Deeper into the 25th chapter of Matthew

We finished last Thursday during a discussion of the Eucharist. We will extend that discussion today, plus a few more areas, viz.

1. How many individuals were involved in the parables of the vigilant handmaidens and the parable of the talents? How many in this prophetic description of the last judgement?
   
2. What effect is there from the presence of all his holy angels?
   
3. Jesus the King will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. Does that remind you of an parable of the kingdom?
   
4. Which is easier:
   1. to visit a prisoner, or
      
   2. to set the prisoner free?
5. Why didn't the ones on the King's left share their bread, their drink, their clothes, their presence?
   
6. Why does Jesus the King call them the "least" of his brothers?
   
7. Have you ever heard a story about a king who walked about in his kingdom disguised as a beggar? What is it about that kind of story that rouses your interest?
   
8. Can a poor man be on the King's right by reason of having shared something with another poor man? What could he share?
   
9. How does it help the King to make the positive judgement first, for those on his right, and after that, to make his negative judgement?
   
10. What is the significance of the word inherit, compared to, for instance, in Ch. 9, where Jesus commands the healed man to take up his mat?
    
11. If a person does more than just to visit a prisoner, more than just to feed a hungry family, more than just to put a roof over a man's head, if a person does more than that, what kind of person is that? How would you describe that person?
    
12. For whom was the kingdom prepared? For whom was the eternal fire prepared?
    
13. Have you ever known someone who helped an enemy, someone who was down, even though under normal circumstances they would be persona non grata?
    
14. What does it tell you that Jesus left this last direct prophetic message as the last one before the events of crucifixion, starting in Ch. 26?

Well, there is a lot to think about, a lot to take into our heart and execute. Let's have some coffee and talk it over this Thursday morning.

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