Matthew 25

“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me” [Mat. 25:36].



Just in case there is any doubt, the word “naked” means “nude.” And it did not mean that Yahshua got that way on purpose. The idea is that outward circumstances caused Him to not have any clothes. Whether from being poor and not able to purchase any, or of being robbed of His clothes, or they were just plain worn out, or whatever the cause, He had no clothes.



The first part of the next compound Greek word is “peri” from which we get words in the English language, like “periscope,” which also is a compound English word. The ending part is “scope” which means “to see” and the first part, “peri” means “all around.”



The second part of the Greek word is “ballo,” which means “to throw,” like throwing a “ball.” So the whole word means “to throw (something) all around,” like throwing a blanket all around a person who is cold, wet, weak, hungry, shivering, etc. It does not necessarily mean what we would consider “clothing” in the 21st century. The faithful servant did something to cure the problem of being nude.



Another thing that He said was that “He was sick.” The original word for sick is “astheneo” and means “to be feeble (in any sense).” It is translated variously in the KJV as to “be diseased, impotent, sick and weak.”



I have no idea why the KJV translators used the word “visited.” It is so far off the tract. While it does carry the idea of “to inspect,” the idea, by extension, is to “relieve” one of whatever problem that the person had. It could have very easily and correctly been translated as “I was diseased, with no strength and you inspected to find out what the problem was and after making the diagnosis, you relieved me to where I no longer suffered from the problem.”



“I was in prison” (caged in, guarded) is a good translation. Was the condition reversed? It is not so stated. But the idea is that the faithful servant was not ashamed and went “near” to the Master while He was in prison and gave as much help and encouragement as possible. Compare what Paul said of Philemon and his slave, Onesimus, while Paul was in prison.



“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12. Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 13. Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 14. But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. 15. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16. Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17. If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. 18. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 19. I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. 20. Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. 21. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say” [Philemon 10-21].



When Yahshua was actually “caged and guarded” was Peter ashamed of Him? Did Peter come “near” to Him? Did Peter do anything to help Him under that condition? There seems to be quite a difference in what Peter did under that circumstance and what Onesimus did for the apostle Paul. We know which action was pleasing to Yahweh