What if the parables we have looked at over the past several weeks were meant to be read together? What if they help interpret each other? The parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) is best read in context with the other parables Jesus gave in the week before he was crucified. The parable just before it helps us understand the Jewish leaders understanding of God as stern and unforgiving. They judged Jesus as dangerous... His last parable allows us to see that his disciples do the right thing without even knowing it.

Those who are saved don't know why--they were just doing what felt right to them. As disciples, they saw God's goodness even in the poor and ministered to them.

Those who are condemned would have acted differently if they knew their king was served as they served the poor. But they didn't see the image of God in the poor and so they ignored them.

Jesus is still inviting the Jewish leaders to repent!

Ephesians 2:10 helps us keep all of this straight: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Said simply, we are saved not by our works, but for the good works God prepared for us to do!