If your eye be single
What does this mean?
I think Jesus is referring to the special role of the eye (moreso than any other part of the body) in guiding the rest of the person. A focused eye guides your walk rightly, but with an evil eye one fumbles into the ruin of sin.
This reminds me of the instrumental role of the eyes of Adam and Eve during their fall. "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths." Since their eyes were instrumental (via deception and seduction) to closing the deal on rebelling against God, the first and immediate consequence was a taking away of any singularness of their eyes as they were then opened to their shame and nakedness. They misused their eyes for evil, so they were handed over to a fuller realization of this misuse. More than they bargained for. Now shame and guilt impair their God-given vision.
As to his last sentence, "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness" I'm not exactly sure if he is making a new point here or just emphasizing what was already stated. IF the light that is in thee -- if one deceives oneself into thinking one is full of light? -- another judgment of the pharisees and scribes? Not sure.
"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23 KJV
What does this mean?
I think Jesus is referring to the special role of the eye (moreso than any other part of the body) in guiding the rest of the person. A focused eye guides your walk rightly, but with an evil eye one fumbles into the ruin of sin.
This reminds me of the instrumental role of the eyes of Adam and Eve during their fall. "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths." Since their eyes were instrumental (via deception and seduction) to closing the deal on rebelling against God, the first and immediate consequence was a taking away of any singularness of their eyes as they were then opened to their shame and nakedness. They misused their eyes for evil, so they were handed over to a fuller realization of this misuse. More than they bargained for. Now shame and guilt impair their God-given vision.
As to his last sentence, "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness" I'm not exactly sure if he is making a new point here or just emphasizing what was already stated. IF the light that is in thee -- if one deceives oneself into thinking one is full of light? -- another judgment of the pharisees and scribes? Not sure.
posted by Joe Branca | 9:56 AM
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