Sheep and goats – Matthew 25:31-46 updated for the new millennium
By Baldmichael Theresoluteprotector’sson
I thought I would do a brief post on these words of Jesus. Many people associate Jesus with religion, established religion, and hardly surprising.
But these words were always what Jesus was really about. Ultimately this is the practical side of love, the doing of things to help people in need.
To start with some brief background on sheep and goats. Sheep tend to be more particular about what they eat whereas goats will try anything. I understand they will eat clothing off the washing line.
Apparently it is not true they will eat anything though for example.
https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-strange-things-goats-eat?share=1
Here is what I consider a good site comparing sheep and goats.
It is noticeable that the male goat seriously stinks compared to the male sheep! We can say of people they are real stinkers.
The article says this:
It has been said that shepherds protect sheep from getting injured by their environment, while goatherds protect the environment from their goats. While a very simplified conclusion, this is one way to put the difference between sheep and goats.
Perhaps that says it all! As regards the text of the New Testament passage I note the following.
In the Greek the actual word used for ‘sheep’ is πρόβατα (probata).
https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/25-33.htm
This anagrams to ‘baa trop’ Too much baaing perhaps!
N.B. The word is also used for a genus of sea snails. However I also find this which is far more significant.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/probata
things conclusively established or proved
This is contrasted with ‘allegata’, facts alleged or allegations made in a pleading
In the Greek the root word *used for ‘goats’ is ἐρίφιον (eriphion).
https://biblehub.com/greek/2055.htm
This anagrams to ‘I phonier’! These are the phoney ones, the fakes.
The sheep and goats are said in the words of Jesus to represent the nations. We have therefore the sense of the sheep making certain of the facts whilst the goats merely allege things without being certain.
And the goats are phoney whereas the sheep are by implication real. How true that is today of people!
And note the separation sheep on the right hand and goats on the left.
We talk about the political right and left and this should serve as a warning given how the left is now associated with abortion, euthanasia, LGBTQ+ etc.
Interestingly in the Greek the word used for right is δεξιῶν (dexiōn). This anagrams to ‘ID oxen’.
This gives the sense of identity with the ox which patiently serves mankind.
In the Greek the word used for left is εὐωνύμων (euōnymōn). This anagrams to ‘money uno’ for example.
This gives the sense of those who love money.
It is worth pointing out that what the sheep, those on the right do has been done to the least of the sheep, the brothers of Jesus. Remember Jesus said His brothers are those who do the will of God. Mark 3:35.
The goats, those on the left did not do the things Jesus said to even the least of the brothers, the sheep. This proved they were not Jesus’s brothers.
Summary and final thoughts
Well I hope that was useful and food for thought. To end with here are some of Jesus’s words from the story said to the sheep, those on His right:
“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.”
And here are His words updated for this crazy time of COVID 19 which might be said to the goats, those on His left.
For I was hungry and you gave Me sodium nitrite in processed meats, I was thirsty and you gave Me fluoride and nitrates in the water, I was a stranger and you sold me into prostitution, I was naked and you clad Me in plastic, I was sick and you gave Me neurotoxic drugs, I was in prison because you locked Me down in a care home because of the ‘flu.
Footnote
* The actual words for goats used in the two places in the text are eriphia and eriphōn
P.S. For further reference there are these.
Sodium nitrate
Sodium nitrite (E250) – the poison in your food and how to remedy it.
Fluoride
prostitution
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/03/1058501
Plastic
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals: What’s in them?
Lockdown
Thank you!
I now, perhaps, have a better understanding of goats, eaters of everything, head butting when angered or pissed off.
I especially enjoyed your last paragraph.
And I hadn't realized that they are smelly...
Makes perfect sense, though...
Unrelated to anything but....I understand that remdesivir is made from cyanide? Hence the severity of kidney failure and destruction? Check it out, somehow? And publicise it everywhere, everyone knows the fatal toxicity of cyanide, don't they.... 🙏