SOTM 35-Gold

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/som-35/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>“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).</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Comment</strong></p><ul><li>This sentence sums up much of what Jesus has been teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, i.e. the ethical parts of Matt 5-6.</li><li>God is good to us, a loving Father. We too should reflect his divine love.</li><li>This verse is called the Golden Rule. Whereas the Golden rule says <i>Do</i> unto others…, the Silver rule only says <i>Don't</i> do unto others…</li><li>Early Christians frequently paraphrase the Golden Rule both in the positive form and the negative form (e.g. Romans 13:10; <i>Didache</i> 1.2; Origen, <i>Commentary on Romans</i> 2.9.1.)</li><li>While the Golden Rule implies the Silver Rule, the Silver Rule does not imply the Golden Rule.</li><li>The Golden Rule embraces all of Jesus’ teachings about loving our neighbor, and Jesus gave both positive commands and negative commands. For example, we are not to be angry or to insult others. We are not to lust or desire someone else’s spouse. Nobody likes being physically, emotionally or verbally abused. No one wants to be slandered, cheated, assaulted, or robbed.</li><li>To hurt others is hardly praiseworthy—it’s the minimum standard of human decency!</li><li>The Silver Rule is much easier to follow than the Golden Rule.</li><li>The Silver Rule is already written in the hearts of all humans (<strong>Rom 2:15</strong>).</li><li><i>Chrysostom:</i> “Jesus signifies that morality is concise, easy, and readily known to all men.” <i>Homilies on Matthew</i> 23.6.</li></ul><p><strong>Examples of the Silver & Golden Rules in the world’s philosophies and religions</strong></p><p><strong>Examples of the Silver & Golden Rules in the world’s philosophies and religions:</strong></p><ul><li>Jainism: “A man should wander about treat