Matthew 7:11
9 Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Leviticus Rabbah 34:14
AggadahYou said that all the people should go and distribute charity. As I was about to distribute charity my divorcee met me and said to me: 'Give me charity, for ever since the dayh when I left your house no good has befallen me.' Seeing she was naked and in great straits I was filled with compassion for her and gave her, in consonance with the text, 'That thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh'. Thereupon, R. Tanhuma raised his face to heaven and said to the Holy One, blessed be He: 'Sovereign of the Universe! If this man, who is flesh and blood, cruel and not responsible for her maintenance, was filled with compassion for her and gave her, how much more should You be filled with compassion for us who are the children of Your children, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and are dependent on You for our maintenance!' Instantly, rain fell and the world was relieved.
Notes and References
"... The things accredited to those on the right are actions performed to alleviate typical problems of the unfortunate - hunger, thirst, being an alien, lacking clothes, illness, and imprisonment. The actions spoken of are not mandated by law, religious or secular, nor do they ensue from a person's conforming to typical virtues, such as the classical virtues (wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice). They arise rather out of love and compassion. They correspond most closely to what are called in rabbinic tradition the gemiluth chasadim, the 'deeds of lovingkindness,' which the good person does to the unfortunates encountered. Moreover, the deeds listed are certainly not unknown in the OT and/or postbiblical Jewish tradition, as indicated in comment on each. In addition to the specific deeds mentioned, various OT texts and passages within Jewish literature commend the more general virtue of giving to the needy (Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalm 37:21; 41:1; Tobit 4:16; Sirach 7:32; 2 Esdras 2:20; Testament of Issachar 3:8; Testament of Zebulon 7:4; Vision of Ezra 7, 31; Leviticus Rabbah 34:9-14; Ruth Rabbah 5:9; and b. Sukkot 49b) and speak against oppressing them (Zechariah 7:9-10) ..."
Hultgren, Arland J. The Parables of Jesus: A Commentary (p. 314) William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000