"Truly I tell you,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine,
you did for Me."
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I recall being in a zoo when
I was younger and becoming uncomfortable when an eagle with its penetrating
eyes staired at me as if it could enter deep into my soul and read my thoughts
and past life.
But, as I became older and wiser, I realised it was just a creature with limited abilities despite its hypermetropia.
Some years ago, I read and pondered on the following verse,
“I, the LORD, probe into people's minds. I examine people's hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.” Jeremiah 17:10 (English Net Bible).
There was a time I would have felt uncomfortable with this verse, but now, well, God knows my heart; a sinner trying his best.
When Jesus walked the land, he outlined what would be his bases for judgement come the day.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’
Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.”’ Matthew 25: 34-40 (BSB).
We can see this basis for judgement play out when Jesus was in Capernaum when a Roman Centurion sent friends, (presumably Jewish friends) to ask Jesus to perform a miracle for his servant,
“When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.” 6 Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. 7 Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”’ Luke 7:3-10 (BSB).
First, we have a Roman Centurion who must have a deep love for his servant, because this unnamed Centurion got a hold of some Jewish elders and asked them to approach Jesus and grant a miracle for his servant.
When the elders approached Jesus, they made an appeal based on a previous act of kindness made by the Roman,
“He is worthy to have you do this for him, because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.”
Jesus, granted the miracle due to the Centurions considerable faith Luke 7
It raises many questions about judgement and mercy. Sometimes religious organisations wrap us up with many rules and programmes of human thinking, and yet, the Centurion who was part of the occupied forces would seem the least person worthy of Jesus’ mercy and yet…Jesus said, I want mercy, not sacrifice." Matthew 11: 9-13
Note: All those who follow Jesus are his brothers Hebrews 2:11.
The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® https://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved”