Daily text, Monday, December 26. 2016

[Queen Esther]

He will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.—Matt. 25:32.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/dt/r1/lp-e/2016/12/26

In the illustration of the sheep and the goats, Jesus does not directly mention the preaching work. Why, then, can it be said that it emphasizes the importance of preaching? Note that Jesus is teaching by means of an illustration. Obviously, he is not talking about separating literal sheep from literal goats. Likewise, he is not saying that each individual judged to be a sheep must literally feed, clothe, nurse, or visit one of his brothers in prison. Rather, he is illustrating the attitude that the figurative sheep display toward his brothers. He describes the sheep as “righteous” because they recognize that Christ has a group of anointed brothers still on earth, and the sheep loyally support the anointed during these critical last days. With them, the sheep zealously proclaim the good news of the Kingdom.—Matt. 10:40-42; 25:40, 46; 2 Tim. 3:1-5. w15 3/15 4:6, 8, 9