In his commentary on Matthew, Daniel Harrington, lays out an argument that “all the nations” is best translated, in Matthew’s context, as “all the gentiles” and that “these brothers of mine” elsewhere in Matthew is a reference to Jesus followers. Such a translation would invite one to see the scene that Jesus lays out as a judgment of the nations (i.e.: pagans) in light of their treatment of the disciples of Jesus.
Intrigued, I put the whole argument before Tracey (my beloved), complete
with Greek New Testament and dictionary, to see what she would think.
Her response?
“I don’t like it.”
So there you have it. By the grace of God, she’s a sheep too.