It’s very clear that many of Jesus’s sayings were esoteric (to be understood by only those that have found true salvation, higher consciousness, enlightenment, etc. in conjunction with wisdom) Jesus said in Matthew 6:22,
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”
This cannot be taken literally and for sure it is clear that Jesus was using some esoteric wisdom here beyond the traditional religious wisdom we find in todays religious dogma. I have heard this explained and taught by saying that To be “single eyed” means to realize that God is all there is and takes up all space.” MMMM! Or another teaching is that the “single eye” is referring to the human heart or spirit. And it goes on and on what natural man may try to teach you as to what Jesus meant. Some believe that Jesus was referring to the “single eye” to be the “third eye” otherwise known as the inner eye of enlightenment (Eye of Horus). Ok. These sound good but they are not what Jesus wanted us to learn from this saying.
So, what is Jesus saying here. To get to the real interpretation we have to use some esoteric wisdom. You see, this a very important teaching here by Jesus that is so misunderstood by so many, including those that have the duty of teaching God’s word to others. I want to make it clear here what Jesus is saying so that the revelation of the truth be known and spread.
Lets take another look at the word “single” colored red in the verse above. It has also been translated in other versions as “clear, healthy, and perfect.” This is important because to be concise one must not get lost in translation, which is what happens so many times when trying to explain the word of God. It ends up wrong because the translation of the original word of God is not translated quite correctly. So, it doesn’t matter which word you use here, it is clear that Jesus is saying only the singular form of eye (not the plural which would be eyes). A single eye, or just one eye that is single, clear, healthy, or perfect. The fact of the matter is that we as humans physically have two eyes and not one. So it easy to deduce that Jesus is using a metaphor here when he says “thine eye be single…” Sooo, what is he referring to?
There is a great truth hidden in this verse. It is the key to a life of peace, contempt, and happiness. Please mark this in your bible and remember this teaching. I would like for the spirit of what I am showing you to open your EYE to the Kingdom of Heaven, the eternal LIFE within us all.
The key to what he means is found in the second part of the verse, “….they whole body shall be full of light.” Now, a learned person with spiritual wisdom when he reads this verse automatically knows that for a person to have their whole body full of light can only mean one thing, and that is that they have come out of the darkness and live their life in the light (life, joy, peace, wisdom). They have come into a higher consciousness and found who they truly are and taken on the mind of Christ (True Salvation). Sooo, again if that’s the case then what is this “single eye?” Well, it can only be one thing. Jesus is metaphorically using this term (single eye) to help us as humans to understand. Physically we know that the eye is the organ of the body in which we physically allow light into by opening our eyelid and allowing light to be conveyed into our whole body. Close the eyelid and then we have darkness. Physically it is easy for us to understand how our eye regulates the physical light of the world into our body simply by opening or closing our eyelid. That’s the physical aspect, but Jesus is trying to convey to us a spiritual meaning here. We must look at our spiritual eyesight. Our spiritual eyesight is our capacity to see and understand spiritual things. Do you see what I mean? That question (Do you see what I mean?) is not referring that do you physically see with your physical eye what I mean, but does your mind, the eye of your mind, perceive what was said. In a sense we are talking about SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION. Paul was commissioned by Jesus to “open the eyes of the blind.”
Acts 26:17-18
17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
For sure most people understand that Jesus wanted Paul to open people’s eyes (higher understanding) spiritually so they could understand the true word of god which leads them to salvation. But in addition to opening their eyes Jesus says “If thine eye be single…” here in Matthew 6:22. Sometimes to understand what Jesus meant, we have to look back at the culture in which Jesus lived and some of the idioms used at that time. All languages include idioms; figures of speech that don’t make sense literally, like “raining cats and dogs.” Let’s look at some scriptures of Jesus’ time to get an idea of the clear meaning of Jesus’ teaching here.
Prov. 28:22 A man with a bad eye hastens after wealth and does not know that want will come upon him
Here the bible gives a direct definition of what a “bad eye” means. – hastens after wealth.
Testament of Issachar, 3:4, 4:1-2, 5-6; 5:1 The Testament of Issachar is of the body of literature called the “pseudepigrapha” which is Jewish writings from 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. They are not canonical, but can be used here to show the cultural expressions and religious understandings of that time.
“I never slandered anyone, nor did I censure the life of any man, walking as I did in singleness of eye” (3:4)… “And now hearken to me, my children, and walk in singleness of heart… The single [minded] man covets not gold… There is no envy in his thoughts, nor [does he] worry with insatiable desire in his mind. For he walks in singleness, and beholds all things in uprightness of heart… Keep, therefore, my children, the law of God, and attain singleness…
Ah hah!! Right here in this scripture written during Jesus’ time is the exact text “singleness of eye.” Here the idea of “singleness of eye” means sincerity, simplicity, and a freedom from envy for money. A person with a “single eye” is one of integrity who does not have a secret agenda of self-advancement. Along with sincerity of spirit, he also has an integrity toward money that keeps him from covetousness and greed. The opposite of “bad eye.”
Does this agree with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6. Here is the longer context of Matthew 6:19-24:
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 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! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Yes, reading the verses 19 – 24 we see that meaning (sincere heart for storing his treasures in heaven/giving to those in need) fits perfectly within the context of what Jesus was talking about here. And “no man can serve two masters,” he must have single/clear vision and not double vision. When a man looks with a double interest upon both earthly and heavenly treasure, it makes him double minded. In fact, he is called a double-minded man in James 1:8. He is unstable in his commitment. The double-minded person, the man with spiritual double vision, this kind of person gets nowhere in the spiritual life. His whole life is in darkness. So, I ask again;
Do you see what I am saying? You must see not with your physical eye but understand with your spiritual perception and your understanding must be totally focused singly to GOD. The Lord warns us that we must make a decision to either serve God or to serve material things. Not both; “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” When you store up your treasures they must be stored up in heaven (give your riches to the poor and needy) and when you do that it must be with only a pure heart with no hidden agenda.
So give your treasure to the those in need and your treasure will be eternal. When you do, your attitude and outlook on life will also change. Your true compassion toward others shows your true heart. If you have a sincere, un-envious heart that wants to help others, your whole body will be full of light because of it. However, if you are blind to helping others and are only focused on self gain and greed, your heart will be dark indeed. You can’t let greed become your master and try to serve God. You have to make a choice.
In this passage, Jesus appears to be equating how we use our money with our on self attitude on life, and says that our true generosity is the true measure of us as a human. If we are ruled by money and the world, then we are not ruled by God. It is one of Jesus’ many teachings on money and conveys what our attitude should be about it. In our materialistic culture, his words are still relevant today.
If you come to Jesus, He will open your eyes. He is the light to which man must open the door of his dark heart. He is the light which man must take into his sinful life. This is done as you kneel down before Him and say, ‘Lord, I am sorry. I confess my sins to You. Open my eyes that I may see.’ God will touch your heart and you will begin to understand spiritual things. You will be filled with joy when you realize that you are beginning to understand the things you could not understand before. You are no longer in darkness because you have believed. The Lord Jesus declares in John 12:46, I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. Spiritual vision then comes when you turn your eyes away from the world, away from self, away from materialism, and turn your eyes wholly upon God.
May God speak to each one of us and give us a clear perception of spiritual things. We want our eye to be single. We want to come to Jesus, the light of the world, with single-hearted devotion to Him.
God bless you all,
Del
