Matthew 6:23
Verse
Context
Sermons
Emanuel Esh
G. Campbell Morgan
St. John Chrysostom
Elisabeth ElliotSummary
Commentary
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
But if thine eye be evil--distempered, or, as we should say, If we have got a bad eye. thy whole body shall be full of darkness--darkened. As a vitiated eye, or an eye that looks not straight and full at its object, sees nothing as it is, so a mind and heart divided between heaven and earth is all dark. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!--As the conscience is the regulative faculty, and a man's inward purpose, scope, aim in life, determines his character--if these be not simple and heavenward, but distorted and double, what must all the other faculties and principles of our nature be which take their direction and character from these, and what must the whole man and the whole life be but a mass of darkness? In Luke (Luk 11:36) the converse of this statement very strikingly expresses what pure, beautiful, broad perceptions the clarity of the inward eye imparts: "If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light." But now for the application of this.
John Gill Bible Commentary
No man can serve two masters,.... Whose orders are directly contrary to one another: otherwise, if they were the same, or agreed, both might be served; but this is rarely the case, and seldom done. This is a proverbial expression, and is elsewhere used by Christ, Luk 16:13. The Jews have sayings pretty much like it, and of the same sense as when they say (w), "we have not found that , "any man is fit for two tables."'' And again (x), "that it is not proper for one man to have two governments:'' their meaning is, that two things cannot be done together: for, either he will hate the one, and love the other; he will have less affection and regard to the one, than to the other; as the service or orders of the one, are less agreeable to him than the others; or else he will hold to the one; hearken to his commands, obey his orders, and abide in his service; and despise the other; show disrespect to his person, neglect his orders, and desert his service: ye cannot serve God and mammon. The word "mammon" is a Syriac word, and signifies money, wealth, riches, substance, and everything that comes under the name of worldly goods. Jerom says, that riches, in the Syriac language, are called "mammon"; and so the word is often used in the above senses, in the Chaldee paraphrases (y), and in the Talmudic writings; where (z) , "pecuniary judgments", or causes relating to money affairs, in which were pecuniary mulcts, are opposed to , "judgment of souls", or causes relating to life and death. The account and interpretation Irenaeus (a) gives of the word, is very wide and foreign; who says, that "Mammon, according to the Jewish way of speaking, which the Samaritans used, is one that is greedy, and would have more than he ought; but, according to the Hebrew language, it is called adjectively Mam, and signifies one that is gluttonous; that is, who cannot refrain himself from gluttony.'' Whereas it is not an Hebrew word, nor an adjective, but a substantive, and signifies riches; which are opposed to God, being by some men loved, admired, trusted in, and worshipped, as if they were God; and which is incompatible with the service of the true God: for such persons, whose hearts go after their covetousness, and are set upon earthly riches, who give up themselves to them, are eagerly and anxiously pursuing after them, and place their confidence in them; whatever pretensions they may make to the service of God, as did the Scribes and Pharisees, who are particularly struck at by this expression, both here and elsewhere, they cannot truly and heartily serve the Lord. "Mammon" is the god they serve; which word may well be thought to answer to Pluto, the god of riches, among the Heathens. The Jews, in Christ's time, were notorious for the love of "mammon"; and they themselves own, that this was the cause of the destruction of the second temple: the character they give of those, who lived under the second temple, is this: "we know that they laboured in the law, and took care of the commandments, and of the tithes, and that their whole conversation was good; only that they , "loved the mammon", and hated one another without a cause (b).'' (w) Praefat. Celi Jaker, fol. 3. 1. (x) Piske Tosephot Cetubot, art. 359. (y) Vid. Targum Onkelos & Jon. in Gen. xiii. 13. & in Jud. v. 19. & in Prov. iii. 9. & in Isa. xlv. 13. & passim. (z) Misn. Sanhed. c. 1. sect. 1. & c. 4. sect. 1. (a) Adv. Haeres. l. 3. c. 8. p. 249. (b) T. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 38. 3.
Matthew 6:23
The Lamp of the Body
22The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(John - Part 33): The Result of Rejected Light
By A.W. Tozer4.0K47:06ExpositionalMAT 6:23JHN 8:12JHN 12:46In this sermon, the preacher addresses the issue of individuals who have strayed from their faith and are now living in bitterness and defeat. He specifically mentions young men who were once filled with the light of God but allowed worldly influences, such as relationships, to change their future. The preacher emphasizes the importance of living a Christian life and being a good example to others. He also highlights the need for personal accountability and warns against disregarding the truth that God's light reveals in our lives. The sermon encourages listeners to examine their actions and make necessary changes to align with God's will.
Freedom From Witchcraft and Unclean Spirits
By Emanuel Esh1.2K50:41WitchcraftISA 58:10MAT 6:23JHN 1:4ACT 26:18ROM 13:121CO 4:51PE 2:9In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the book of John and focuses on the theme of light and darkness. He emphasizes that darkness is afraid of light and that the only thing that can overcome darkness is light. The preacher shares a personal childhood memory of visiting his great-grandparents and highlights the importance of repentance and allowing the light of Christ to expose and drive away darkness in our lives. He also references the resurrection of Jesus and how it overcame sin, death, and hell, shining the eternal light and glory into the hearts of believers. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the specific assignment given to believers to open the eyes of others, turn them from darkness to light, and preach the light of Christ.
The Darkness of Golgotha
By G. Campbell Morgan0The CrossSpiritual DarknessISA 45:3MAT 4:16MAT 6:23MAT 8:12MAT 27:46LUK 23:46JHN 1:9JHN 19:28JHN 19:30EPH 2:2G. Campbell Morgan explores the profound significance of the three hours of darkness at Golgotha, emphasizing that this period was not merely incidental but central to the crucifixion narrative. He reflects on how this darkness symbolizes the ultimate struggle against evil and the depth of Christ's suffering, revealing a transformation in the hearts of those present. Morgan highlights the psychological shift in the crowd, who moved from mockery to pity, and the significance of Jesus' final words as He emerged from the darkness. He asserts that the darkness represents a spiritual reality that transcends human understanding, ultimately leading to the treasures of forgiveness and redemption that arise from Christ's sacrifice. The sermon concludes with the affirmation that through His suffering, Jesus chose to save humanity rather than Himself.
Titus 1:5, 6
By St. John Chrysostom0MAT 6:23JHN 5:41ROM 2:29TIT 1:5TIT 1:9John Chrysostom preaches about the importance of appointing blameless elders in every city, emphasizing the qualities they should possess such as being faithful, not given to wine, and having obedient children. He highlights the need for leaders to be examples of virtue and to hold fast to the faithful word they have been taught, in order to exhort and convince those who oppose the truth. Chrysostom warns against the dangers of seeking glory from men, urging humility and a focus on true, lasting glory that comes from God alone.
(I) the Gospel of God's Great Love - Part 11 (You Must Be Born Again)
By Robert Wurtz II0PRO 20:27ISA 4:5MAT 6:23GAL 5:22EPH 2:2Robert Wurtz II delves into the tripartite nature of man, explaining how man is a spirit living in a body, making him a living soul. The primary problem of man is being born spiritually dead, separated from God's Holy Spirit, which hinders reflecting God's nature. This spiritual problem originated in the Garden of Eden with the entrance of sin, leading to a darkness that fills the body, heart, and mind.
Willed Blindness
By Elisabeth Elliot0PSA 18:28PSA 139:23MAT 6:23JHN 8:12ACT 13:102CO 4:6EPH 5:81JN 1:5Elisabeth Elliot preaches about the consequences of deliberate deception and the danger of holding onto darkness within ourselves, which can lead others away from the light of Jesus Christ. She emphasizes that God is pure light without any darkness, and if we harbor darkness within us, we risk drawing others into that darkness. The story of Elymas serves as a warning against willfully falsifying the truth and the resulting spiritual blindness that follows such deception.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
But if thine eye be evil--distempered, or, as we should say, If we have got a bad eye. thy whole body shall be full of darkness--darkened. As a vitiated eye, or an eye that looks not straight and full at its object, sees nothing as it is, so a mind and heart divided between heaven and earth is all dark. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!--As the conscience is the regulative faculty, and a man's inward purpose, scope, aim in life, determines his character--if these be not simple and heavenward, but distorted and double, what must all the other faculties and principles of our nature be which take their direction and character from these, and what must the whole man and the whole life be but a mass of darkness? In Luke (Luk 11:36) the converse of this statement very strikingly expresses what pure, beautiful, broad perceptions the clarity of the inward eye imparts: "If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light." But now for the application of this.
John Gill Bible Commentary
No man can serve two masters,.... Whose orders are directly contrary to one another: otherwise, if they were the same, or agreed, both might be served; but this is rarely the case, and seldom done. This is a proverbial expression, and is elsewhere used by Christ, Luk 16:13. The Jews have sayings pretty much like it, and of the same sense as when they say (w), "we have not found that , "any man is fit for two tables."'' And again (x), "that it is not proper for one man to have two governments:'' their meaning is, that two things cannot be done together: for, either he will hate the one, and love the other; he will have less affection and regard to the one, than to the other; as the service or orders of the one, are less agreeable to him than the others; or else he will hold to the one; hearken to his commands, obey his orders, and abide in his service; and despise the other; show disrespect to his person, neglect his orders, and desert his service: ye cannot serve God and mammon. The word "mammon" is a Syriac word, and signifies money, wealth, riches, substance, and everything that comes under the name of worldly goods. Jerom says, that riches, in the Syriac language, are called "mammon"; and so the word is often used in the above senses, in the Chaldee paraphrases (y), and in the Talmudic writings; where (z) , "pecuniary judgments", or causes relating to money affairs, in which were pecuniary mulcts, are opposed to , "judgment of souls", or causes relating to life and death. The account and interpretation Irenaeus (a) gives of the word, is very wide and foreign; who says, that "Mammon, according to the Jewish way of speaking, which the Samaritans used, is one that is greedy, and would have more than he ought; but, according to the Hebrew language, it is called adjectively Mam, and signifies one that is gluttonous; that is, who cannot refrain himself from gluttony.'' Whereas it is not an Hebrew word, nor an adjective, but a substantive, and signifies riches; which are opposed to God, being by some men loved, admired, trusted in, and worshipped, as if they were God; and which is incompatible with the service of the true God: for such persons, whose hearts go after their covetousness, and are set upon earthly riches, who give up themselves to them, are eagerly and anxiously pursuing after them, and place their confidence in them; whatever pretensions they may make to the service of God, as did the Scribes and Pharisees, who are particularly struck at by this expression, both here and elsewhere, they cannot truly and heartily serve the Lord. "Mammon" is the god they serve; which word may well be thought to answer to Pluto, the god of riches, among the Heathens. The Jews, in Christ's time, were notorious for the love of "mammon"; and they themselves own, that this was the cause of the destruction of the second temple: the character they give of those, who lived under the second temple, is this: "we know that they laboured in the law, and took care of the commandments, and of the tithes, and that their whole conversation was good; only that they , "loved the mammon", and hated one another without a cause (b).'' (w) Praefat. Celi Jaker, fol. 3. 1. (x) Piske Tosephot Cetubot, art. 359. (y) Vid. Targum Onkelos & Jon. in Gen. xiii. 13. & in Jud. v. 19. & in Prov. iii. 9. & in Isa. xlv. 13. & passim. (z) Misn. Sanhed. c. 1. sect. 1. & c. 4. sect. 1. (a) Adv. Haeres. l. 3. c. 8. p. 249. (b) T. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 38. 3.