Sermon on the Mount - Eyes

(Matthew 6:22-23)

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Sermon on the Mount, Sermon on the Mount (Bible Study)

After discussing the Lord’s Prayer and the Pharisaical hypocrisies, Jesus continues by talking about the inner life of the disciples.
He has already spoken about the heart; next, he moves to the eye.
Ancient peoples often thought that light emanated from the eye.
This saying has basically two options for interpretation.
The first, a physiological approach, simply states, “The eye is the lamp of the body.”
Healthy eyes see light; diseased eyes do not. A blind person lives in a world that is dark.
But more likely, the meaning is meant to be metaphorical.
Jesus is using the eye analogous to the heart.
In this case the “eye” reflects the moral qualities of the person and is a conduit to the activities of the body.
This section also comes between two pericopes that speak to the issue of wealth.
People can either choose worldly treasures/masters or spiritual ones.
In this case, Jesus says, “If your eyes are single, your whole body will be full of light.”
The word “single” is usually translated as either single, simple, or sound. It is not usually associated with the eye.
The Greek word, however, is haplous, typically translated in other settings as “generous or generosity.”
The phrasing is very difficult; the words don’t make a lot of sense. But the meaning is pretty clear.
A single, simple eye expresses the idea of sincerity, truth, purity in heart.
If it’s single, if it’s healthy, it provides light for the person.
If it is single and healthy that person will have spiritual insight, spiritual discernment to know the true values of life.
That person will be kind, generous, happy to help others.
A “single eye” could also describe a person focused on one thing, on doing good.
“But if your eyes are evil, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
The word for “evil” is ponerous, a word generally translated as “grudging.”
The contrast between good eyes and evil ones becomes a reflection of one’s character.
“Good eyes” are contrasted with “evil eyes.”
Evil eyes reflect stinginess, miserliness, not wanting to share.
That person might also be greedy, dishonest.
Good-eyed people are the opposite.
“If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.”
Again, this does not refer to physicality, but to the notion of covetousness, greed, a godless person.
But, if it’s not single, if it’s evil, that person allows many masters to dictate his/her life.
One’s whole life will be spent in darkness, in confusion, in groping around.
This metaphor also has some literal applications.
The eye can reveal whether one is serving gladly or halfheartedly.
Coldness, superiority, all these things come out through the eye.
A look of the eye cannot be manufactured. It’s either there, or it isn’t.
We often hear that today in the phrase, “He couldn’t even look me in the eye.”
Isn’t it interesting that the eye has one language everywhere?
These last two examples by Jesus are best summed up by Psalm 119:36-37: “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

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