Matthew 6 vs22-24 Two Masters

Verse 22

The lamp of the body is the eye, if therefore, your eye may be perfect all your body will be enlightened

The word lamp here is the same word translated as candle or lamp in Matthew 5:15. Disciples are to be the lamp which shines to the world. The eye of the disciple is the lamp for the disciples body.

The 1536 William Tyndale translates this as “Wherefore if thyne eye be single.” The TS2009 translates it as, “If therefore your eye is good.” The Literal Standard Version translates single or good as perfect. The word here has to do with being mature, of full age, complete. We might use the phrase ‘grown up’ today.

The Hebrew Scripture version translates the whole phrase as “All your body must be a sojourner, for if your eye is complete, all the body will be bright.”

As a disciple, we become mature, grown up when we set our eyes upon YHWH/God’s ways. Then our lamp will shine brightly into the rest of the world.

Verse 23

But if your eye may be evil, all your body will be dark, in you is darkness

This is all referring to an idiom. If you had a good eye, you were a blessing. You gave generosity to the poor and you looked out for the needs of others. You can see how this can related to the theme Jesus has been working through about treasures when you understand the idiom.

If you had an evil eye you were a curse. You were thought to be stingy, looking after your own needs, blind to the needs of those around you. You were greedy and held tight to what was yours.

Verse 24

None is able to serve two lords … you are not able to serve God and wealth.

Some translations use money or mammon in place of wealth.

Carrying forward what we’ve already learned and connecting this with what Jesus was saying about the religious leaders of the day wanting to be seen my man and our rewards and treasures, we can easily see the point here is not just about dollars and cents. It’s about who are you trying to please?

This is the theme from the time Jesus sat down and began to teach isn’t it?

Man sees the poor in spirit to be pitied, God sees them living in his kingdom.
Murder is something man can see, anger in your heart is something God sees.
Giving alms, praying out, and letting everyone know you are fasting are shows for man. It is what you do in secret that God sees.

If you please Yah/God, then you get rewards from him and treasures where he is. If you are trying to please man, then you get rewards and treasures where man is. It’s about the choices we make on whether we want to live in the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of Earth.

What choice do you make?

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