Matthew 25:36

Mat 25:36 . γυμνὸς , ἠσθένησα , ἐν φυλακῇ : deeper degrees of misery demanding higher degrees of charity; naked = ill clad, relief more costly than in case of hunger or thirsty sick, calling for sympathy prompting to visits of succour or consolation; in prison, a situation at once discreditable and repulsive, demanding the highest measure of love in one who visits the prisoner, the temptation being strong to be ashamed of one viewed as a criminal, and to shrink from his cell, too often dark and loathsome. ἐπεσκέψασθέ με , this verb is often used in the O. T. and N. T. in the sense of gracious visitation on the part of God (for פָּקַד in Sept [136] ) ( vide Luk 1:78 , and the noun ἐπισκοπή in Luk 19:44 ).

[136] Septuagint.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 36. I was sick, and ye visited me] Relieving the strangers, and visiting the sick, were in high estimation among the Jews. One of their sayings on this head is worthy of notice: "He who neglects to visit the sick is like him who has shed blood." That is, as he has neglected, when it was in his power, to preserve life, he is as guilty in the sight of the Lord as he is who has committed murder. See Kypke in loco.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(36) Ye visited me.—The Greek word is somewhat stronger than the modern meaning of the English, and includes “looking after,” “caring for.” The verb is formed from the same root as Episcopos, the bishop, or overseer of the Church.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Naked, and ye clothed me,.... For in such a condition sometimes are the dear children of God, and members of Christ; see Co1 4:11, when others, who, Dorcas like, have made coats and garments for them, and clothed them with them; and which will be shown another day, or taken notice of as the fruits, and so evidences of the grace of God in them,

I was sick, and ye visited me, or "looked after me", or "over me": or, as the Persic version renders it, ye had the care of me; and which is the true sense and import of the word: for it not only intends visits paid to sick persons in a Christian manner, relieving them with their substance, giving good advice, or speaking comfortable words to them; but attending them, and waiting on them, and doing such things for them which, in their weak state, they are not capable of doing for themselves. Visiting of the sick was reckoned, by the Jews, a very worthy action: they speak great things of it, and as what will be highly rewarded hereafter,

"Six things, (they say (h),) a man eats the fruit of them in this world, and there is a stable portion for him in the world to come:

and the two first of them are, "the taking in of travellers", or "strangers", which is mentioned in the preceding verse, and , "visiting the sick". One of their Rabbins (i) says,

"he that does not visit the sick, is as if he shed blood: says another, he that visits the sick is the cause of his living; and he that does not visit the sick, is the cause of his death: and, says a third, whoever visits the sick shall be preserved from the damnation of hell.

I was in prison, and ye came unto me: which has been often the lot of the saints, as it was frequently of the Apostle Paul, who had this respect shown him by many of the people of God, as by the house of Onesiphorus, and by Epaphroditus, who brought him a present from the Philippians, when in bonds; and which will be remembered another day,

(h) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol, 127. (i) T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 40. 1. Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Ebel, c. 14. sect. 4, 5, 6.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Ver. 36. Naked, and ye clothed me] Darius, before he came to the kingdom, received a garment for a gift of one Syloson. And when he became king he rewarded him with the command of his country Samus. {Aelian, l. 4. c. 5. 1:187} Who now will say that Syloson merited such a boon for so small a courtesy? A gardener, offering a rape root (being the best present the poor man had) to the Duke of Burgundy, was bountifully rewarded by the duke, which his steward observing, thought to make use of his bounty, presenting him with a very fair horse. The duke ( ut perspicaci erat ingenio, saith mine author) being a very wise man, perceived the project, received the horse, and gave him nothing for it. Right so will God deal with our merit mongers, that by building monasteries, &c., think to purchase heaven.

I was sick, and ye visited me] Our King Henry III, the same day that he set sail for France, himself did in person visit the poor and feeble, and dealt large alms; not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous. (Speed. 603.) This was well done, if without opinion of merit; and with the like mind that Dr Taylor, martyr, usually visited the alms houses and hospitals, there to see what the poor and sick lacked, to procure them supplies, and to give them good counsel.

I was in prison, and ye came to me] Many Papists have hence concluded that there are only six works of mercy, Visito, poto, cibo, &c., to visit, feed, drink &c, whereas indeed there are many more. But it is remarkable out of this text, that the last definitive sentence shall pass upon men, according to their forwardness and freeness in showing mercy to the family of faith. And that the sentence of absolution shall contain a manifestation of all their good works, and that with such fervency of affection in Christ, that he will see and remember nothing in them but the good they have done. See my Common-place of Alms.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And you visited me. How easy are the things our Saviour requires at our hands! He will not say at the day of judgment: "I was in prison, and you delivered me; I was sick, and you healed me; but only this, you visited me, you came to me." (St. John Chrysostom, hom. lxxx.) --- This seems particularly addressed to Christians engaged in the cares of the world, whose salvation principally depends on the practice of works of mercy.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Ye visited me. The visitation of the sick has become a common term among us. It implies properly going to see, though other ideas are connoted. Ye came unto me. It was easier in those days to visit friends in prison than it is at the present time. Good men, if they could not obtain release of prisoners, might comfort and sympathize with them. The seven corporal works of mercy which antiquity has endorsed have been preserved in the mnemonic line, "Visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo. All these might be performed by non-Christians who professed the fear of God and followed the guidance of conscience. God never leaves himself without witness; his Spirit strives with man, and in the absence of higher and completer revelation, to be wholly guided by these inner motions is to work out salvation, as far as circumstances allow, and in a certain restricted sense. In a universal judgment regard is had to this consideration. "In return for what do they receive such things? For the covering of a roof, for a garment, for bread, for cold water, for visiting, for going into the prison. For indeed in every case it is for what is needed; and sometimes not even for that. For surely the sick and he that is in bonds seek not for this only, but the one to be loosed, the other to be delivered from his infirmity. But he, being gracious, requires only what is within our power, or rather even less than what is within our power, leaving to us to exert our generosity in doing more" (St. Chrysostom, in loc. ).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came to Me.]—γυμνός, κ.τ.λ.] Isa 58:7, Eze 18:7, To 4:16, Secrets of Enoch 9, 2 Est 2:20.—ἠσθένησα, κ.τ.λ.], Ecclus 7:35. On the duty of visiting the sick, cf. Nedarim 39. 40: “He who visits not a sick man is as though he shed blood. … Everyone who visits the sick will be saved from the judgement of hell”; Buddhist and Christian Gospels, p. 105, “Whosoever, O monks, would wait upon me, let him wait upon the sick.”

(L)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Visited [επεσκεψασθε] . Lit., Ye looked upon. 6 Our word visit is from the Latin viso, to look steadfastly at, and thence to visit. We retain the original thought in the popular phrases to see one, and to look in upon one.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.