Then he will answer them and say, “Truly I tell you, since you did not do it for one of these least brothers of mine, you did not do it for me either”.
This saying concludes Jesus Christ’s words of judgment against the unrighteous. He reveals the deep root of their sin: indifference toward one’s neighbor is identified with indifference toward Him. By saying “to one of these little brothers of mine,” Jesus means all humble, needy, and forgotten people, in whom He is present by His inward presence. The unrighteous did not understand that by rejecting them, they had rejected Christ Himself. This saying shows that before God a person cannot say that he loves the Lord while ignoring his neighbor. Here Christ reveals the inseparable law of love: whoever does not serve his neighbor cannot serve Him. This verdict makes one thing clear: inaction and indifference are not only sins against people, but also disobedience toward God.