Matthew 7:13

"Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

Key Reflection

In Matthew 7:13, Jesus encapsulates a central ethical teaching from both the Torah (the Law) and the Prophets by turning it into an accessible golden rule for his listeners. The original audience would have been familiar with the concept of reciprocal justice or "an eye for an eye," but Jesus shifts this to a more positive command, urging them to treat others as they wish to be treated. This teaching reflects the broader emphasis in the Sermon on the Mount on love and compassion, transforming what could have been seen as harsh retributive justice into a call for mutual kindness and empathy.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate. Christ here compares the way to life to an entrance through a gate. The words straight, and strait, have very different meanings. The former means not crooked; the latter pent up, narrow, difficult to be entered. This is the word used here, and it means that the way to heaven is pent up, narrow, close, and not obviously entered. The way to death is open, broad, and thronged. The Saviour here referred probably to ancient cities. They were surrounded with walls, and entered through gates. Some of those, connected with the great avenues to the city, were broad, and admitted a throng.

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