What is the Golden Rule? | GotQuestions.org

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In today's video I'll answer your question, what is the Golden Rule? Then afterward, as always,

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I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end. The Golden Rule is the name given to a principle

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Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount. The actual words, Golden Rule, are not found in Scripture, just as the words,

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Sermon on the Mount, are also not found. These titles were later added by Bible translation teams in order to make

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Bible study a little easier. The phrase, Golden Rule, began to be ascribed to this teaching of Jesus during the 16th to 17th century.

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What we call the Golden Rule refers to Matthew 7, verse 12. So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.

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For this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Jesus knew the human heart and its selfishness.

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In fact, in the preceding verse, He describes human beings as innately evil. Verse 11, Jesus' Golden Rule gives us a standard by which naturally selfish people can gauge their actions, actively treat others the way they themselves like to be treated.

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The English Standard Version translates the Golden Rule like this, "...whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.

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For this is the Law and the Prophets." Jesus brilliantly condenses the entire

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Old Testament into this single principle, taken from Leviticus 19, verse 18. "...do

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not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.

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I am the Lord." Again, we see the implication that people are naturally lovers of self, and the command uses that human flaw as a place to start in how to treat others.

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People universally demand respect, love, and appreciation whether they deserve it or not.

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Jesus understood this desire and used it to promote godly behavior. Do you want to be shown respect?

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Then respect others. Do you crave a kind word? Then speak words of kindness to others.

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It's more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20, verse 35. The Golden Rule is also part of the second greatest commandment, preceded only by the command to love

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God Himself. Matthew 22, verses 37 -39. What is interesting to note about the

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Golden Rule is that no other religious or philosophical system has its equal. Jesus' Golden Rule is not the ethic of reciprocity so commonly espoused by non -Christian moralists.

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Frequently, liberal critics and secular humanists attempt to explain away the uniqueness of the

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Golden Rule, saying it's a common ethic shared by all religions. This is not the case.

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Jesus' command has a subtle but very important difference. A quick survey of the sayings of Eastern religions will make this plain.

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Confucianism – Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you. Hinduism –

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This is the sum of duty. Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you. Buddhism –

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Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. These sayings are similar to the

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Golden Rule but are stated negatively and rely on passivity. Jesus' Golden Rule is a positive command to show love proactively.

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The Eastern religions say refrain from doing. Jesus says do. The Eastern religions say it is enough to hold your negative behavior in check.

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Jesus says to look for ways to act positively. Because of the inverted nature of the non -Christian sayings, they have been described as the

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Silver Rule. Some have accused Jesus of borrowing the idea of the Golden Rule from Eastern religions.

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However, the texts for Confucianism, Hinduism, and Buddhism mentioned earlier were all written between 500 and 400

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BC at the earliest. Jesus takes the Golden Rule from Leviticus, written about 1450

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BC. So Jesus' source for the Golden Rule predates the Silver Rule by about a thousand years.

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Who borrowed from whom? The command to love is what separates the Christian ethic from every other religion's ethic.

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In fact, the Bible's championing of love includes the radical command to love even one's enemies.

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See Matthew 5, verses 43 -44 and Exodus 23, verses 4 -5.

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This is unheard of in other religions. Obeying the Christian imperative to love others is a mark of a true

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Christian. In fact, Christians cannot claim to love God if they don't actively love other people as well.

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If someone says, "'I love God' and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love

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God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4, verse 20. The Golden Rule encapsulates this idea and is unique to the

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Judeo -Christian scriptures. Want to learn more? Subscribe so you don't miss the next video! Visit GotQuestions .org

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for more great content. And check out the details section below this video, there you'll find one book I recommend, along with links to several related questions.

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