Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Matthew 6:22

ὁ λύχνος. ‘The lamp.’ See ch. Matthew 5:15, where the A.V. gives to λύχνος the meaning of ‘candle’; the translation here ‘light’ is still less correct. The eye is not its self the light, but contains the light; it is the ‘lamp’ of the body, the light-conveying principle. If the eye or lamp is single, it admits the influx of the pure light only; if an eye be evil, i.e. affected with disease, the body can receive no light at all. The whole passage is on the subject of the singleness of service to God. There can be but one treasure, one source of light, one master. The eye is the spiritual faculty, through which the light of God’s truth is recognised and admitted into the soul.

In the current phraseology ‘a good eye’ meant a bountiful heart, ‘an evil eye’ a covetous heart (Lightfoot, Hor. Hebr. ad loc.). This gives to our Lord’s words the thought, ‘covetousness darkens the soul more than anything else, it is a medium through which the light cannot pass’; cp. 1 Timothy 6:10, where the same truth is taught in a different figure, ῥίζα γὰρ πάντων τῶν κἀκῶν ἐστὶν ἡ φιλαργυρία.

The connection in which the words occur in Luke 11:34 is instructive. The inference there is that the spiritual perception of the Pharisees is dimmed, so that they cannot recognise Christ.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Matthew 6:22

Old Testament

New Testament