10. How did Jesus draw a distinction between his “brothers” and those pictured by “the sheep” and “the goats,” and what basis is there in the Bible for this?

¹⁰ Jesus drew a distinction between his spiritual “brothers” and those proving to be like sheep or goats. At the time of this parable’s fulfillment, his “brothers” are those who have imitated him by unreservedly giving themselves to God. Like Jesus, they have offered public evidence of this by getting baptized in water. Moreover, Jehovah, the Father of the King Jesus Christ, has become their heavenly Father by begetting them with His holy spirit and thus making them spiritual “brothers” of his Son. This puts them in line for a place in the heavenly Kingdom with their Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, the “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16) In this connection it was written concerning him: “For both he who is sanctifying and those who are being sanctified all stem from one, and for this cause he is not ashamed to call them ‘brothers,’

Hebrews 2:11,