Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 7:12

"All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets." — Matthew 7:12 (ASV)

St. Augustine of Hippo: The firmness and strength for walking the path of wisdom through good habits is thus set before us, bringing people to purity and simplicity of heart. After speaking at length on this topic, He concludes, All things whatsoever you would... For no one wishes for another to act toward them with a divided heart.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, He had previously commanded us, for the sanctification of our prayers, not to judge those who sin against us. Then, breaking the thread of His discourse, He introduced various other matters. Therefore, when He now returns to the command with which He began, He says, All things whatsoever you would... This means, “I not only command that you do not judge, but all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you unto them;” and then you will be able to pray and have your prayers answered.

Glossa Ordinaria: Alternatively, the Holy Spirit is the distributor of all spiritual goods so that the deeds of charity may be fulfilled, which is why He adds, All things therefore...¹

St. John Chrysostom: Alternatively, the Lord desires to teach that people ought to seek aid from above, but at the same time contribute what is in their own power. For this reason, after He had said, Ask, seek, and knock, He proceeds to teach openly that people should also make an effort for themselves, adding, Whatsoever you would...

St. Augustine of Hippo: Alternatively, the Lord had promised that He would give good things to those who ask Him. But so that He may acknowledge His petitioners, we must also acknowledge ours. For those who beg are, in everything except for material possessions, equal to those from whom they beg. With what face can you make a request to your God when you do not acknowledge your equal? This is said in Proverbs: Whoso stoppeth his ear to the cry of the poor, he shall cry and shall not be heard (Proverbs 21:13).

We can judge what we ought to give our neighbor when he asks of us—so that we ourselves may be heard by God—by considering what we would want others to give to us. Therefore, He says, All things whatsoever you would...²

St. John Chrysostom: He does not say, All things whatsoever, simply, but All things therefore, as if to say, “If you wish to be heard, in addition to those things I have already told you, do this also.” And He did not say, “Whatever you would have done for you by God, do that for your neighbor”—so that you could not say, “But how can I?”—but He says, “Whatever you would have done to you by your fellow servant, do that also to your neighbor.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Some Latin copies add the words “good things” here,ⁱ which I suppose was inserted to make the meaning clearer. For one might desire some crime to be committed for his own advantage and interpret this passage to mean that he ought to first do a similar act for the person from whom he expects the favor. It would be absurd to think that such a person had fulfilled this command. Yet the meaning is complete even without this addition.³

For the words, All things whatsoever you would, are not to be taken in a general or loose sense, but in their precise and proper meaning. For true “will” exists only in the good;ⁱ in the wicked, it is more accurately called “desire,” not “will.” It is not that the Scriptures always observe this distinction, but where necessary, they use the proper word so that no other meaning is implied.

St. Cyprian of Carthage: Since the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, came for all people, He summed up all His commands in one precept: Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.⁴

Pseudo-Chrysostom: For whatever the Law and the Prophets contain throughout the whole of the Scriptures is embraced in this one concise precept, just as the innumerable branches of a tree spring from a single root.

St. Gregory the Great: The one who thinks he ought to do to another as he expects others to do to him truly considers how he may return good for evil, and even better things for good.⁵

St. John Chrysostom: From this, what we ought to do is clear. Since in our own cases we all know what is right, we cannot use our ignorance as an excuse.

St. Augustine of Hippo: This precept seems to refer to the love of our neighbor, not the love of God, as in another place He says there are two commandments on which hang the Law and the Prophets. But since He does not say here, “The whole Law,” as He does there, He leaves room for the other commandment concerning the love of God.⁶

Alternatively, Scripture does not mention the love of God when it says, All things whatsoever you would..., because he who loves his neighbor must consequently love Love itself above all things. But God is Love; therefore, he loves God above all things.⁷

1. ord.
2. Serm., 61. 7
3. Serm. in Mont., ii, 22
4. Tr. vii
5. Mor., x, 6
6. Serm. in Mont., ii, 22
7. De Trin., viii, 7