Lesson 17 – Eyes is the Lamp of the Body

Matthew 6:22-23

”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!  No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

In these verses, Jesus uses the metaphor of the eye to convey a spiritual truth about the focus and allegiances of the heart. He emphasizes the importance of having a healthy perspective and discernment in matters of faith and devotion.

Jesus likens the eye to a lamp that illuminates the body. If our eyes are healthy, representing a clear and righteous focus, our entire being will be filled with spiritual light. However, if our eyes are unhealthy, representing a distorted or misguided perspective, our whole being will be filled with darkness.

The passage warns against the spiritual consequences of having a divided loyalty, particularly between serving God and serving money. Jesus teaches that it is impossible to fully and sincerely serve both God and material wealth. The pursuit of wealth and worldly possessions can easily become a master that competes for our allegiance and devotion.

Jesus invites his followers to make a conscious choice in determining their priorities and ultimate allegiance. He encourages them to wholeheartedly devote themselves to God and His kingdom, recognizing that this requires a deliberate rejection of the love and obsession with material wealth.

The passage highlights the spiritual significance of our allegiances and the potential dangers of a divided heart. It urges believers to cultivate a single-minded devotion to God and to align their priorities and values with His kingdom, recognizing that true fulfillment and eternal significance are found in serving God rather than pursuing material wealth.

However, the underlying message emphasizes the importance of having a proper focus, discernment, and undivided loyalty in matters of faith and devotion. It calls believers to prioritize their relationship with God above worldly pursuits and to be intentional in serving Him wholeheartedly.