There is a passage in Matthew chapter 6, in the middle of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, that has always seemed a bit unclear to me. It reads like this in the NASB.
“The eye is the lamp of the body, so then if your eye is clear 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 that is in you is darkness How great is the darkness.” (Matt. 6:22-23)
If in this metaphor our eyes are like lamps that shine light into our bodies, how is it that He can then say our eyes are like darkness that can spread into us as well? How can it be both?
And if “lamps” are capable of serving dual functions, of both spreading light and darkness, how is it helpful for us simply to know about this strange phenomena.
In James’s epistle he says something similar which has been equally confusing to me. He writes.
“But no one can tame the tongue it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison, with it we bless our Lord and father and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth both blessing and cursing. My brotheren, these things ought not be this way.”
My initial reaction to this and Jesus’s teaching is,…But it is this way! And what is the point of these word pictures if they do not illuminate us to the source of the discord within us? If our eyes and mouths are vehicles of both good and evil, what is the point of saying so, if it does not also provide us insight on how it could be otherwise?
I was coming to believe that this was just one of those teachings where Jesus had intentionally disguised the message with vague metaphors to make sure that only those who really wanted to understand it could. Well, I finally decided I was up for the challenge and decided to dig in.
The larger context of Jesus teaching in Matthew 6: 19-24 contrasts earthly treasures with heavenly treasures. In the proceeding verses Jesus states, “For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” And in the concluding verses He states, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
This offers some critical insights, for it brings in the concept of individual volition and choices to be made, which will in turn affect our outcome. But again, like in the James passage, there seems to be little indication in the immediate text of how our body parts are empowered to be vessels of honor rather than vessels of dishonor. Although it’s clear there is a choice we must make, what gives us the ability to make that better choice?
Later, in James chapter 4, while addressing other vices, and sins, the apostle finally points out some key insights. He writes this starting in verse 4.
“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think the scripture speaks to no purpose; He jealously desires the spirit which He has made to dwell in us. He gives a greater Grace, therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your heart you double minded, be miserable and mourn and weep and let your laughter be turned into morning and you’re joy to gloom. Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you.”
Finally, in this passage, we discover a prescription offered for those who find themselves compromised in these duplicitous ways. The crux of the problem is pride, resulting in a disconnection from God, who Himself is the source of all light, and life, and goodness. And so it is through a posture of humility and seeking after Him, that He then bestows upon us, in fact within us, His Holy Spirit.
So returning now to the original text I started with. What are we to make of this metaphor of a lamp and the light, or lack thereof, that comes through it? Eugene Peterson’s translation/paraphrase, The Message, I think offers some important insight here. It reads:
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!”
While Peterson definitely takes some creative license here, I think the direction he takes this passage is really helpful. First of all, it does make way more sense to think about our eyes as a window, which lets in, or doesn’t let in light, rather than the source of light itself. Secondly, his adjectives of squinty-eyed and distrustful are also very helpful in understanding the posture which shuts ourselves off from God’s light.
In the final chapter of Revelation, where John is describing the “new heavens and earth” he writes,
“And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.” (Rev 22:3-5)
Many people think this is a wooden literal description of the kingdom of God sometime yet off in the future. It could be. But I think it’s also an appropriate description of the reality of our relationship with God right now! Neither the light of the Sun (the forces of nature) or a lamp (a man made light) ever has or ever could enlighten our souls to see the things that we need to see in order to walk in righteousness. We always have and we always will need the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in order for our lives to accurately reflect His character. And we receive this light and empowerment not merely by imitating Him, but by receiving His very Spirit into our own.
This is not an event that happens at just one point in our lives. Just as we must continually eat food to nourish our bodies, we must continually receive the light of God’s communication with us in order to realize the mature and “very good creation” He as intended for us to be.
Photographers in particular appreciate the function of light. We celebrate the way it brings out the textures and colors and depth of the subject matter we are focused upon. We also know that it takes certain qualities of light to bring out the best in a subject matter. Dim and artificial light generally makes a scene or subject matter look flat. Direct bright sunlight usually makes a scene overly contrasty; blowing out the highlight areas and making it difficult to look into the shadows. But a soft ambient light is usually the best for bringing out the fullness of a subject matter. And when I am able to capture it happening, as I did on this particular autumn morning, it feels very special indeed!
It’s not that any of these creations weren’t beautiful before the perfect light fell upon them but it’s only when the light fully illuminates them that all of their intended glory shows forth. I think that’s what God has in mind for us too. Even for those of us who feel spent; who have survived many a hard day, and are feeling pretty rugged from the long hard journey. I believe even then that God’s gracious and illuminating presence can work within our hearts, to make us come alive again, and exhibit His glorious character in the world around us.
The apostle Paul describes this beautiful potential in 2 Corinthians 4:6-11
“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.“
Like the autumn leaves which are only around for a brief season, we know our lives in the flesh are numbered. But, if we receive God’s light, specifically by letting His Holy Spirit shine through us, we can be certain that our lives will be both transformed and have an inspiring effect on the world around us.
Through Spiritual Eyes 
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