IF THINE EYE BE SINGLE

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. 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!

Astigmatism is an anatomical defect that prevents the light rays emitted by an object from meeting at a single point within the eye. This results in an indistinct, or double, image being formed. Without corrective eyeglasses, there are varying degrees of "double vision." For instance, without corrective glasses the single red tail light of the car in front of me is seen as two tail lights. This is not blindness, but what is seen is not the true image before me. This is a physical example of the spiritual lesson Jesus is teaching in this text. Unless the eyes are focused on a single objective the mind becomes confused and its instructions to the body result in misdirection.

Physical blindness is, indeed, a very tragic circumstance in life. However, spiritual blindness has an even greater detrimental effect - it results in the tragic loss of eternal life. To have thy whole body ...full of light is to have perfect vision; able to see where every footstep is to be placed, and with every step taken the object one is traveling toward is neared. Such is the spiritual vision of a Christian when the eye is focused on a single purpose, and that being to attain eternal life in heaven. Paul relates the opposite of walking in the light by describing an alien of God's kingdom as one having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Eph. 4:18). He then reminds the Christians at Ephesus that spiritual blindness is curable. He reminded them that they were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, and encourages them towalk as children of light (See Eph. 5:8). By inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, the apostle John, after accusing them of spiritual blindness, admonished the lukewarm Christians at Laodicea to heed his counsel and (in a spiritual manner) anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. This body of Christians allowed worldly riches to become their focus in life. In doing so they became, from a spiritual standpoint, wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (See Rev. 3:17-18).

It is through a good, sound, and healthy eye that the human body receives the light that illuminates the world in which we live. A bad, unsound, and unhealthy eye fails to comprehend light, leaving the individual in darkness, and how great is that darkness! Such is the physical example our Savior uses to teach us about spiritual blindness. Paul, the apostle of Christ, understood this analogy in his prayer for the Christians at Ephesus. Because of their faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Paul was thankful for them and mentioned them in his prayers. On their behalf, he petitioned God to grant them spiritual wisdom and knowledge, and that the eyes of your understanding would be enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. With this single purpose in view, Paul then tells them the only way it can be achieved. It is necessary for every Christian believer to have his or her eyes focused on gaining knowledge and understanding this spritual truth- that by the working of His mighty power, (God) raised Him (Jesus Christ) from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all (See Eph. 1:15-23).

This lesson to the Ephesian brethren, as well as to us today,is the spiritual light that will fill the body of one having good eyes that are focused on the single hope of eternal life in heaven through Jesus Christ. This message is made even more meaningful when Jesus warns us that if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Singleness of sight gives us clear spiritual vision. Those who are spiritually confused, see life through clouded eyes, have double vision, are without commitment, and are filled with spiritual indecision. They are easily deceived into trusting in earthly treasures (Vss. 19-21 above), and by false teachers - tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive (Eph. 4:14). Trusting worldliness and false teachers blinds the eyes of mankind, and how great is that darkness!