Digging Deeper - Having a Good Eye
All languages have figures of speech that outside of that culture might not make sense. If you talk about “beating around the bush,” what does that mean, for example? We kind of understand, but probably don’t know its origin. The phrase dates to medieval times when hunters hired men to beat the area around bushes as they hunted, to flush out game that was hiding underneath. The animal being hunted was not out in the open, not obvious, so you beat around the bush to scare him out. That evolved into our usage: when things aren’t obvious, not out in the open, you are “beating around the bush.”
In the middle of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:22-23).
What was Jesus saying? Well, he was a Jewish rabbi, and we need to hear these words within the Hebraic context to grasp his figure of speech. In the Hebrew culture, having a “good eye” vs. having a “bad eye” has ancient roots. Having a good eye describes looking out for others, to be generous to those in need. To have a bad eye meant you were greedy and self-centered, blind to the needs of others less fortunate than yourself.
In Proverbs we are told, “The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them” (Prov. 28:22). Translated literally “The stingy” is really “Those with a bad eye.” Or in Proverbs 22:9 it says, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” “The generous” is literally “Those with a good eye.” Even today in Israel, according to Lois Tverberg (author of the book Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus), those seeking help for charities will say in Hebrew, “Ten b’ayin yaffa,” which means “give with a beautiful eye.” When Jesus says, “The eye is the lamp of the body” he follows by saying a good eye will fill the body with light, while a bad eye will fill the body with darkness. Generosity, or stinginess, either way it colors our personality and our relationship with God.
This not only gives meaning to what Jesus says in chapter 6, verses 22 and 23, but it is the perfect lead-in to what he says immediately after those words, in Matthew 6:24, where we find, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or her will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” If you serve money, you will have a bad eye. And when in verses 19-21 he says to “store up treasures in heaven,” this is another Jewish idiom about giving to the poor. Go and read Matthew 6:19-24 with this new insight about having a good or bad eye.
Why is this whole concept so important to God? Because our relationship with money reveals our relationship with God. To have a “bad eye” pushes God away, as we push the needy away. To have a “good eye” brings God closer, as we reach out to those in need. Our attitude in giving speaks of our inner self, and it recognizes that sin has messed up this life, so those who have and those who do not have, aren’t always based on work ethic. If among the “haves” then we should do what we can to help the “have nots.” It’s OK to be discerning, but those truly in need should get our attention.
Surveys say 1/4 of regular church goers give nothing to the church or charity. Why do so many “Christians” have a “bad eye”? Consumerism, selfishness, a skewed view toward the needy. Whatever it is, let’s take another look at what our giving says about us. And let’s seek to have a good eye.
Cross Point: God built into the Law of Moses many commands about caring for the less fortunate. Farmers were to leave some of their crops for widows and aliens to glean, loans to the needy were without interest, and after seven years were forgiven, as examples (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 15:1-3).
In the middle of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:22-23).
What was Jesus saying? Well, he was a Jewish rabbi, and we need to hear these words within the Hebraic context to grasp his figure of speech. In the Hebrew culture, having a “good eye” vs. having a “bad eye” has ancient roots. Having a good eye describes looking out for others, to be generous to those in need. To have a bad eye meant you were greedy and self-centered, blind to the needs of others less fortunate than yourself.
In Proverbs we are told, “The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them” (Prov. 28:22). Translated literally “The stingy” is really “Those with a bad eye.” Or in Proverbs 22:9 it says, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” “The generous” is literally “Those with a good eye.” Even today in Israel, according to Lois Tverberg (author of the book Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus), those seeking help for charities will say in Hebrew, “Ten b’ayin yaffa,” which means “give with a beautiful eye.” When Jesus says, “The eye is the lamp of the body” he follows by saying a good eye will fill the body with light, while a bad eye will fill the body with darkness. Generosity, or stinginess, either way it colors our personality and our relationship with God.
This not only gives meaning to what Jesus says in chapter 6, verses 22 and 23, but it is the perfect lead-in to what he says immediately after those words, in Matthew 6:24, where we find, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or her will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” If you serve money, you will have a bad eye. And when in verses 19-21 he says to “store up treasures in heaven,” this is another Jewish idiom about giving to the poor. Go and read Matthew 6:19-24 with this new insight about having a good or bad eye.
Why is this whole concept so important to God? Because our relationship with money reveals our relationship with God. To have a “bad eye” pushes God away, as we push the needy away. To have a “good eye” brings God closer, as we reach out to those in need. Our attitude in giving speaks of our inner self, and it recognizes that sin has messed up this life, so those who have and those who do not have, aren’t always based on work ethic. If among the “haves” then we should do what we can to help the “have nots.” It’s OK to be discerning, but those truly in need should get our attention.
Surveys say 1/4 of regular church goers give nothing to the church or charity. Why do so many “Christians” have a “bad eye”? Consumerism, selfishness, a skewed view toward the needy. Whatever it is, let’s take another look at what our giving says about us. And let’s seek to have a good eye.
Cross Point: God built into the Law of Moses many commands about caring for the less fortunate. Farmers were to leave some of their crops for widows and aliens to glean, loans to the needy were without interest, and after seven years were forgiven, as examples (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 15:1-3).
Posted in Cross Points