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
Passages of scripture like the one here conjure up many images in our minds. They may be realistic, whimsical or a bit lopsided.
You might see a cyclops angling his head toward the sun. His lonely eye absorbing sunlight. He stretches, unfurling his torso, miraculously gaining height and heft. New muscles erupt—charged and pulsing—in the brilliant stream of light particles entering his body. Even though this image is fun to kick around and toy with, it is also clearly wrong.
As for an evil eye, you might recall Lady Catherine de Bourgh throwing shade at Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice. There is such disdain in Lady Catherine’s expression. It is a look worth practicing if you’re into that sort of thing—you know, complete and utter intimidation.
So what did Jesus mean when he spoke about the eye being single?
First, let’s take a look at a prevailing ancient idea during the time of Christ. It was thought that the eyes were the windows through which light entered the body. When eyes were in decent condition, they received light.
A single eye was a healthy eye.
Yet, the Hebrew language uses “eye” in many expressions to describe a person’s attitude and response towards those around them.
If our spiritual eyes are healthy, we will receive spiritual light. Our souls will be receptive to God’s love and leading. We will understand spiritual truth.
A person with a good eye is constantly on the look out to meet someone else’s needs. A person with a good eye is also generous to the poor.
An evil eye
On the other hand, an evil eye is an unhealthy or defective eye. It is having such bad vision that it causes someone to mistake what is directly in front of him or her.
On a spiritual level, this visual impairment exposes a person to deception. It darkens their mind to the truth.
Someone with an evil eye is a miser. He is selfish, greedy and blind to the needs of others.
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. Proverbs 28:22
Inviting trouble
When we help the destitute, God will ensure that our needs are met. However, if we neglect the poor or turn a blind eye, we will experience trouble and anxiety.
Proverbs 28:27 – He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
In the Old Testament, when God was building his chosen people, He commanded the person with wealth not to have an evil eye. Being stingy towards those in obvious need of financial help was a sin.
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Deuteronomy 15:9
A case of double vision
Double vision is a severe eye defect. Crossing our eyes can temporarily give the effect of double vision. Serving two different masters is also like having double vision. We cannot be loyal to God and be equally loyal to acquiring more and more money and possessions.
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. Matt 6:24
Jesus expects us to give to the poor
Luke 3:11 – He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
If our needs are met, then go ahead and meet the needs of someone else.
For the most part, when we give to those in need, we are not meant to advertise that we’re doing this kind act. Giving is to be done in secret.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory of men. Verily I say unto you, that they have their reward. Matt 6:2
When we show compassion to the destitute, God blesses us.
Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. Deuteronomy 15:10
Giving makes us happy
Acts 20:35 – I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Giving to the disadvantaged makes us happier. There is blessing in giving.
Proverbs 22:9 – He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
A generous person (with a bountiful eye) is a happy person.
Eternal rewards
Luke 12:33-34 – Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
Giving to the needy has eternal significance. Our good deeds towards the poor are not forgotten. They convert to eternal treasure in heaven.
Being kind to Jesus
When we give to the poor we are in fact giving to the LORD. Remember what Jesus said, whatsoever you have done to the least of these, you have done it unto me.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. . .
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:34-36,45b
Proof that we are born again
Proverbs 14:31 – He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
When we take advantage of the poor, we bring shame to God. If we show compassion towards them, we honour God. Grace, mercy, compassion, and generosity are characteristics of God. When we reflect these traits, it means that God is alive and at work in us. We reflect His image.
He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 3 John 11b
Tim’s Story – Acts of Grace
Tim was only five years old when he heard the terrible news. His dad, John, a police officer was involved in a horrific motorbike accident.
His dad had been patrolling the streets of Freemantle when a drunk driver ran a stop sign and collided into him. John was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital suffering a massive concussion, collapsed lungs, shattered ribs, and a broken shoulder.
He was in a coma for days.
Before the accident, John was strong, healthy and independent. Now he lay at home in bed, debilitated, unable to move, use the bathroom, or shower himself. He was physically battered and an emotional wreck.
It was 1965, Tim’s mum, Bev, was a homemaker with four kids under five. She was faced with the insurmountable task of running the house, looking after the children, and nursing her husband back to health.
Bev was at her wit’s end, but after a week or so after John was released from the hospital, a stranger knocked on their door. The man introduced himself as Len Thomas. He’d heard about Bev’s struggles and wanted to help the family out.
They’d never seen him before, and there he was on their doorstep, out of the blue, hat in hand, ready to work.
Len turned up at house almost every day with his sleeves rolled up. He carried John’s broken body from his bed to the bathroom and bathed him. Little Tim was curious about the stranger who came to wash his dad. Tim sat outside the bathroom door, listening as the water filled the tub, to his dad and the stranger talking in low soft tones.
It turned out that besides bathing John, Len was praying for him. Sometimes Len would lay hands on him and anoint John with oil. Len was an evangelical Christian.
Len’s acts of grace changed the course of Tim’s family forever. After his dad’s recovery, Tim’s parents placed their faith in Christ. They received the gift of eternal life by acknowledging their sins, asking for forgiveness and trusting in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. They became devoted lifelong believers.
Their family spent every Sunday morning and evening at church to worship and listen to sermons. According to Tim, “the church community was incredibly unifying and nurturing.”
The young boy in this story grew up to be a celebrated writer and novelist with 29 book titles to his credit including Cloudstreet, Blueback, Breath, and The Shepherd’s Hut.
He is none other than our very own, Tim Winton.
You just never know how acts of love and kindness will affect someone’s life.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9
Bibliography
Elliott, T. 2018. ‘Less than lovely’: what Tim Winton learnt about today’s men while surfing’, WAtoday.com.au. Retrieved 9 May 2023 from
Henry, M. 1961, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan, Michigan.
Macarthur, J. 2019, The Macarthur Study Bible 2nd Edition, Thomas Nelson Publishers, China.
Manning, G. 2011. ‘Good eye Bad eye’, Biola.edu. Retrieved 9 May 2023 from
https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2011/good-eye-bad-eye
The Quest Study Bible, 1994, Zondervan Publishing House, Michigan.
Tverberg, L. 2012. Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Zondervan, Michigan.
Unger, M.F. 1988, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Moody Press, Chicago.
