Matthew 7:12 is the most famous statement of Jesus in the Bible. In search of the “Historical Jesus,” liberal scholars exclude many words and works of Jesus as inauthentic. No one questions the words attributed to Jesus in Matthew 7:12: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Like many statements of Jesus, Matthew 7:12 is well-known but misunderstood. 

• What was Jesus addressing? 
• What did Jesus actually mean? 
• How are we to live this out? 

Christians and non-Christians quote this verse without asking or answering any of these core questions. It is like the “Terms of Agreement” on downloaded software. We click the box so that we can use this verse. Most would be shocked if they understood its contents. James Montgomery Boice wrote: “To fix our attention on the needs, cares, loves, joys, hopes, and dreams of other people, we must be transformed people.”

Why is Matthew 7:12 called “the Golden Rule?” Alexander Severus was emperor of Rome in the third century A.D. Legend claims that he adopted this axiom as his motto and had it inscribed on his palace and other public buildings in gold. Ultimately, Matthew 7:12 is called the Golden Rule because it is a succinct summary of the ethical teaching of Jesus. Do good first. What is the Golden Rule? Here are ten keys that unlock the Golden Rule. 

The Golden Rule is commanded by Jesus. 

Matthew 7:12 says, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Luke 6:31 is the parallel: “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” There is nothing like the Golden Rule in antiquity.

The so-called “Silver Rule” was a common teaching. The Silver Rule is the Golden Rule stated negatively: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you. Confucius said, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” The Athenian orator, Isocrates, said, “Whatever angers you when you suffer it at the hands of others, do not do it to others.” A man told Rabbi Hillel that he would convert if the rabbi summarized the law while the man stood on one leg. Rabbi Hillel answered, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow creatures. This is the whole law; all else is explanation.” 

That’s not true righteousness. You can do nothing and do that. It can be accomplished by canceling and cutting people off. Jesus turned conventional wisdom inside-out by saying, “Do good first.” It is not a helpful hint, good idea, or nice recommendation. The Lord commands us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

The Golden Rule is the way of the kingdom. 

Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah-King – the fulfillment of Old Testament promise, prophecy, and prediction. Matthew 5-7 records the Sermon on the Mount, the constitution of the kingdom. In this discourse, Jesus explains what it means to be a citizen of the kingdom. The requirement is true righteousness. The crowd assumed they were kingdom citizens because they confused being religious with being righteous. 

Matthew 5:20says, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The righteousness of the religious leaders was to-do list religion. Jesus taught that true righteousness is a transformed heart that lives by a line, not a list: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” The world affirms the Golden Rule. Where does the world live by it? It doesn’t because the Golden Rule is the way of the kingdom.  

The Golden Rule is empowered by prayer.

The first word of Matthew 7:12 is “So,” which connects text to context. What is the connection between? Some see this verse as a conclusion of all Jesus taught in the main body of this discourse from Matthew 5:17. Others view the verse as the climax of what Jesus says about judging others in verses 1-12. I believe the link is to the call to prayer in verses 7-11. Verse 11 concludes, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Then verse 12 says, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.” 

Many people live by the opposite of the Golden Rule: Do unto others before they get a chance to do it to you. That’s the cynical mindset of those who do not trust God. The one who lives in confidence that the heavenly Father will hear and answer prayer is free to bless others without worrying about how others treat them in return. How do you live the Golden Rule? It happens after prayer! 

The Golden Rule is rooted in scripture.  

Matthew 7:12 begins with the basis of how we treat others: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you.” It then states our duty to others: “do also to them.” Then it explains why we should live this way: “for this is the Law and the Prophets.” “The Law and the Prophets” is an idiom for the Old Testament. The Golden Rule is unique to Jesus. Yet it was not a new idea. It is rooted in scripture. Matthew 5:17 says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” 

• The Golden Rule does not abolish the Law and the Prophets. 
• The Golden Rule fulfills the Law and the Prophets. 

Jesus summarizes the ethical teachings of scripture in this one command. While the religious leaders complicated the way of righteousness with rules, rituals, and regulations, Jesus simplified what it means to be righteous by commanding us to do good first. W.H. Griffith-Thomas said, “This law is definite, simple, universal, beneficent; under authority of Christ, its observance would provide solution for all problems, preserve all rights, enforce all duties, conciliate all differences, silence all discords, prevent all wars.” 

The Golden Rule is warfare against self. 

 Verse 12 says, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you.” Profoundly, Jesus makes our problem the solution: “You.” Matthew 16:24 says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself.” The Golden Rule says, “Consider how you want to be treated and start there.” Consider the scope of this self-examination: “whatever you wish.” Then, after you imagine all the wonderful things others may do for you, Jesus says, “You go first.” 

Here is conviction of sin through natural law. The end of the verse appeals to the Law and the Prophets. The top of the verse makes you the standard. The way to test whether an action is beneficial to others is whether we would want to receive it ourselves. We have three enemies of the soul: the flesh, the world, and the devil. We are our own worst enemy. You can win the battle against self by doing unto others as you would have them do to you. 

A woman lived with her mean, sickly mother-in-law. When she couldn’t take any more, she asked a doctor friend to give her something to poison her. The doctor warned that the poison would have to work slowly, not to raise suspicions. The woman would have to be kind so no one would think she was up to something. Amazingly, everything changed. When the woman asked the doctor for something to counteract the potion, he informed her he had given her vitamins, not poison. The only poison was in your attitude toward her, but that has been washed away by the love you showed her. 

The Golden Rule is love in action. 

A lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. It was a trick question. But Jesus got it right. Matthew 22:37 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Then Jesus gave the first runner-up. Matthew 22:39 says, “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The Great Commandment is to love God completely and to love others selflessly. How should I love my neighbor as myself? Matthew 7:12 answers: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” 

The heart of the Golden Rule is a call to action. Positive thoughts and feelings do not obey the rule. James 4:17 says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” The Golden Rule reminds us that love is not an emotion. Love is what you do. It is more than random acts of kindness. It is a way of life that gives and forgives. Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

The Golden Rule is focused on others.  

Who are the objects of the Golden Rule? “Others.” What “others”? Jesus does not specify. He strategically uses inclusive language here. 

• “You” is specific.
• “Others” is general.

“Others” consist of anyone or everyone who is not you. The Golden Rule is focused on others. A lawyer, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied by telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan. A man was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. The priest and Levite passed him by. A Samaritan stopped to help. Luke 10:36 asks, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” The answer was obvious. Luke 10:37 says, “You go, and do likewise.” The call to “do also to others” is not limited to those who live, think, look, act, talk, vote, or pray like you. The one in need along your path is your neighbor! Find a need and meet it.

The Golden Rule is simple to perform. 

A research project asked subjects to list ten people they knew best and label them as happy or unhappy. Then they were to label them as selfish or unselfish. Categorizing the results, researchers found that the people labeled happy were also labeled unselfish. The Golden Rule is the open-secret to a holy, happy, and healthy life. The Golden Rule has been perversely rendered: Whoever has the gold makes the rules. You don’t have to be rich, famous, powerful, successful, beautiful, gifted, or talented to do good first. 

• Start where you are. 
• Use what you have. 
• Do what you can. 

The Golden Rule is a golden opportunity. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

The Golden Rule is the fruit of the gospel. 

C.S. Lewis wrote that he would hide a toothache from his mother, because she would give him aspirin and take him to the dentist. Lewis wanted the pain-numbing aspirin without the pain-causing dentist. Only the dentist could fix the problem. Similarly, the Golden Rule is a way of life. It is not the way to life. John 14:6 says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” We are saved by what God did for us, not what we do for God. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Rescuing grace is transforming grace. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Matthew Henry said, “Either this rule is not the gospel or we are not Christians.” If the Golden Rule is the gospel, we are doomed. God is holy. We are sinful. Judgment is coming. We need a Savior. Only Jesus qualifies. Run to the cross!  

• Jesus taught a Golden Rule message. 
• Jesus lived a Golden Rule life. 
• Jesus died a Golden Rule death. 
• Jesus created Golden Rule people. 
• Jesus enables a Godly Rule lifestyle.

The Golden Rule is rewarded in heaven.

A little girl wrote: “Dear Mr. God, Did you really mean, ‘Do unto others as they do unto you?’ Because if you did, then I’m going to fix my brother.” No, Jesus did not teach us to do unto others as they do unto you. Likewise, Jesus did not teach us to do unto others so that they will do unto us. What is the hardest relationship in your life? Do good first. But I cannot guarantee it will be reciprocated. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” 

• You will reap what you sow. 
• You may not reap where you sow. 

J.C. Ryle said, “We are not to deal with others as others deal with us: this is mere selfishness and heathenism. We are to deal with others as we would like others to deal with us – this is real Christianity.” If you live, love, and labor as a Christian, great is your reward in heaven. Hebrews 6:10 says, “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.” 

A boy got a part in the school play. He only had one line. But he struggled to get it right. On the night of the play, he delivered the lien for the first time. But it was early in the play, and they had to wait until it was over. When it was over, they scooped him up, showered him with kisses, and bought him his favorite treat. When you do good first, you may not receive immediate, obvious, or reciprocal benefits. But don’t be weary in well-doing. The play is not over yet! The Golden Rule is rewarded in heaven!