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Verse 12: "The Golden Rule," was common folk lore and probably did not originate with Jesus, though he might have quoted it as here:
Do to others as you would have them do to you
This is not bad advise though its flaw is that makes each of our personal whims / desires / egos the arbiter of what is good. It is not difficult to find examples of someone who actually does not want what you want.
And the advise falls far short of "set your mind on God's kin-dom." Indeed, the next verses on the narrow gate and the hard road seem to belie the seeming ease of the Golden Rule.
Verses 15-20. False prophets and shysters abound in every age. The time of Jesus - and ours - are no exceptions. The warning to not be fooled by outward appearances or false promises is always wise.
Jesus himself was challenged to prove that he was the genuine article. And he did so by pointing to the fruits of his work and teachings. The Apostle Paul later identifies the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23:
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
David Ewart,
www.davidewart.ca
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