Matthew 7:12, commentary and pictures

It means putting oneself in another's place and treating them as one would wish to be treated if circumstances were reversed. It is the substance of the law and the prophets, another expression of loving one's neighbor as oneself and requiring sincere unselfish love. Jesus' life of going about doing good is its clearest illustration and fullest example. It governs every dealing with strict honesty, forbidding all fraud, overreaching and taking advantage of ignorance, weakness or need. It is the rule by which every person must stand or fall in the judgment, when all are rewarded according to works.

Verse Text and Context

The verse belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, given especially to the disciples while the multitude also listened. It was spoken not only to disciples but to multitudes including people ignorant of the way of life and in error, meant to reach their understanding and uplift all who came. Its plain, simple truths provide a sure foundation for faith and practice that can be understood by the poor and unlearned. It disappoints hope of worldly greatness and gives a right conception of the kingdom and of character by undoing false education, teaching the conditions of entrance into the kingdom and leaving hearers to draw their own conclusions as to its nature, with truths no less important now than to the multitude on the hillside as the foundation principles of the kingdom of God. It taught the principles governing a kingdom of divine grace rather than promising the earthly glory and political freedom many expected.

In every way it opposed the theories and practice of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees and virtually contradicted their doctrines. It swept away misrepresentations of God as a stern judge incapable of compassion, mercy and love, restored confidence in the love of God, and presented God in paternal love as Father. It reaches deeply into the life as the spirit of God's law in the heart. The verse comes as the conclusion to the promise that everyone who asks receives and that the Father in heaven gives good things to those who ask Him, and it stands immediately before the call to enter in at the strait gate. It was given to turn those in need of wisdom from leaning on human wisdom and human guidance to asking God.

It joins the command to treat others as one would wish to be treated to the call to enter the narrow way. The narrow way is the path of obedience, which requires denying self and turning from selfish, worldly inclinations. The gate is difficult to enter and the way is narrow and upward because the golden rule strikes at the root of pride and self-seeking. Keeping it makes spiritual life a road toward home and rest that must be constantly ascended with the few, while the wider road chosen by the multitude ends in destruction. The rule is understood when criticizing and evil thinking cease, the beam is seen in one's own eye, and faith comes that works by love and purifies the soul, and that understanding leads to obeying the thirteenth and fourteenth verses and to bearing good fruit by which disciples are known.

The wording commands active doing to others whatever one would want them to do to oneself in like circumstances, not doing for oneself what one wishes others would do. The measure given to others will be returned, and this way of living brings blessed results. Every word of Matthew 7 is to be studied as for life together with James 2, James 4:5-12 and James 5:13-20, to practice truth in daily life and to know the work given to do beginning with work in one's own heart, so as to be a doer of the Word under God's great moral looking-glass, the perfect law of liberty, and not a hearer only. Ministers and church members need to study this instruction most critically again and again for their own enlightenment and not to prove supposed faults discerned in other members. Such misuse exposes as very serious the defects of those whose thoughts are absorbed with the faults of others, and warns that unless there are decided conversions, many who think they are lights will prove to be stumbling blocks.

Meaning of Golden Rule

The rule requires stepping into the other person's place in every relationship, entering into their feelings, difficulties, disappointments, joys and sorrows, identifying with them and asking how it would feel under the same circumstances, then acting toward them exactly as one would wish to be treated if positions were exchanged. It forbids cold, exacting, rigid rules and calls instead for living principles and sound maxims joined to enlightened judgment, with generous nobility and consideration shown in all dealings toward believers and unbelievers, especially toward the afflicted. In business this means standing in pure untarnished light before others, with no mean mercenary act needing explanation, no grasping for dollars and cents, and no impression of advantage taken or cheating done, choosing inconvenience and loss rather than stirring anger and hostility, thereby guarding the truth from reproach and securing prosperity by promoting the happiness and well-being of others. Toward fellow workers it means asking how masterly dictation and severity would feel if directed at oneself, for severity does not increase love for God nor soften and subdue, but breeds dislike, contempt, stubbornness and hatred in place of love, while soft words open the way for the love of Jesus to break down obstinacy, warm grateful hearts when mistakes are not lashed as with a whip, and bind hearts in love, esteem and confidence. It requires measuring words, decisions and actions by God's standard rather than a finite human standard, rightly representing Christian character, giving wise counsel and reflecting light on others' paths so no soul is misled, which demands deep heart-searching, earnest prayer for strength to partake of the divine nature, and study to know God's will. This includes doing justice and loving mercy in every transaction, weaving practical religion into all of life with less of self and more of Jesus, paying fully and without grudging for honest labor and for attentive skillful nursing, giving the sick the best care one would demand when sick oneself, for withholding what is honestly earned brings certain loss in means and spiritual growth, displeases God and forfeits His blessing, since God will deal with each as each deals with others, and in dealing with them one deals with Christ in His saints.

It is a rule of equity covering the whole scope of mutual obligation, binding in dealings with believers and unbelievers alike and toward every person whether high or low, rich or poor, learned or ignorant. It is a broad and deep duty for practical life, a practical expression of the gospel rather than artificial polish or mere outward manners, refining character and shutting out selfishness through kindness shown to all. Among believers this means respecting one another, crediting honest and unselfish motives, and refusing unkindness, suspicion, faultfinding and the magnifying of mistakes. It keeps the eternal interests of others in view, treating them as Christ would because they were bought with His blood, recognizing that obedience to God's law is for their good as well as one's own, so that the aim becomes serving them in Christ's manner.

The action commanded is active doing of good to others in like circumstances, not arranging to do for oneself what one wishes others would do, and the measure given will be measured back again. Following it brings blessed results, for it is the practical expression of love that comes from God and flourishes only where Christ reigns, and love put into action grows and reaches others. It must spring from pure and fervent love, as seen in a life spent going about doing good and living to bless others with love beautifying every deed. Outwardly generous, blameless, humble or courteous conduct does not fulfill it when driven by selfish or impure motives, desire for influence or esteem, self-respect, or deception, for such conduct lacks true holiness and life.

It is a principle of heaven to be developed in all who are fitted for its holy companionship. It calls men and women to the higher life God desires, using the gift of life not merely to gain wealth but to improve the higher powers by searching out and relieving the necessities of others. It means working not for selfish interest but for the good of all around, blessing others by influence and kindly deeds after the example of Christ's life. Happiness for mankind comes in this way and in no other.

Whatever gifts, blessings, education, character, Christian training or religious experience one holds above others places one in debt to the less favored to that degree. Wealth or even the comforts of life lays a most solemn obligation to care for the suffering sick, the widow and the fatherless exactly as one would desire to be cared for were conditions reversed, with the strong supporting the weak. Applied to those who have never heard of Christ's love, it means doing for them as far as lies in one's power what one would want done if their condition were one's own, for this is the rule of life by which each must stand or fall in the judgment.

Law Prophets and Judgment

Doing to others whatever one would want done to oneself in the same circumstances is the law and the prophets. It is another expression of loving one's neighbor as oneself, the true rule of honesty for measuring conduct in ordinary business and all dealings with others, and the substance of the teaching of the prophets. It comprehends much, expressing God's righteous law of wisdom, mercy and love and belonging to the last six precepts that require sincere unselfish love toward fellow men. It therefore condemns all selfishness and all evil thinking and speaking.

It is Christ's rule of life, the standard by which every person must stand or fall in the judgment when all are rewarded or punished according to works. Living by it as the rule for daily life makes a person ready to face others in the judgment with confidence that the high and holy principles of the law by which all will be judged have not been misrepresented. Applied to those perishing without knowing Christ's love and bound by ignorance and sin, it lays solemn obligation to do for them as far as one is able what one would desire if conditions were reversed, walking in Jesus' steps to bring His love to the suffering, poor and ignorant.

It is the true standard of Christianity, and anything short of it is deception. A religion that is careless of human needs, sufferings and rights is spurious, because human beings are to be highly estimated since Christ gave Himself for them. Slighting the claims of the poor, the suffering and the sinful proves treachery to Christ, and when His name is taken while His character is denied in life, Christianity has little power in the world and the Lord's name is blasphemed.

Whatever measure is given to others will be measured back again. Active doing of good to others in like circumstances, rather than seeking such treatment for oneself, brings blessed results, and earthly blessings imparted often return in kind and even fourfold, with the fuller inflowing of God's love which is the sum of heaven's glory. Evil imparted, condemnation and discouragement likewise return upon the doer, to lead to abhorrence of hardness of heart and opening of the heart to Jesus, so that out of evil good is brought. This conduct must flow from pure, fervent love, for outwardly generous, blameless, humble or courteous actions driven by selfish motives, desire for influence or esteem, self-respect, or deception lack true holiness and life.

Applied to forgiveness, it teaches treating others as one would wish God to treat oneself. Because forgiveness is sought though undeserved, brethren must be forgiven though undeserving, in the same manner and to the same measure that forgiveness is hoped for, with affection rather than coldness, contempt, resentment or revenge, correcting the trespassing brother and forgiving upon repentance. Toward debtors in unavoidable poverty and misfortune it requires tenderness and compassion, forbidding oppression, harsh treatment or casting into prison, yet it does not cancel just dues nor require the hard-working to support idleness, waste of time and lack of effort. Forgiveness is not earned by forgiving, but rests on Christ's death and is received as it is willingly, freely and fully given, with repentance and faith as conditions of salvation and trust placed not in personal merit but in the merits of Christ's righteousness; masters and servants alike must therefore act faithfully and justly, remembering the Master above who repays in full measure, and harshness toward erring brethren especially reveals failure to appreciate God's mercy.

Christlike Character and Blessing

Jesus lived to bless others, going about doing good, and his life and character are the fullest example and clearest illustration of doing to others whatever one would want done to oneself in like circumstances. Love beautified every action of his life, and the rule calls for that same pure, fervent love flowing outward in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, and tender guarding of the interests of others. It does not mean doing for oneself what one wishes others would do, but treating the other as one would wish to be treated if places and circumstances were exchanged. Outwardly generous, blameless, humble, or courteous actions do not fulfill it when driven by selfish motives, desire for influence or esteem, self-respect, or deception, for they lack true holiness and life. Those who dwell with Christ and partake of the divine nature show his sympathy, tenderness, purity, gentleness, and heaven-born delicacy and sense of propriety, grace softening the heart and refining and purifying the feelings, so that they reflect his light and bring comfort and encouragement to others.

Keeping the rule transforms the heart from selfishness to unselfishness until it is second nature to treat others rightly, so that the dishonest, scheming person becomes upright. The one made new by the gospel becomes naturally honest, obedient to the commandments, united in scriptural faith, and bound as one in Christ with life hid in God. This is a golden chain of love binding heart to heart and mind to mind in unity with one another and with Christ in all service and work for others. Such a consistent life of courtesy, unwavering fidelity, justice, and mercy magnifies God's perfect, converting law and makes it honorable, bearing a living testimony that the Father loves believers even as he loves his Son. Belonging to Christ depends on following this rule, and practicing it keeps unity in the church and reveals a healthy religious experience with powerful influence on the unbelieving world.

Living this higher life is the principle that makes mankind happy, and happiness can come in no other way. It calls men and women not to work for selfish interest or merely to gain wealth, but to use the gift of life to improve higher powers by searching out and relieving the necessities of fellow men, blessing everyone around by influence and kindly deeds. What is given to others in this way brings blessed results and is measured back again, and the rule is to shape character and be lived out in practical deeds, not merely words, following Christ's example. So lived, it becomes a broad and deep duty for practical life and, under God's working, a convincing witness to the world with apostolic power. Kind words, thoughtful acts, politeness, hospitality, fruitful work and prayers, and honest conduct in business, at home, and among neighbors show love to neighbor and lead others to glorify God, while selfish or worldly conduct obstructs those who might be won.

The rule is living, holy principle and the genuine science of higher education, as apples of gold in pictures of silver, to be impressed on large companies and on those in responsible positions. Its words declare this doing to be the law and the prophets, and it is essential study for physicians, ministers, educators of youth, and teachers and leaders in institutions. These principles are to guide daily life and be taught to children at home and at school, setting a right example in good works and dealing with ignorant apprentices just as one would wish to be dealt with were circumstances reversed, so they learn to bring the Word into life. They must guide everyone who trains children and youth, even toward the youngest, least capable, most mistaken, erring, and rebellious. They are to be brought into the daily life here and carried into the school above, reaching into eternity where no merely human learning can reach, immortalized as higher education leading toward eternal life.

Reciprocal kindness in treating others as one would wish to be treated is fruit and evidence of having learned from Jesus and of genuine experience and sonship. Living by God's rule of righteousness, marked by wisdom, mercy, and love, shows a person is truly a child of God, helps others see Christ rightly, and proves faith genuine. Loving one's neighbor in conduct is the test, and mere profession of belief or of fellowship is no substitute. Selfish plans that raise one by pulling another down, conduct that harms or corrupts others, seeking personal advantage at others' expense, and claims of fellowship contradicted by selfish use of means, extravagance, and self-indulgence when economy is needed to advance God's cause all violate and expose false profession.

Honesty in Work and Business

The verse governs every business dealing as the rule of true unselfish integrity in small matters and great, requiring honest transactions free from crookedness and strict fairness in buying and selling. It demands just weights and prompt payment, frank disclosure even at cost, and refusal to imitate worldly customs, for conformity to standards the world accepts cannot make a wrong right before God. It must be strictly obeyed as of the highest importance, expressing the law and the prophets and showing whether one is faithful in small things. It applies to everyday dealings including the treatment of the poor, widows, and orphans as the law's demand for justice toward others.

It forbids every unjust act, sharp practice, overreaching, extortion and fraud toward any fellow mortal even the worst sinner. It forbids taking advantage of another's ignorance, weakness, poverty, need or misfortune, acting against their interests, seeking only one's own advantage instead of their good, or gaining at their expense. Every such attempt is fraud registered in the ledger of heaven, and every wrong done to the children of God is done to Christ Himself in the person of His saints. Gain secured at another's disadvantage hardens the soul against God's Spirit and becomes fearful loss, while even the least departure from honesty breaks down restraint and prepares the heart for greater injustice. Taking advantage is unjust and must be corrected and repented of with thorough change of character and, where possible, making wrongs right.

In selling and lending it forbids concealing unfavorable facts, exaggerating benefits, putting glitter and attraction to deceive the purchaser, asserting uncertain future rise or doubling in value, and taking advantage of occasions and circumstances to make money. It forbids getting a hard-earned property for a song even between those connected in the work, especially when the seller has no surplus means to lose. It condemns using another's poverty or need to enrich oneself by oppressive interest even when human law permits it. Instead it requires merciful lending that benefits the borrower without loss to the lender, clean pure methods with fair outgoes and incomes, and clearly and faithfully explaining consequences so the other can protect resources and avoid acting blindly. Following this course quickly resolves many difficulties and keeps character pure and clean and bright when all are tested and tried.

Toward workers and those in one's charge it means loving one's neighbor as oneself in practical action and doing justice and loving mercy in every transaction. It forbids grasping, getting and withholding rightful means while spending freely on personal trifles and imaginary wants, doling out to workmen as beggars what rightfully belongs to them, keeping in possession what ought to be paid, setting wages without learning circumstances while securing large wages for oneself, charging exorbitant fees for brief work, and making arbitrary unequal decisions. It requires respecting feelings and sorrows, considering circumstances, paying an honest wage that allows comfort and help to the poor, paying fully without grudging for honest labor and attentive skillful nursing, and giving the sick the best care one would demand for oneself. It requires readiness to accommodate and help others in emergency as one would want help, without placing oppressive burdens even to complete a needed institution, and making restitution where wages were withheld, for God will deal with one as one deals with others.

It calls for doing ordinary work faithfully, promptly, thoroughly and honestly rather than excusing carelessness or dishonesty by claims of spirituality. It requires using God-given strength and skill to support family, keep pledges, and pay just dues, with sickness as exception but with loss of food or sleep better than withholding another's due. It requires placing oneself in the other's place and looking not on one's own things but on the things of others, watching unto prayer lest sharpness and selfishness gain control and tarnish the soul. It requires standing in pure untarnished light before world and believers with no mean mercenary actions needing explanation, no grasping for dollars or cents, no secretive schemes or underhanded courses, no cold rigid exaction, but generous nobility, openness, fairness and respect for a brother's interests. It is better to submit to inconvenience and loss than to create angry hostile feelings and reproach to truth, for this course protects harmony, promotes the happiness and well-being of fellow men, and secures prosperity.

Compassion Forgiveness and Fellowship

The rule lays a solemn obligation to do all within one's power for those perishing without knowing Christ's love and bound by ignorance and sin, as one would wish done if conditions were reversed. Any advantage in education, character, Christian training, or religious experience creates a debt to the less favored, with the strong to support the weak. This is Christ's rule of life by which every person must stand or fall in the judgment, and following it is walking in Jesus' steps in seeking and saving the lost. Joyful ministry is to go where need is greatest, beside sick-beds, hovels of poverty and crowded alleys, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting sufferers, ministering to the despairing and inspiring hope. Opening the hand to the poor and needy and caring for the afflicted expresses the work given to do.

Every needy person is a neighbor and must be treated just as one would want to be treated. The Samaritan fulfilled the rule by compassionately caring for the wounded stranger and doing all he could to help him, as he would have wanted to be cared for in the same circumstances. The priest and the Levite broke it by passing by on the other side instead of showing mercy and help, with selfishness ruling their hearts, only pretending to keep the commandments. The robbers broke it by acting from sinful nature as if there were no law, wounding and robbing their fellow man and leaving him helpless and dying by the wayside without care for God or neighbor. Keeping the commandments is proved by a kind and loving heart that does good to others, seeking out wounded, bruised, straying and needy souls to uplift and bless them instead of resting at ease while the lost sheep is trapped; such care pleases God and shows love to Him, while failure shows scattering abroad rather than gathering with Christ. Living by the rule therefore requires a transformed life in which human nature becomes a partaker of the divine.

Its practical reach includes care for the poor, strangers, widows, fatherless, sick, afflicted and elderly with lenience, kindness, sympathy and forbearance. Wealth, or even the comforts of life, lays a most solemn obligation to care for the suffering sick, the widow, and the fatherless exactly as one would desire were conditions reversed. Tender pity is to care for widows and fatherless as one would want one's own wife and children cared for if dependent and suffering, and neglecting the unfortunate while serving self violates the principle. An afflicted brother who made a poor purchasing judgment and became unable to overcome hardship is to be pitied, sympathized with, helped in need, and comforted and encouraged rather than oppressed, which benefits him and brings the helpers the satisfaction of doing good. This includes welcoming the needy into the home and sharing meals and opportunities, teaching health and simple foods even at financial cost, and giving tenants and occupants fair benefit of their labor and produce. Honesty, fair dealing and judgment, respect for the vulnerable and the elderly, and love for the stranger as for oneself belong to the same summary of the law and the prophets.

Made a law of the family and of social life, the rule is to be read in the family and practiced daily, leading to Christlike courtesy and benevolence in small things, seeking others' happiness, and forgetting self in kind attention. In the home it means mutual consideration and forbearance, respecting each member's feelings and rights, and practicing steady courtesy, which softens harshness, prevents many troubles, and builds harmony and closer bonds of love. One's own faults are as grievous to others as theirs are to oneself, so differences in character or opinion call for forbearance rather than harsh judgment, speaking gently and affectionately to a child and not reproving every small error. Parents must treat children as they wish God to treat them, with patient, sympathetic love, entrusted with them as younger members of the Lord's family to educate and discipline patiently so they develop Christian character; loving patience is quickly recognized, while impatient commands and ordering tone, harsh blame, and unnecessary restrictions dry up affection. Children in turn must tenderly care for aged infirm parents with comfort and kindness to the grave, and only those who reveal Christ in dealings with one another can enter heaven.

Among believers the rule requires guarding each other's interests and reputation as carefully as one's own, with no respect of persons for high or low, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, because all are brethren. It refuses to magnify another person's mistake through talk, to publish private affairs distorted, or to tear down to exalt self, but credits honest and unselfish motives, speaks well, and works for their good with friendship first shown. This demands being exceedingly jealous over one's own spirit so as not to war against and weaken one another by imagining evil things, refusing unkindness, suspicion, envy, and faultfinding and confessing them where cherished. Loving others as one wants to be loved applies the law and the prophets to fair and respectful treatment.

Toward the erring the rule requires putting oneself in the offender's place and dealing as one would wish God and men to deal with oneself. It commands diligence, tact, tenderness and Christlike patience to convert, reform, correct, heal and build up, with a heart softened by the love of God and love for souls, shielding from exposure and forbidding hasty expelling and cutting off without time to save, harsh denunciation, exacting the uttermost, or making cases appear most heinous. In judging one who appears wrong it means avoiding undue severity and showing the fairness one would desire under similar circumstances, with critics considering how they would wish to be treated if in the position of those they criticize. A brother who acted unwisely by moving to another field without consulting fellow workers is not to be censured harshly, since he may still be directed in his work. When there is repentance by confession and forsaking, the repentant person is to be forgiven, welcomed and encouraged in the right way, while remembering one's own vulnerability to temptation and maintaining proper discipline.

Toward fellow workers, students, youth and those in authority the rule forbids masterly dictation, severity, domination, arbitrary overbearing conduct and partiality. Its words are as apples of gold in pictures of silver, a precious principle to be impressed not only on large companies but on those in responsible positions, as a motto for association requiring purity, refinement, and Christlike spirit, word and act. Educators of youth and teachers and leaders in institutions are to set a right example in good works and deal with ignorant apprentices under them just as they would wish to be dealt with were circumstances reversed, so apprentices learn to bring the principles of the Word into life. Everyone who trains children and youth must follow it even toward the youngest, least capable, most mistaken, erring and rebellious, and students are to treat teachers and others carrying responsibility as they would want to be treated, which would bring peace and success to the school. Severity does not increase love for God nor soften and subdue, but creates dislike, invites contempt, strengthens stubbornness, and puts hatred in place of love; soft words make way for love, and when mistakes are not visited with stinging words, kindness breaks down obstinacy, warms hearts in gratitude, and binds hearts in love, esteem and confidence. This means entering into feelings, patience under temptation, kind encouragement, wise kind direction, respect for conscience, unity in diversity with room for varied gifts, pure principles that never take advantage or exploit opportunity, and support such as fair medical care and continued wages when injured.

It extends to sharing means with needy fields and brethren in hardship, doing for workers in difficult places and for institutions in Europe what one would want in similar circumstances. Established institutions and workers with advantages and facilities are to appreciate their advantages yet bind about supposed wants, limit selfish desires, ambitions and conveniences, repress inclination to enrich themselves, and refuse to misapply means in covetousness and greed to provide every convenience while neglecting new fields that have nothing, but ask what can be done there and provide facilities to work, because souls everywhere are those for whom Christ died. Support is to go to workers in difficult, needy fields rather than seeking every advantage for one's own field, noticing appeals with sympathy and practicing self-denial rather than taking from funds reserved to sustain ministers in active work or centering all in one place. Helping and encouraging those carrying burdens, rather than accusing them of selfish motives, makes people co-workers with ministering angels. The money left after a husband's funeral expenses should have been given to the faithful widowed caretaker as the holders would have expected in her place, showing appreciation for faithful care and unselfishness, since withholding it caused pain and damaged longstanding relationship.

Neglect of the rule leaves people under Satan's influence, confuses the right way and treats sacred truth as unsacred, with reckoning as slothful servants judged by unused talents. Following Christ's plan for treating one another is the better course than giving way to envy, jealousy and selfishness, which lead to conflict, violence, misery and harm to others. Obedience cultivates honesty and integrity with strict principle and an accommodating, friendly disposition, kindness without hypocrisy, mercy, gentleness, strict equity and reasonableness, and true-hearted Christian politeness never harsh, dictatorial, commanding, haughty, exclusive, flattering or deceptive, but kind, respectful and attentive to rich and poor, plain and modest alike, studying to make all easy and happy. Such practice keeps character pure and bright in testing, reduces church conflict, hardness, hostility, harsh thoughtless speech and struggles for status, guards against jealousy and dissension, and quickly resolves difficulties. Good unselfish deeds in this spirit shine as brightly as stars and leave unfading impressions that soften and subdue the soul, and if all lived by the principle there would be signs of a converted world progressing toward heaven.

Specific failures illustrate its breach: misrepresenting and indifferently treating a missionary rather than giving fair and respectful treatment. Oppressing an afflicted brother after poor judgment instead of pitying and comforting him. Withholding funeral surplus from a faithful widow. Dealing unfairly and without feeling with a colleague, not acting toward him as one would wish others to act. Acting as the world deals instead of giving a nobler example in which every action shows the nobility of truth and faithfulness to faith and its high and elevated character.