The sheep has never seen Jesus before?

[tonychanyt]

Ehrman, Bart D.. Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife (p. 163). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition:

The Son of Man separates all the peoples into two groups, the sheep to his right and the goats to his left. He then addresses the sheep, welcoming them into the amazing kingdom God has prepared for them as a reward for all the good they did during their lives, because “when I was hungry you gave me something to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was a stranger you welcomed me, when naked you clothed me, when sick you visited me, when in prison you came to me” (Matthew 25:35–36). The sheep are completely confused and ask what he can possibly mean. They have never even seen him before.

Emphasis added.

Does the original Greek text of Matthew 25:31-46 support Ehrman’s claim that the sheep have “never even seen him before,” or is this an inference not directly supported by the text?

Mt 25:

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

Judgment day.

32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

The righteous do not explicitly say, "We have never seen you before." Instead, they express bewilderment about when they encountered the King in these specific conditions (hungry, thirsty, etc.). Their response implies that they do not recall seeing Him in such circumstances—not that they have never seen Him at all.

40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

The King clarifies: When the righteous perform acts of kindness to others, they are counted as if done to the King Himself.

Could they have seen him before?

The text does not rule out the possibility that some of the righteous may have seen Jesus, e.g., visions. However, the focus is on their actions toward others, not their personal encounters with Him.

Ehrman overinterpreted this passage.

 

[timothyu]

Was this not in reference to the Lord lords who smugly thought they were already saved?