Matthew 6:22-23

The facts:

What is the main comparison or metaphor that Jesus uses in these verses to illustrate what he is talking about?

The eye is the lamp of the body.

What set of contrasts does He give based on that metaphor? What does this lamp illuminate?

If Your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

In His summary statement, what hint does He give as to why the eye has so much influence? Where is this "light" he is talking about?

If the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Interpretation:

context: Why did Jesus say this parable? What problem was He addressing? What are some ways in which His hearers eyes were in danger of being dark?

What are some examples in the context of "selective vision?"

look at speck rather than log. worrying rather than looking at the birds and learning of God's love. loving only friends.

What topic is Jesus dealing with in the previous and following parables? focus, the need for single-minded dedication, having right priorities because the heart will guide one to guard whatever is seen as valuable. Choose carefully those things on which You will place value.

This is in a section where Jesus is expanding on reasons not to do acts of righteousness before others because it is a hindrance to doing real acts of righteousness before God. The reason he just gave was that one should not seek approval of men because it won't last, but instead one should seek it of God because it cannot be destroyed.

In what ways does the eye function like a lamp to the body?

A lamp allows you to see by creating light, an eye allows you to see by observing light.

If He wanted to compare the eye with something that produces light, why not compare it with the sun? What is it about a lamp that is particularly fitting to comparison with an eye? What strengths and limitations does it share with the eye? You don't use a lamp when the sun is out because a lamp is a weaker light. It can only illuminate a small space. So if the eye is the lamp of the body, that implies that the body is in darkness, and that only some of the darkness will be "illuminated" by the eye.

Could we call this "selective vision?"

If a lamp can only illuminate some of its surroundings or an eye only focus on some of its surroundings, can you see why it is important for that lamp or eye to be "single?" All of this section is talking about what you value. You cannot count everything as if it had equal value.

What does it mean to say that the eye is the "lamp within you?" Why is its location important?

Is the eye the lamp that shines into the body or the part of the body that shines light on the body's surroundings?

How is having single "good" eyes like storing treasure in heaven?

How is having evil eyes like attempting to serve two masters? There seems to be a parallel between the singleness of the eyes and the singleness of masters. Is it true that what has your eyes is your master? Or if Your eyes are not focused that they are dark?

The eye has a lot of influence in the body doesn't it? If our eyes are seeing clearly, your whole body stays out of danger, but if your eyes are not functioning properly, the entire body is endangered. but that is the message of the "blind leading the blind" passage.

What does it mean for Your body to be full of light? Does it mean that Your entire life will be ruled by truth? Does this mean then, that if Your focus is right, your life will be filled with truth? Does it mean that if Your eye sees clearly, then truth can be applied, in other words that if you accept the truth you observe, that it will affect the entire life?

What does the body represent? How does the eye function like a lamp on behalf of the body.

What does the eye do?	A lamp?

see	illuminate

warn of danger	warn

give pleasure	show beauty

Two songs, pray together in twos or threes, share one area in your life that you have wished would change, it might be a relationship with a person, maybe with God, a difficult situation, just share one thing, and pray for each other.

Three steps, Most important part is app get there as soon as possible.

Intro:

Tonight's passage is dangerous to study if you do not want your walk with God to change, but if you are hungering for a closer relationship, this study has the potential to clear away things that hinder you.

The facts

What comparison does Jesus make to illustrate the role of the eye?

Based on this, what two ways can the eye affect the rest of the body? single, how can the eye be single? humans have eyes that must be single if they are to be of any use, do all creatures?

In this passage, what does Jesus say causes great darkness?

Interpretation:

What are some ways the eye functions like a lamp or light? (not like the sun)

(How is the relationship of the eye to the body like that of a lamp, and the thing it illuminates? The body doesn't look at the eye, it looks with it, through it, by it. In the same way, one doesn't look at a lamp, but at the thing it illuminates. So the eye is merely a means to perception, not the thing perceived. If your eye is working right, you do not even notice it. If it is not "single/clear," however, your whole body begins having problems. If the eye is extinguished, the whole body is plunged into darkness.

When Jesus refers to the eye, what part of His hearers' being is He talking about? is this moral or physical? what could single be if moral? the mind/perception. The brain that perceives, He's not referring to physical blindness.

What would it mean for ones perception to be dark or to be light? What do darkness and light represent?

In the context, what evidence do we have that Jesus' hearers' eyes were dark?

Some thought that earth is the most important. Some thought they could be greedy and religious, their perception was not clear, their focus was in the wrong place. Some were worried that God didn't care about them.

Application:

Do we ever look at things in such a way as to exclude light and bring darkness into ourselves?

What are some ways that a misplaced focus, or an unclear perception gets religious people in trouble today?

What about our perception of God? Ken,

How does our perception of God bring light or darkness into our entire being, our religious, social, economic . . . life?

(Examples)

What about our perception of other people? We do not always see them as they are, but as we are.

What about our perception of what is important?

Have you heard of churches who split over what color carpet to have?

Or folks who threaten to move their membership because they don't like the music or because someone looked at them wrong. Their emphasis is misplaced.

What about those who want to remove the speck from their brother's eye but have a plank in their own?

How did the focus and perceptions of the Jews prevent them from receiving the light of Jesus?

Let's pray that God will give us clear eyes to see Him and those around us. This is dangerous. Sing "Turn eyes on Jesus"

Who here is praising God for what they've heard tonight?