Chaplain’s Corner

The Golden Rule

I wonder, do you consider what the effect or influence, if any, your decisions, actions or words might have on another? When you are faced with how you will live your life, how you will respond or react in different situations; do you have a code or a rulebook? Do you have strategies or language that help form your decision making?

As we continue to explore, the theme of Community, I want you to consider Jesus’ teaching and in particular, one aspect of the Sermon on the Mount. Where He introduced the concept of the golden rule.

We note that Jesus never actually called it the golden rule, nor will you find it called so in the Bible. It was given this title much later in history. Legend has it, that when Roman Emperor, Alexander Severus (222-235 AD), adopted the golden rule as his personal motto, he had it written in gold on the walls of his palace and on public buildings!

When Jesus came on the scene, there was a question posed to him. It was one often put to Rabbis, scholars, teachers and preachers of the time. The question effectively was, ‘How do you summarise the Torah, the first five books of the Bible into a sentence?’ How do you make the more than 600 rules for living, easy to remember!

So Jesus, God in person, summarised the ten commandments and these 600 plus other rules down to two – Love God and Love Others.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

He went on to say this in another way, the way that is most commonly known, as the golden rule. He said: 

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 (ESV) 

If there is a golden rule, I wonder if you’ve questioned if there are lesser rules? Well, the answer is yes. The golden rule is different to the wooden rule for example. 

The Wooden Rule

The wooden rule states: Do to others what they do to you. It’s tit for tat. 

For example, if I buy you lunch, you buy me dinner. If you pinch me, I punch you. You criticise me, I gossip behind your back. It’s actually when you consider it, the lowest level of maturity, it’s how toddlers act, isn’t it?  You took the Buzz Lightyear I was playing with, so I took Mr Potato head and wacked you over the head with it!

Sadly many never grow beyond this level of maturity. You could be aged 60 and still be emotionally stuck and seeking revenge. You just need to the read the comments section on YouTube for proof! Sadly it is actually where most people are at.

The Silver Rule

Second you have the silver rule: Don’t do to others what you’d not have them do to you.

This negative version of golden rule predates Jesus. 

Whatever is hateful, do not do to your neighbour. Hillel

Whatever you do not want people to do to you, do not do to them. Confucius

Do no harm. Buddhism

Do no evil. Google – their original catch cry and moral compass  

This kind of thinking was all over the eastern world before Jesus arrived on the scene. And it’s not bad, but the issue with the silver rule type of thinking is that you could actually live it out by doing nothing. We could just avoid people all together! True?

There is a big difference to not doing something, so to avoid suffering, and actually doing something to alleviate suffering. Yes?

Do no harm. It’s a great idea, we’d all agree, however, it’s not the same as love your enemy. Turn the other cheek. Or don’t oppress the poor through your shopping habits. Doing justice for the poor is a whole other level. The silver rule is great but it doesn’t get you far enough.

So, Jesus stated a similar thing but turned it on its head in a positive way: ‘Do to others.’ ‘As you would wish’ ... As far as we know no one had preached it or taught it in this way before!

Living by the golden rule requires a humble love, the strengthening of the Holy Spirit, the assistance of God, prayer and intentional action. It can be easy to say and more difficult to do. However, I am sure you will agree, living by it can be transformational both to our own lives and in the lives of others within the community in which we live.

God bless,

Pastor Matt Daly

College Chaplain