What Does Matthew 25:31–46 Mean?

Christians often use “the least of these” to describe anyone who is poor, sick, displaced, or overlooked. The phrase expresses an important concern for vulnerable people. Yet understanding a biblical passage requires asking whom Jesus actually identifies, how the words function within their context, and what conclusions the passage supports. Matthew 25 is a judgment scene in which the King explains the eternal significance of people’s treatment of those who belong to him.