The Light of the Body
By Kim Calvert
Matthew 6:22-23 "The
light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole
body shall be full of light. 23But
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!" [KJV]
These two verses I have never been able to grasp fully. I know that it
generally means that we should seek first the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness (Matthew 6:33). However, what does the singleness of an eye
have to do with it? What does the eye have to do with darkness unless you
are blind (now there's a thought)? What does having a single eye mean?
In verse 22 the word "light" in the first part of the verse,
has the following definition in Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary: photeinos
(fo-ti-nos'), Greek 5460, from Greek 5457 (phos);
lustrous, i.e. transparent or well-illuminated
(figurative). To me this really didn't add any understanding to the word
until I looked up the root word "phos". Its definition is: Greek
5457, phos, foce; from an
obsolete phao (to shine or make manifest,
especially by rays; compare Greek 5316 (phaino), Greek 5346 (phemi));
luminousness (in the widest application, natural or artificial,
abstract or concrete, literal or figurative).
The definition of "eye" is as follows: ophthalmos,
Greek 3788, of-thal-mos'; from
Greek 3700 (optanomai); the eye (literal or figurative); by
implication vision; figurative envy (from the
jealous side-glance).
From these definitions, it seems to me that the first part of verse 22
is saying that we are manifested (made known) by our vision in life.
"Single" in Strongs is haplous,
Greek 573, hap-looce'; properly folded
together, i.e. single
(figurative clear).
It seems that what Christ is saying is that if our vision is single
minded and clear then we are full of light. We are not to have more than
one goal in our life. Christ is saying the same thing in verse 24. You can
can't have two ultimate goals at the same time and love God above all. If
you have known anyone that physically has double vision, you know that it
causes problems for that individual. It will make him/her not be able to
see as well as he/she should. Likewise, if we try to serve God and
something else then we will have problems because our vision is doubled.
However, I am getting ahead of myself because we haven't looked at the
definition of "light" in the second part of verse 22. I assumed
at first that the definition was the same, but it isn't. "Light"
in this case has the following definition: luchnos,
Greek 3088, lookh'-nos; from the
base of Greek 3022 (leukos); a portable lamp or other illuminator
(literal or figurative).
It seems to me that the light in the first part of the verse has to do
with vision and that the light in the second part of the verse has to do
with being illuminated. Perhaps the second part of the verse means: If
your vision (purpose) is a single purpose then we shall be illuminated.
When something is illuminated, you can see it. When we are illuminated by
putting God first, we can see more clearly God's purpose for us. God
shines a light (illuminates) into our life when we make Him our focus.
What is even more interesting to me is the root of the word
"light" in the second part of verse 22. "From the base of
Greek 3022 (leukos)." When I looked up that meaning it read as
follows: leukos, Greek 3022, lyoo-kos';
from luke ("light"); white. It is very
interesting that it means white. White is the color that God uses to
indicate righteousness. When God shines in our life He makes us
white (righteous). A reference to this concept is found in Rev.
7:14 "...These are they which came
out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb." [KJV] The word "white"
here has the same root as found the second part of Matt. 6:22, leukos.
I believe what is being said here is that we are revealed by our vision
(purpose) in life. If our single purpose is God then we shall be filled
with the ability to see the truth and righteousness. And it is not us that
fills us. It is God.
What about Matt. 6:23(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! [KJV])? I
believe the key to this verse lies in the definition of darkness. The
definition is as follows: skotos,
Greek 4655, skot'-os; from the
base of Greek 4639 (skia); shadiness, i.e. obscurity
(literal or figurative). Obscure is significant to me. When our lives are
not focused on God, we, perhaps begin to wonder what it's all about or
even if it's worth all the trouble. I know I have had those feelings
especially when I haven't been as close to God as I should have.
It seemed to me, until I did this study that Matt. 6:22-23 were very
vague and fit into the surrounding verses like a very small peg in a very
big hole. It kind of went there but didn't quite fit. But, what Christ is
doing is illustrating in various ways that we are to do what Matt.
6:32 summarizes, "But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you." [KJV]
Does knowing the exact meaning of these words make us more righteous?
No. But what it can do is to remind us as we study these things what we
should really be focusing on in our lives and help us determine if we are
doing what we know we should be doing. |
The Light of the Body 