The Golden Rule

Luke 6:27-38

GOLDEN TEXT: “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”—Luke 6:31

IN this lesson we have a portion of our Lord’s great Sermon on the Mount. This was not a sermon to sinners but to the Lord’s consecrated people; and although there were multitudes within the hearing of our Lord’s voice, all of whom belonged to the typically consecrated nation, yet our Lord addressed Himself specially to His twelve chosen disciples, who were being particularly and fully instructed, that they, under the spirit dispensation soon to be inaugurated, might become the twelve foundations of the heavenly Kingdom, represented symbolically in the New Jerusalem of Revelation.—Rev. 21:14

True, many of the features of this royal law were then, and still are, sound advice for all who can receive them; but the fact remains that comparatively few are blessed with the opening of eyes and unstopping of ears to permit their appreciation of these holy pearls of truth; and assuredly they were addressed to and intended for only those who could receive them. Thank God for the good hope that ere long, the Kingdom being established, all the blind eyes shall be opened, all the deaf ears shall be unstopped, and that in God’s due time these precepts of the Golden Rule of love will be appreciated by all and be applicable to all—whether they respond to them or reject them.

When seeking for an interpretation of the teaching of the Master not to resist the evil-doer, but turn the other cheek, we must look to our Lord and the apostles as examples. We find, for instance, that our Redeemer was smitten upon the cheek, and that while He did not literally turn the other cheek, He did not attempt to strike back, to retaliate even in word. In this indirect sense He did turn the other cheek. And this should mark our course. Our Redeemer did expostulate with His smiters in kindly terms, however, and we may properly follow His example, and consider it in full agreement with His instruction in this lesson.

Similarly the Apostle Paul, learning of the threats of the Jews against his life, did not make threats against them nor pray evil upon their heads; but he did use such steps as were at his command to thwart their evil designs, sending word to the governor and invoking the power of the civil authority; and on another occasion He defended Himself by appealing to the people.—John 18:22,23; Acts 23:1-5,17

In line with these illustrations of the proper course for a true Christian, we may use any moral influence we may possess to escape from the power of our enemies, and be assured that we will have the divine care and protection until our lessons and experiences are completed—until our time shall come to pass beyond the veil. But we are not authorized to retaliate.

Difficult as this proper course may appear, it undoubtedly will be found to be the best one. Remember our Lord’s words, “They that take the sword shall perish with the sword,” and again the apostle’s words to the church, “If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”—Matt. 26:52; Gal. 5:15

The Lord likewise counseled His disciples not to resist if they are legally deprived of their property. The parallel passage in Matthew 5:40 reads, “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.” The thought seems to be that if any one is disposed to go to law with you and take away your coat, you should settle with him, even if it deprive you of both coat and cloke.

We know that the Lord would be quite able to compensate us for anything we might suffer in way of loss in obedience to His direction, to whatever extent He might see would be to our advantage. We should never forget the two occasions on which the Lord told the disciples to cast in their nets after they had labored all night and had caught nothing, and how on both occasions miraculous draughts of fishes were caught.

He who is for us is more powerful than all they that be against us, and undoubtedly loyalty to Him and obedience to His words will prove eventually the better part. Let us remember also the proverb which says, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty.” (Prov. 11:24) It is not always those who fight most strenuously for their rights that fare the best even amongst the children of the world.

In similar strain the Great Teacher enjoins that we shall give and lend to those requesting. Love must be the basis of our conduct, as it is the very essence of the Master’s law. We cannot think that He meant we should neglect the interests of our own home and family in giving to others or lending to them. We are bound to suppose that our Lord in this, as in all things, wished His followers to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. What He wished to enjoin evidently was that spirit or disposition which would have pleasure in loaning or giving to the needy, and which if so circumstanced as to be able to comply with such requests would he glad to do so, using the proper discretion and wisdom, as to time, place and persons. In other words, the spirit of Christ is a benevolent spirit and not a mean or stingy one, and all the Lord’s people, by nature more or less selfish, need to learn this.

The instruction of our Lord “Judge not that ye be not judged,” is for the household of faith. It is useless that we give this advice to others than the pupils in the school of Christ, for, not having put themselves under the instructions of the Great Teacher, it is evident that His instructions are not appreciated by them. But all true disciples should give earnest heed to this injunction, and should understand that it contains a very important lesson, which unlearned will render them unready for the great examination, unready for graduation, unready for the Kingdom; because in their examination this will be one of the tests.

If they have been fault-finding, cynical, hypercritical, judging; others harshly and unfairly, it will be a clear token that they have not developed the spirit of Christ, the spirit of love. The measure of mercy and generosity we mete out to others will be the measure of divine mercy that will be extended to us. If all the Lord’s people could have well impressed upon their hearts this lesson from the Great Teacher’s lips, how wonderfully it would affect their attitude toward others, in thought as well as in deed; how generous, how forgiving, how sympathetic for the weaknesses of others they would become; how the spirit of love would grow in their hearts and manifest itself in their words and actions!

QUESTIONS:

Toe whom was the Sermon on the Mount addressed? Why can sinners not appreciate it at the present time?

What did Jesus mean when He said that when we are smitten on one cheek to turn the other cheek? Is this to be understood literally?

Do those who fight for their “rights,” always fare the best?

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