Matthew 7:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

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

NASB: In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

CSB: Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

NLT: Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

KJV: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

NKJV: Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2) now comes to one of the most famous statements in all of Scripture. It is often referred to as the Golden Rule. A traditional English phrasing of this is "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It's easy for modern readers to forget how much Christ's teachings changed the world, and how ingrained some of His ideas have become into western culture. This statement is vaguely similar to remarks made by other spiritual leaders in history, but it comes with a drastically different perspective.

Jesus was not the first to commend evaluating behavior in light of how you would want to be treated. Earlier Jewish and Greek teachers offer it, as well, as a negative statement: some form of "don't do to anyone what you would not want done to you." In almost all cases, this mostly implies that one ought to "do no harm," meaning not to actively do evil. Jesus' phrasing goes much further: positive action is part of the rule. God expects us to do—to actively pursue—that which we would like to see from others. This idea is expanded in Jesus' later comments about the commandments of God (Matthew 22:34–40).

The fact that Jesus taught the Golden Rule endorses this principle as the will of God. Jesus also teaches here that this was the proper explanation behind the Law of Moses and God's word to Israel through the prophets. God wants His people to treat others as they want to be treated. This is an incredibly helpful maxim, since it can be applied to most situations in life without need for a specific rule for every possible incident.

Later in Matthew's book, Jesus will describe another set of commands as the basis for all the Law and the Prophets: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34–40). What Jesus calls the second greatest commandment—to love one's neighbor with the love one has for him- or herself—pushes the Golden Rule past simply treating others with decency to being motivated by love for everyone.

Matthew 7:7–14 describes God as a generous Father eager to give good gifts to His praying children. Jesus commands His followers to continually ask and seek, with confidence that they will receive and find. Christ summarizes the intent of God's commands in the Old Testament: doing for others what we want done for us. This is commonly referred to as "the Golden Rule." The way of Jesus begins by entering a narrow gate and continues down a hard path that leads to life. He commands His followers to take that path instead of the easy road that leads to destruction.

Matthew 7 is the last of three chapters that record what is now known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus commands His hearers not to pronounce shallow or hypocritical judgment. He describes God as a generous Father eager to give good things to His children when they ask. He commands His followers to enter the narrow gate and walk the hard road to life. False prophets can be recognized by their fruit, meaning their actions and choices. At the same time, good deeds are not absolute proof that someone has true faith. To live by Jesus' teaching is like building the house of your life on a solid foundation instead of shifting sand.

Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5, discussing the Beatitudes and the idea that inner thoughts are very much part of sin and righteousness. Chapter 6 denounced hypocrisy, modeled prayer, and opposed anxiety. Chapter 7 discusses the proper manner of judgment, including how to gauge the teachings of others. Jesus also warns against spiritual self-deception. He concludes with an analogy about foundations and storms. The crowd's amazement at Christ's teachings leads into the miracles and encounters of chapters 8 and 9.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.