“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” – Matthew 6:22-24.
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” – Luke 11:34-36
Double Vision
It is very common for the Gospel writers to “repeat” each other, recording the same sayings or perhaps miracles of Jesus. It is therefore no surprise how similar the two quotes above from Matthew and Luke are to one another. What I do find interesting however, is how different are the contexts in which they are found. Matthew’s verses are sandwiched between verses warning about where we are to store our treasures, and our inability to serve two masters, God and money. Appropriate enough for a former tax collector. Contrary, Luke’s verses are preceded by a rebuke to the crowds who were seeking after signs, and followed by Jesus’ very strong words about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and lawyers. What are Matthew and Luke teaching us in these passages, and what if any is the significance of the contexts in each passage?
The Eyes Have It
We know from experience, that our world is illuminated through our eyes. The more healthy the condition of our eyes, the more light they allow in and the better we can respond to our surroundings as we clearly see them. Contrarily, unhealthy eyes leave one groping in darkness. The importance of these simple truths is the correlation they have to the spiritual realm.
If a physically blind man tried to deceive himself regarding his ability to see, he would place himself in great peril. Yet it happens all the time with the spiritually blind. Matthew warns, “If the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.” How easy it is for man to claim he is spiritually enlightened when he is really in darkness. Let’s now look at the context of these verses.
Eyes and Materials
Matthew tells us not to store up treasures on earth because earthly treasures are temporal. Rather he encourages us to store up treasures in heaven where they will last forever. And then he gives this spiritual barometer in verse 21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” And then, as stated above, Matthew follows his teaching about the eye being the lamp of the body with his claims that no one can serve two masters. Instead, he says we will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. There is no middle ground.
Eyes and Miracles
In Luke’s Gospel, Luke records the fact that the growing crowds were seeking signs from Jesus. Jesus called them an evil generation and said they would be condemned by the queen of the South (who had the wisdom to seek out Solomon’s wisdom) and the men of Nineveh (who were wise enough to repent). Luke’s teaching about the eye being the lamp of the body, again, as mentioned above, is followed by numerous scathing remarks about the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day. What’s the connection?
All Eyes on Jesus
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” – Luke 11:33
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:4-5
“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” – John 1:9
“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk..”. – Revelation 23:2-4a
Jesus Christ came to earth as the true light, the light of the world. He was not put “under a basket” but was hung on a cross for all to see. As Jesus encouraged us, may we follow the lead of the Queen of the South and treasure the His teaching, and like the Ninevites, may we repent at His preaching. Those who do are spiritually illuminated and “full of light”. When we give our hearts to Jesus, the lamp of our body will be healthy.
If your spiritual eye is healthy, you will store treasures in heaven and not earth and your only master will be God.
If your spiritual eye is healthy you will embrace Jesus instead of asking Him for a sign, and you certainly won’t be blind to Him like the Pharisees and Lawyers.