Mateo 6:22

22 La lámpara del cuerpo es el ojo; así que, si tu ojo fuere sincero, todo tu cuerpo será luminoso

Mateo 6:22 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 6:22

The light of the body is the eye
Or, the "candle of the body is the eye"; for the eye is that in the body, as a candle is in the house; by the light of it, the several members of the body perform their office; and what is said of the eye of the body, is transferred to the eye of the mind:

if therefore thine eye be single:
that is, if thy mind be liberal, generous, and bountiful: for Christ is still upon the same subject of liberality, and against covetousness; and here speaks entirely in the language of the Jews, who could easily understand him; in whose writings we read of three sorts of eyes; a good eye, a middling one, and an evil one; so in the offerings of the first fruits ^F19,

``(hpy Nye) , "a good eye" gave the fortieth, the house Shammai say, the thirtieth part; a middling one, the fiftieth; and an evil one, the sixtieth part.''

Upon which the commentators say ^F20, a "good eye" means one that is liberal, and an "evil eye" the contrary: hence you often read ^F21 of "trading, dedicating", and "giving with a good" or "an evil eye"; that is, either generously, liberally, or in a niggardly and grudging manner; which may help us to the sense of our Lord in these words; whose meaning is, that if a man is not covetous, but his mind is disposed to generosity and liberality; if this be the case, as if he should say,

thy whole body shall be full of light:
all thy actions will be influenced by this noble principle; thy whole life will be illuminated, guided and governed by it; thy mind will be cheerful and pleasant, and thy estate and condition will be prosperous and successful.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F19 Misn. Trumot, c. 4. sect. 3.
F20 Maimon. Bartenora & Ez. Chayim in ib.
F21 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 37. 2. & 71. 1. & 72. 1.

Mateo 6:22 In-Context

20 sino haceos tesoros en el cielo, donde ni polilla ni orín corrompen, y donde ladrones no minan ni hurtan

21 Porque donde estuviere vuestro tesoro, allí estará vuestro corazón

22 La lámpara del cuerpo es el ojo; así que, si tu ojo fuere sincero, todo tu cuerpo será luminoso

23 mas si tu ojo fuere malo, todo tu cuerpo será tenebroso. Así que, si la lumbre que hay en ti son tinieblas, ¡cuántas serán las mismas tinieblas

24 Ninguno puede servir a dos señores; porque o aborrecerá al uno y amará al otro, o se llegará al uno y menospreciará al otro; no podéis servir a Dios y a las riquezas