables: The Challenge of the Historical Jesus. 1973. Reprinted, Sonoma, CA: Polebridge, 1992.

France, Richard Thomas. “On Being Ready (Matthew 25:1–46).” In The Challenge of Jesus’ Parables, edited by Richard N. Longenecker, 177–95. McMaster New Testament Studies. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

Hedrick, Charles W. Parables as Poetic Fictions: The Creative Voice of Jesus. 1994. Reprinted, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2005.

Scott, Bernard Brandon. Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1989.

2

Irenaeus

¶

Irenaeus (130–202) is one of the earliest Christian theologians. He was probably ethnically Greek, born into a Christian family in Smyrna in Asia Minor. In 177, as an adult living in Lyons (modern-day France) Irenaeus went on a pilgrimage to Rome. While he was gone his bishop, Pothinus, was killed in persecutions ordered by emperor Marcus Aurelius. Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyons when he returned from Rome, and had a remarkable and significant career as a pastor and theologian until his death, probably in another persecution, in 202.

Theologically, Irenaeus remains an indispensable part of the formation of Christianity. He was important in the compilation of the New Testament; it was Irenaeus who first suggested that the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John be elevated above other circulating gospels as divinely inspired. His five-book series, Against Heresies, from which the following reading was taken, is a perfect example of the early Christian theological struggle against Gnosticism.

. . .

Against Heresies, Book 4, Chapter 18: Concerning sacrifices and oblations, and those who truly offer them1

1. The oblation of the Church, therefore, which the Lord gave instructions to be offered throughout all the world, is accounted with God a pure sacrifice, and is acceptable to Him; not that He stands in need of a sacrifice from us, but that he who offers is himself glorified in what he does offer, if his gift be accepted. For by the gift both honor and affection are shown forth towards the King; and the Lord, wishing us to offer it in all simplicity and innocence, did express Himself thus: “Therefore, when you offer your gift upon the altar, and you remember that your brother has ought against you, leave your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then return and offer your gift.”2 We are bound, therefore, to offer to God the first-fruits of His creation, as Moses also says, “You will not appear in the presence of the Lord your God empty”;3 so that man, being accounted as grateful, by those things in which he has shown his gratitude, may receive that honor which flows from Him.

2. And the class of oblations in general has not been set aside; for there were both oblations there [among the Jews], and there are oblations here [among the Christians]. Sacrifices there were among the people; sacrifices there are, too, in the Church: but the species alone has been changed, inasmuch as the offering is now made, not by slaves, but by freemen. For the Lord is [ever] one and the same; but the character of a servile oblation is peculiar [to itself], as is also that of freemen, in order that, by the very oblations, the indication of liberty may be set forth. For with Him there is nothing purposeless, nor without signification, nor without design. And for this reason they (the Jews) had indeed the tithes of their goods consecrated to Him, but those who have received liberty set aside all their possessions for the Lord’s purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of better things [hereafter]; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living into the treasury of God.4

3. For at the beginning God had respect to the gifts of Abel, because he offered with single-mindedness and righteousness; but He had no respect unto the offering of Cain, because his heart was divided with envy and malice, which he cherished against his brother, as God says when reproving his hidden [thoughts], “Though you offer rightly, yet, if you do not divide rightly, have you not sinned? Be at rest”;5 since God is not appeased by sacrifice. For if any one will endeavor to offer a sacrifice merely to outward appearance, unexceptionably, in due order, and according to appointment, while in his soul he does not assign to his neighbor that fellowship with him which is right and proper, nor is under the fear of God;—he who thus cherishes secret sin does not deceive God by that sacrifice which is offered correctly as to outward appearance; nor will such a...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• General Introduction
• Note to Instructors
• Note to Students
• Chapter 1: Matthew 25:31–46
• Chapter 2: Irenaeus
• Chapter 3: Clement of Alexandria
• Chapter 4: Justin Martyr
• Chapter 5: Origen
• Chapter 6: Tertullian
• Chapter 7: St. Athanasius of Alexandria
• Chapter 8: Basil the Great
• Chapter 9: Gregory of Nazianzus
• Chapter 10: John Chrysostom
• Chapter 11: St. Ambrose
• Chapter 12: Jerome
• Chapter 13: Theodoret
• Chapter 14: Augustine
• Chapter 15: John Cassian
• Chapter 16: Leo the Great
• Chapter 17: John of Damascus
• Chapter 18: Gregory the Great
• Chapter 19: St. Benedict of Nursia
• Chapter 20: Bernard of Clairvaux
• Chapter 21: Thomas Aquinas
• Chapter 22: Francis of Assisi
• Chapter 23: Julian of Norwich
• Chapter 24: Catherine of Siena
• Chapter 25: Martin Luther
• Chapter 26: John Calvin
• Chapter 27: Jonathan Edwards
• Chapter 28: John Wesley
• Chapter 29: George Whitefield
• Select Bibliography