What is the Golden Rule?

The last verse goes into what is fitting for the disciple among people, and lays down the simple but clearly sound principle: to do to others as we would have others do to us. And this on no ground of human rights or natural goodwill, but of consistency with God's revealed will.

This is in no way dealing with people according to their ways, but the opposite. It is saying, as it were, "You who know the heavenly Father, who know what His grace to the evil is, you know what is fitting in His sight; always act on that. Never act merely according to what another does toward you, but according to what you would want another to do to you."

What a contrast to the well-known saying: "Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you." Even the Rabbis and the Greeks had a similar saying! It contains no more than the negative warning not to do evil to our fellow man. In contrast the Lord Jesus summarises His teaching by the positive command to do for one's fellow man all that we would like to receive ourselves. We can only do this in the strength of God's love.

How fitting it is, since the Father gives good things to those who ask Him, that this should have practical effect in our own lives. So verse 12 shows that, if we appreciate our Father's character, we shall show such kindness to others. How good to remember that we should act toward others in the way we desire them to act toward us. It will require serious exercise to watch that we are thoroughly fair in this matter, for we are too easily taken off guard by others acting wrongly toward us. This is no excuse for our doing the same.

The law and the prophets here stand for the whole of the Old Testament and its teachings… In contrast to what most of the scribes and Pharisees made of it, the Lord Jesus had come to display it in its fullness. In the next part of the sermon He had repeatedly pointed out that the outward, apparent righteousness of the scribes was to be condemned. Most of what He said concerned His disciples' relationship to their fellow men, and these teachings He summarises with the words: "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them."

The 12th verse in this chapter is one of the most misapplied in the whole discourse of our Lord… Many professing Christians, and others who make no profession at all, call this the golden rule. How many, Jews and Gentiles, have told us that this is the religion they believe in… Yet with all this boasting in a rule they do not understand, no one keeps it, nor would think of keeping it.

It may seem a small matter to say, "I believe in Christ, and try to keep the law." "I believe in Christ and do the best I can." "I believe in Christ, and seek to live by the golden rule." All these statements which we hear so often are in reality trying to add something to Christ and His work on the cross.

If professing Christians were to be tested by this — returning good for evil, acting in grace — how many who have taken that fair name would be found to have no real claim to it!… The golden rule, "Do to others as you would have others do to you," is far too fair, far too heavenly in character, for this world. Still, the Christian must walk so as to please Christ and to be a true witness of His Spirit, even if he should suffer earthly loss.