Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 46

 The Final Judgment

Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

And these shall... No appeal, no remedy, to all eternity! No end to the punishment of those whose final impenitence manifests in them an eternal will and desire to sin. By dying in a settled opposition to God, they cast themselves into a necessity of continuing in an eternal aversion from him.

into everlasting punishment... Greek: aionios, eternal. It is translated everlasting and eternal of twenty things:

1. God (Rom. 1:20; 16:26)

2. The Holy Spirit (Heb. 9:14)

3. Life (44 times, Mat. 19:16, 19:29; 25:46; John 3:16, 3:36; Rom. 6:22)

4. Salvation (Heb. 5:9)

5. Redemption (Heb. 9:12)

6. Inheritance (Heb. 9:15)

7. Gospel (Rev. 14:6)

8. Covenant (Heb. 13:20)

9. Kingdom (2Pet. 1:11)

10. Honor and power (1Tim. 6:16)

11. Consolation (2Thes. 2:16)

12. Glory (2Thes. 1:10; 1Pet. 5:10)

13. Resurrected bodies (2Cor. 5:1)

14. Things not seen (2Cor. 4:18)

15. Habitations (Luke 16:9)

16. Destruction (2Thes. 1:9)

17. Judgment (Heb. 6:1-2)

18. Damnation (Mar. 3:29)

19. Fire (Mat. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 1:7)

20. Punishment (Mat. 25:46)

The same Greek word is translated everlasting and eternal in this same verse and is used to describe both the eternal punishment of the wicked and the eternal life of the righteous; if one is eternal the other one is also everlasting.

but the righteous... Such as are justified by the righteousness of Christ, and who, though they have done works of righteousness under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and by the assistance of the grace of God, yet have not depended upon them, but upon Christ, for life and salvation. These shall go into heaven, the place appointed for them.

To enjoy that eternal life in soul and body; which is the free gift of God, through Christ. And will be a life free from all the sorrows of the present one; a life of perfect holiness and knowledge, and inconceivable pleasure. A life of vision of God, and communion with him, and which will continue forever.

And which guarantees the eternity of the punishment of the wicked: for as the happiness of the righteous will be eternal, the punishment of the wicked will be so too. For no reason can be given why the word which is the same in both clauses, should be taken in the one for a limited time, and in the other for an eternal duration.

You see, the things you do, tell what you really are. This method that Jesus used to determine the ones in right standing with Him and the lost is a good one. This happened when this person thought none of the church group was watching, so he did not have to make it look good.

The things that are done in secret will be made manifest, whether they be good or bad. Jesus knows without a doubt from this who should inherit eternal life, and who should be condemned to hell.

The scroll of this grand prophecy is finished with the awful words: These shall go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous into eternal life (R.V). Eternal punishment, eternal life-such are the issues which hang upon the coming of the Son of man to judgment; such are the issues which hang upon the treatment of the Son of man in these years of our mortal life that are passing over us now. There are those who flatter themselves with the idea that, because the question has been raised by honest and candid interpreters of Scripture whether absolute endlessness is necessarily involved in the word eternal, therefore these words of doom are shorn of much of their terror; but surely this is a pitiful delusion. There is no possible way of reducing the force of the word eternal which will bring the awfulness of the doom within the bounds of any finite imagination; and whatever may be said as to what the word necessarily implies, whatever vague surmise there may be that absolute endlessness is not in it, this much is perfectly certain: that there is not the slightest suggestion of hope in the words; no straining of the eyes can discern even the straightest gate out of that eternal punishment into eternal life. Between the one and the other there is a great gulf fixed. It is the final judgment; it is the final separation; and scarcely with more distinctness could the awful letters have been traced, Leave every hope behind, all ye who enter here. These shall go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous-none but the righteous-into eternal life.

Such individuals will sympathize with the world dictator and support his cause. They will be removed from the earth and will be cast into eternal fire (Mat. 25:41) to undergo eternal punishment (Mat. 25:46). With all wickedness removed in the various judgments at the Second Advent, the kingdom will begin on earth with only saved individuals in physical bodies constituting the earthly kingdom as the King’s subjects. Glorified saints from Old Testament times and the church, the bride of Christ, will also be present to share in the reign of the King of kings.

In this extended prophetic sermon, Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about the sign of His coming and the end of the Age (Mat. 24:4-31). He also presented practical lessons for those who will be living at that time (Mat. 24:32-51), encouraging them to faithfulness, watchfulness, and preparedness. By way of application these lessons are relevant to all believers in any Age. He concluded by pointing out the establishment of the kingdom and the judgment of Jews (Mat. 25:1-30) and of Gentiles (Mat. 25:31-46).