Jesus interpreted the meaning of the previous parable without waiting for His disciples to ask Him to do so. The picture seems to be of judgment at the end of the messianic (millennial) kingdom (cf. vv. 41-42).570Later Matthew recorded that Jesus told two more parables about this judgment. The parable of the ten virgins (25:1-13) stressed the need for readiness for this judgment. The parable of the sheep and the goats (25:31-46) identified the basis for the judgment. In the parable of the dragnet, the point was the sorting out of righteous and wicked individuals that will happen then. The angels will assist Jesus in this process. The wicked will go to eternal destruction (cf. v. 42), but the righteous will continue on in Messiah's kingdom that will then move from the present earth to the new earth.
"The fear motive is often condemnbed by modern Christians, but the Book of Matthew shows Jesus was not opposed to using it properly."571
