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.
Therefore (to say all in one word) all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so [ houtoos (G3779 ), the same thing and in the same way,] to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets. 'This is the substance of all relative duty; all Scripture in a nutshell.' Incomparable summary! How well called "the royal law"! (James 2:8: cf. Romans 13:9). It is true that similar maxims are found floating in the writings of the cultivated Greeks and Romans, and naturally enough in the Rabbinical writings. But so expressed as it is here-in immediate connection with, and as the sum of such duties as had been just enjoined, and such principles as had been before taught-it is to be found nowhere else. And the best commentary upon this fact is, that never until our Lord came down thus to teach did men effectually and widely exemplify it in their practice. The precise sense of the maxim is best referred to common sense. It is not, of course, what-in our wayward, capricious, grasping moods-we should wish that men would do to us, that we are to hold ourselves bound to do to them; but only what-in the exercise of an impartial judgment, and putting ourselves in their place-we consider it reasonable that they should do to us, that we are to do to them.
Remarks:
(1) How grievous is it to think to what an extent, in spite of our Lord's injunctions and warnings here, censoriousness prevails, not only among the mass of professing Christians, but even among the undoubted children of God! Of two or more motives by which any action or course may have been prompted, and only one of which is wrong, how readily do many Christians-in a spirit the reverse of love-fasten upon the wrong one, without any evidence, but merely on presumption! And even after they have discovered themselves to have wronged their neighbour-perhaps a brother or sister in Christ-by imputing to them motives to which they find they were strangers, instead of grieving over such want of love (Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8), and guarding against it for the future, are they not as ready again to do the same thing? We speak not of such snarling dispositions as seem incapable of looking upon any person or action but unfavourably-of which one meets with unhappy specimens in some whom one would fain include among the sincere disciples of Christ. But we refer to a too prevalent tendency in many who are above this Let such think whether, at the great day, they would like to have their own harsh measure meted out to themselves; let them remember to what a small extent one is able to enter into the circumstances of another; let them consider whether in any given case, their are called on to pronounce a judgment at all; and if they think they are, let it be with reluctance and regret that an unfavourable judgment is pronounced; and let full weight be given to extenuating circumstances. As the law of love demands all this, so shall we find, at the great day, that we have our own merciful measure meted out to ourselves. But after all,
(2) Self-knowledge will be the best preservative against a censorious disposition. He who knows how often his own motives would be misunderstood, if judged in every case from first appearances, will not be ready to judge thus of his neighbour's; nor will he who is conscious of his own uprightness, even when he has been betrayed into something wrong, be ready to put the worst construction even upon what cannot be defended. And as the censorious get self-punished even here, so a considerate, kind, charitable way of looking at the character and actions of others is rewarded with general respect, esteem, and confidence.
(3) Christian zeal must be tempered with discretion. No love to the souls of men can oblige a Christian to thrust divine truth upon ears that will not listen to it, that will but loathe it, and are only irritated to keener hatred by efforts made to force it on them (See Proverbs 9:7-8; Proverbs 14:7; Proverbs 23:9, etc.) And yet how few are there so virulent that love cannot approach them and persevering love cannot subdue them! Discernment of character is indeed indispensable for hopefully giving "that which is holy" to those who are strangers to it, and offering safely our "pearls" to the needy. But He who said to obstinate and scornful Jerusalem, "How often would I have gathered thy children, and ye would not" - He who has even for ages "stretched out His hands all day long to a disobedient and gain-saying people!" - will not have us too readily to despair of our fellow-men, and cease from endeavouring to win them to the truth. And surely, when we remember what forbearance we ourselves have needed and experienced, and how hopeless some of us once were, we should not be over-hasty in turning even from the obstinate opponents of truth and righteousness as "dogs" and "swine," whom to meddle with is equally bootless and perilous.
(4) Delicate and difficult as are the duties enjoined in this Section, demanding a high tone and involving habitual self-command, the disciple of Christ has an unfailing resource in his Father which is in heaven, to whom there is free access by prayer for all, and no believing application is made in vain.
(5) Had the universal depravity of our nature not been an understood and acknowledged truth, it is difficult to see how our Lord could have expressed Himself as He does in Matthew 7:11, nor can the full force of His reasoning be felt on any other principle. For this is it: 'The natural affection of human parents toward their children has to struggle through the evil which every child of Adam brings with him into the world, and carries about with him to his dying day; and yet, in spite of this, what parent is there whose heart does not yearn over his own child, or is able to resist his reasonable pleadings? But your heavenly Father has no evil in His nature to struggle with; and has a heart toward His children, compared with which the affections of all the parents that ever did, do, or shall exist, though they were blended into one mighty affection, is not even as a drop to the ocean: How much more, then, will He give good gifts to His pleading children!' What an argument this for faith to plead upon!
We have here the application of the whole preceding Discourse.
"Conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13-27), The righteousness of the kingdom," so amply described, both in principle and in detail, would he seen to involve self-sacrifice at every step. Multitudes would never face this. But it must be faced, else the consequences will be fatal. This would divide all within the sound of these truths into two classes: the many, who will follow the path of ease and self-indulgence-and where it might; and the few, who, bent on eternal safety above everything else, take the way that leads to it-at whatever cost. This gives occasion to the two opening verses of this application.