Matthew 7:12

Friday, 7 February 2025

 

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

 

“Therefore, all as what you may determine that men, they should do to you, thus also you, you do to them. For this, it is, the Law and the Prophets” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, Jesus finished a thought concerning the nature of man in relation to God. We are evil, but we still bear hints of His nature, doing what is right toward our children, but He provides more abundantly than we do. Now, He makes a summary statement, beginning with, “Therefore, all as what you may determine that men, they should do to you.”

 

He uses the word oun, translated as, therefore. HELPS Word Studies says, it “is typically translated ‘therefore’ which means, ‘By extension, here's how the dots connect.’” The question that arises quite often with the use of this word is naturally, “What dots?”

 

At what point do the dots begin for there to be this summary “therefore?” It is not always easy to determine. In the case of Jesus’ words now, it seems extremely difficult to find the logical point where His words began. In fact, the thoughts since 7:1 have not seemed to logically fit into what He is now saying in verse 7:12.

 

Despite this, He is giving a summary that consists first of how His disciples want others to treat them, “what you may determine that men, they should do to you.” In the manner they desire, He continues with, “thus also you, you do to them.”

 

His words are often called the golden rule. The way you want to be treated, so you must also do toward others. The thought, though expressed a bit differently, is similar to the conclusion others have made. For example, Confucius, using the negative of the precept, said, “Do not to others what you would not wish done to yourself.”

 

Likewise, Rabbi Hillel said, “...whatsoever is hateful to thee, that do not thou to thy neighbor, ‘this is all the whole law,’ and the rest is an explication of it, go and be perfect.” Jesus finishes His thought in a similar manner, saying, “For this, it is, the Law and the Prophets.”

 

In other words, this precept sums up the Law and the Prophets. The thought is not unlike what the Lord has already said in Leviticus 19:18 –

 

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

 

Jesus will again use this terminology concerning the Law and the Prophets later in Matthew 22, also citing Leviticus 19 –

 

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 ‘On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 22:37-40

 

Jesus refers to both loving God and loving one’s neighbor as being that on which all the Law and the Prophets hang in Matthew 22. However, Jesus only cites the part about interactions between oneself and others here. Therefore, the sentiment among many scholars is like that of Matthew Poole, saying, “This precept containeth in it the substance of all that is to be found in the books of the law and the prophets which concerneth us in reference to others, the sum of the second table, which requireth only justice and charity.”

 

In other words, they say that what Jesus is saying here isn’t a sum of the whole Law and the Prophets but that part dealing with interactions between others (the second tablet of the Ten Commandments), while the interactions between the Lord and men are contained on the first tablet.

 

This has to be read into Jesus’ words. He does not say this. He says that what He has taught is the Law and the Prophets. But how can this be if His words now only deal with interactions between others? The answer is what the word oun, therefore, summarizes, which is everything since Matthew 5 where Jesus said –

 

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20

 

Since that point, Jesus has brought in the nature of the law in many aspects, including Israel’s relationship with the Father. That is seen, for example, in the Lord’s Prayer and what He says in the surrounding words –

 

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do ot forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:8-15

 

One cannot disassociate his relationship with God when dealing with others while under the law. Jesus has clearly laid out the impossible weight of the law that rests upon those under it. It is the reason for His coming. A person’s righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees. In fact, he cannot err in a single point of law (a jot or tittle) and be held blameless before the law.

 

That is why Jesus’ coming was necessary. Without God’s personal intervention, not a person could be saved. Man, apart from the law, is already condemned (John 3:18, Romans 5:12, etc.). How much more condemnation, then, came with the giving of the law.

 

Man is being given schooling on what he needs to be right before God. That “what” is a Who, Jesus. Only He can meet the demands of the greater understanding of the law that He has set forth so far in Matthew 5-7. Without Him, all men stand condemned.

 

Life application: Paul is quite clear concerning the reason for the law –

 

“Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Galatians 3:21-25

 

The Gentiles were never under the Law of Moses. The Jews could not fulfill the Law of Moses but were kept under guard by it until Christ came. The law was given as a means of instruction concerning what God was going to do in the giving of Jesus Christ.

 

Unfortunately, so many have failed to see this. Instead, they keep themselves under the law (Jews), or they place themselves under the law that was never given to them (Gentiles trying to show God that they are worthy of His merit).

 

All men must come to God with empty hands. In essence, “Lord God, I have no merit or standing before You. I put my trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone.”

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the cross of Jesus Christ where we find complete reconciliation with You. Jesus is our only trust, and He is our complete hope. Amen.