It is something of a surprise to consider that Matthew 7:7–12 are connected with the theme of judgment. Sure, Matthew 7:1–6 might focus on judgment, but after that we read of prayer and the Golden Rule. A wonderful promise from God that he will give good things to his children who come to him. An encouragement to likewise do good for those around us. Well known and widely quoted, these are some of Jesus’ most famous words.

Certainly, we can be glad that some Bible truth is widely known. We can be glad that these words have been widely adopted and quoted in the English language. At the same time, we should recognise that they are often presented out of context, and that all words quoted out of context are easily changed to mean something different.

For example, when it comes to Jesus’ teaching on prayer—ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened—these words have become a staple diet in the vocabulary of the ”name it and claim it, health and wealth” movement. Jesus’ words are viewed as a promise that when you pray in faith, God will give you what you ask of him: See the exclamation mark there at the end of Matthew 7:11? Do not be deceived by dead theologians who say otherwise; you can have your best life now. It is a promise from God, believe and you will be blessed.

Likewise when it comes to the Golden Rule, ”do to others as you wish them to do for you,” divorced from its context, it is simply a general statement that has no real bite: Be a good person and make sure you do not hurt someone else. Be kind, be generous, give people the same space you want them to give you. That is how Jesus’ words have been generally co-opted. And the fact that they summarize the teaching of the Law and Prophets is taken as evidence that Christianity is really just like every other religion: Do good and you will earn God’s favour.

Context is important when it comes to interpreting what Jesus said. Context is important whenever we read and study Scripture—historical context, literary context. The Bible was not given to us in a vacuum and it is not a magical book where we jump around from one random verse to another in order to discover God’s will for my life. No, whenever we read a passage, we must think and ask, What do the verses say that come before and after? What are the big themes in the book as a whole? What was the author’s purpose in writing? Where does the book fit in terms of the story of the Bible? Are there similar passages elsewhere in the Bible that can guide our understanding? When reading a novel or a letter, we do not pick and choose sentences at random. We submit to standard rules of literary interpretation and the Bible is no different.

All this is to say that we must understand Jesus’ teaching on prayer (Matthew 7:7–11) and the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) in the context of what he has said about judgment within the church community (Matthew 7:1–6). There is a link between them. What he has said about judgment and correction in the church informs what he says on prayer and what he says on the way we treat others. That is the immediate and primary context from which we are to interpret his words. In case you remain unconvinced, this understanding is confirmed by the word which Jesus uses to begin his sentence in Matthew 7:12: ”so,” otherwise translated as ”therefore.” In other words, In light of what has just been said, here is the conclusion.

So, with the context in mind, we are ready to interpret.