国度豫言的三段—关于犹太人、教会、万民
在国度豫言的前两段，主论到犹太人和教会。在这世代的末了，地上的人要分为三类：犹太人、信徒和外邦人。三十一节开头的“但是”一辞，指明三十一至四十六节所说的是另一段，就是关于外邦人的。在二十四章三十二节，主的豫言从犹太人转到教会时，用“但是”这辞指明这转变。
在二十五章三十一节也是这样。三十一至四十六节，主论到审判万民的话。主的豫言若只论到犹太人和教会，就不完全，因为没有题到万民。为了使主的豫言包罗万有，祂必须说到这世代末了时要临到万民的事。许多基督教教师把主在国度豫言中的三段话混淆了，有些人把论到犹太人的经节应用于教会。对犹太人和外邦人说的话，一直被应用在信徒身上。许多人教训说，对万民的审判是主要执行在我们众人身上最终的审判。从前我听到某些基督教教师警告我们不要作山羊。感谢主，在祂的豫言里，祂在两个关键处，就是二十四章三十二节和，二十五章三十一节，用了“但是”这辞。这辞指明豫言首先从犹太人转到信徒，然后从信徒转到外邦人。
基督来临，荣登宝座
三十一节说，人子在祂的荣耀里来临。人子是基督为着祂的国，弥赛亚国，而有的名称。祂在这几节的审判是为这国作豫备。祂的荣耀包含祂神性的荣耀（约十七22，24）、人性的荣耀（诗四五3）、复活的荣耀（约七39，徒三13-15），以及升天的荣耀（来二9）。本节所说的来临，是主来临公开的一面，是二十四章三十节所说主来临的继续。祂所要坐的宝座，是大卫的宝座（路一32-33），要设立在耶路撒冷（太十九28，耶三17）。
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Three Sections of the Prophecy of the Kingdom — Matt. 25:31
Concerning Jews, Church and Nations
In the first two sections of the Lord’s prophecy of the kingdom, the Lord covered the Jews and the church. At the end of this age, the people on earth will be in three categories: the Jews, the believers and the gentiles. The word “but” at the beginning of verse 31 indicates that what is spoken from verse 31 to verse 46 is another section, the section concerning the gentiles. When the Lord’s prophecy turned from the Jews to the church in 24:32, the word “but” was used to indicate this change.
The same is true in 25:31. The Lord’s word in verses 31-46 concerns the judgment of the nations. If the Lord’s prophecy had covered only the Jews and the church, it would not be complete, for there would be nothing about the nations. In order to make his prophecy all-inclusive, the Lord had to say a word about what would happen to the nations at the close of this age. Many Christian teachers have mixed up the Lord’s word in the three sections of the prophecy of the kingdom, with some applying the verses concerning the Jews to the church. Both the word to the Jews and the word to the gentiles have been applied to the believers. Many have taught that the judgment of the nations is the final judgment that the Lord will execute upon us all. In the past I heard certain Christian teachers warn us not to be goats. Thank the Lord that in his prophecy he used the little word “but” in two crucial places, in 24:32 and in 25:31. This word indicates that the prophecy turns from the Jews to the believers in the first case and then from the believers to the gentiles.
Christ on the Throne of Glory Upon His Return
Verse 31 says, the Son of Man comes in his glory. The Son of Man is the title of Christ for his kingdom, the Messianic kingdom (13:41). His judgment here in these verses is a preparation for that kingdom. His glory comprises the glory of his divinity (John 17:22-24), the glory of his humanity (Psa. 45:3), the glory of his resurrection (John 7:39; Acts 3:13-15), and the glory of his ascension (Heb. 2:9). The throne on which he will sit is the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33), which will be in Jerusalem (Matt. 19:28; Jer. 3:17).