The Golden Rule - Matthew 7:12 Series

Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Golden Rule

After a year and a half of preaching through the Sermon on the Mount we come this morning to what is probably the most famous line in this Sermon – maybe the most well-known thing Jesus ever said. This statement has been known as the Golden Rule ever since the Third Century when Roman Emperor Severus had it inscribed in gold on his wall.

12 Therefore in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The word “therefore” always draws a conclusion from what was just said. So whenever you see that word the first thing you need to do is figure out what was just said that leads to this conclusion. Is Jesus drawing a conclusion from what He just said about asking, seeking, and knocking, or does it go back further? Some see it as a conclusion to the entire sermon up to this point. It is hard to say for sure, but it seems to me most likely that Jesus is drawing a conclusion here from what He said in the opening verses of chapter 7 about judging. He said, “Don’t judge because you will get what you give. You will receive the same kind of judgment that you give others.” And now Jesus says, “Therefore, in light of that, treat others the way you would want to be treated.” So verses 6-11 are parenthetical. You could put a big parenthesis around those verses.

“Don’t judge, because you’ll get what you give. (But do help your brother with sin … unless he is unreceptive … but if you are receptive God will be generous with you) Therefore, treat others the way you would want to be treated.”

One reason I think this is is because in Luke 6 the section on judging comes just after the Golden Rule. And it also just seems to me to fit best that way.

So in context the Golden Rule focuses on judging, and the evaluations we make of one another. When it comes to judging and helping with splinter removal (confronting people with their sins), make heavy use of the Golden Rule. When you make assumptions, interpret attitudes, evaluate body language or tone of voice – do it in the way you hope people would do that when judging you.

That is the primary application of the Golden Rule; however, Jesus does expand the application when He says, In everything. The focus in this context is on judging, but the principle applies across the board to all our interactions with people.

Basic, obvious, yet with some complexities and limits

So that is the Golden Rule. It does not require a lot of explanation. The Golden Rule is one of the most self-evident truths in all of ethical thought. You will find it in the writings of almost every religion at one point or another. When people hear it they instantly know it is true. You cannot argue with the Golden Rule. The truth of it is so self-evident. It is easy to see that it is true, it is easy to see the beauty and goodness of it, and it is easy to understand how to apply it. You can say to a six year old, “How would you feel if your brother did that to you?”

“I wouldn’t like it.”

“OK, so don’t do that to him.”

William Hendricksen says the Golden Rule is like a pocket knife – it is always handy, always ready to be used in a pinch when you don’t have time to go ask advice or do a big study on how to respond to someone. You do not need to climb some mountain in Tibet to consult a guru somewhere when you need to know how to treat people. Jesus places it right on the bottom shelf where we can all reach it. Just carry this rule in your back pocket and ninety-nine percent of the time you will know right off the top of your head what the right thing to do is.

So it is very basic – and yet, there are some complexities to it. Just as we have seen numerous times in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is giving a principle in proverbial form here, without mentioning the various exceptions and limitations on the way we are to apply this. But there are some limitations.

Must be a good thing

For example, it is obvious enough from the context that Jesus is speaking only about good things. When He said, Ask, and it will be given to you, that promise is limited only to good gifts – not stones and snakes and scorpions. And without question that would apply here in verse 12 as well. If you desire something evil, obviously Jesus is not saying you should give that evil thing to your brother because you wish someone would give it to you. If you wish someone would come help you rob a bank you do not use the Golden Rule to say, “Oh, I should help other people rob banks.” Obviously this command is intended to be understood within the bounds of good desires.