Matthew 25:32

32. All nations Of all ages and all continents. Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, Russia, England, and America shall, with all their populations, come up before God. All the lesser tribes and all the unorganized wanderers shall appear; for “every eye shall see him.” Revelation 1:7.

That it is a judicial arraignment of individuals, and not of organic nations, is plain; because the merits and demerits upon which they are judged are purely individual, and not national, (Matthew 25:35-40; Matthew 25:42-45.) So in Matthew 28:19, the apostles are commanded to go teach all nations, baptizing them, etc. That is, the entire nation is to be baptized by the baptism of every individual in it. Mark expresses it: “Preach the gospel to every creature.” So “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body.” 2 Corinthians 5:10. He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world.

Separate them The separation is even previous to the judgment. This strikingly and, as we may say, undesignedly coincides with the view everywhere clearly expressed or implied, that the resurrection, though one in general time, is yet twofold. It is of the just and of the unjust, (Acts 24:15;) it is unto life and unto damnation, (John 5:29;) it is unto everlasting life and unto shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2. The saints strive for a better resurrection, a glorious resurrection; and Paul strove to attain to an extra resurrection, εξαναστασις . Philippians 3:11. Every man shall be in his own order. 1 Corinthians 15:23. And Christ here so arrays them right and left, that their position decides their destiny before their sentences pronounce it. As a shepherd Here is a slight simile running through some three lines, from which interpreters of a certain class have taken license to misname this whole description of sixteen full verses, “The parable of the sheep and the goats.” The allusion to the shepherd is very transient, being a slight simile, and illustrates but a single point, namely, the separation before the judgment.

In this allusion, as in other Scripture allusions of the same kind, no doubt some reference is made to the character of the two animals. The goat is especially a repulsive animal, and so a fit image for wicked men; and in Hebrew there is a single word which seems to designate the goat and a demon. And similarly, in all ages perhaps, the right hand has had the preference, and the right hand seat has been the place of honour.