everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth." Is there any virtue in thus deceiving the people regarding the
possibilities of prayer?

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do
ye even so to them." This is the famous Golden Rule that has been
heralded as one of the most original portions of Jesus' teachings. But
Jesus admitted that he did not first state this rule when he said, "for
this is the law and the prophets."[30]

Confucius, born in 551 B.C., several times announced the rule, "What you
do not like when done to yourself, do not to others." This negative
statement is less effective than the Jewish rule, but both are admirable
regardless of who first formulated them. The Golden Rule is as valuable
coming from the Hebrew fathers as if Jesus had originated it.

The Golden Rule, however, is not perfect. It is one of the best rules of
the ancients, showing the desirability of reciprocity, but it does not
demand that our desires be always just, nor does it insure that what we
want done to ourselves will always be what others most need. It would be
consistent with the Golden Rule for a convivial man to entertain his
prohibition friends at a speakeasy, or for a Catholic to take his
atheist guests to daily mass. Possibly an even better rule than judging
others by ourselves would be to do unto others what best pleases them.

_Inconsistency_

"The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by
whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had
not been born."[31]

Apparently the arrangement between Jehovah and Jesus was that Jesus
should not give himself up as a sacrifice voluntarily but should be
betrayed by someone else; and yet, although the betrayal was desired,
the man who assisted was to be condemned.

The sacrificial plan for salvation was continued to the end in order
that "the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled."[32] The
scriptures were Jewish, so this is additional proof that Jesus, rejected
by the Jews, considered himself the predicted Jewish Messiah. While the
Jews expected a Messiah, there is no clear prediction of Jesus in the
Old Testament.

_Fear_

Jesus said, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body"; but when
threatened with bodily injury himself, he was afraid. "Then took they up
stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself."[33] "Then the Pharisees
went out, and held a council against him, h