Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 25:35-36

"for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." — Matthew 25:35-36 (ASV)

The King dwells with great delight upon the details of His servants’ kindnesses to Himself. Are we, then, after all, to be saved by our works? By no means. Yet are our works the evidences of our being saved. If our actions are such as Christ will commend at the day of judgment, they prove that we are saved by grace and that the Holy Spirit has worked effectively in us and through us.

The services mentioned by the King were all rendered to Himself: “I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” There is no mention of what the righteous had said or of what profession of love to Christ they had made. The commendation was for what the King declared they had actually done by way of ministering to Him.