Introduction. God created our eyes to take in the light of this world and bring to our conscious mind the true reality of the colors, textures, and movements of everything around us. When light reflects on something beautiful, we clearly see its beauty and complexity and in awe we can praise our God. When light reflects off any approaching danger, it gives us time to react and protect ourselves before it arrives. Jesus took this truth and used it as a parable of how his words can do the same thing for unseen spiritual realities. Whether it is the promises of future glory or the absolute danger of certain emotions or actions, the words of Jesus must be seen as absolute truth.
- “The light of the body is the eye. So if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Mt 6, 22-23)
While the truth of the parable is evident to everyone in the material creation, the application in the spiritual creation is a bit more complicated. . Through Isaiah, God revealed that when the Messiah came, He would bring to light spiritual realities that had been forgotten (Rom. 1:19-23) or had not yet been revealed (2 Tim. 1:10).
- “ The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light, and to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned on them.” (Mt 4,13-18).
Since faith is the evidence/conviction of things unseen”, all who trust in Jesus will have confidence in his ” walk by faith and not by sight “. (Hebrews 11:1; 2 Corinthians 5:7). We believe him when he said ” I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life .” (John 8:12). With these truths in mind, Jesus’ words above become easier to apply and understand. Just as our physical eyes can be good or bad, so can our spiritual eyes. The definition of cataract is a perfect description of this parable. Jesus spoke of “ spiritual falls ”:
- “A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside the eye that leads to decreased vision. It is the most common cause of blindness…Visual loss occurs because opacification of the lens prevents light from passing through and focusing on the retina at the back of the eye.”
There were many in His day, as there are today, who believe that their vision is clearer than that of Jesus. They openly reject and contradict the light of his words. Although God sent Jesus to be the light of men “ glowing in the dark “crowds then and now” they loved the darkness more than the light ” and they have refused to come to listen to it or selectively listen only to what pleases them:
- “And this is the condemnation: that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be found out. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:19-21)
Thus the truth of the words of Jesus! What they saw as light within themselves was actually darkness. Jesus being the Word who was with God and was God.” if we do not fully trust Him and those He sent inspired by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26; 16:13), our eye is wrong and to that degree our body is still in darkness. Only when we see things exactly as Jesus has revealed them are we truly in the light.
- “ If you remain in My word, you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free .” (John 8:31-32)
Jesus also warned that we cannot be selective with this light . We must be careful that everything we believe and trust comes from Him or from those sent by Him. More importantly, we must realize that once the Scriptures reveal the truth, we must respond to these new realities, since be they promises or warnings. If we don’t act quickly, on the last day of judgment we might find that the light we thought was within us was actually darkness because what we trusted to believe and act was not the truth. The only way our eyes can be clear on any subject is if it is based solely on the light that He revealed. If we cling to something contrary to what He revealed, our eye is wrong! Only when our eye is clear on every subject can we be sure that our whole body is full of light.
- “No one who lights a lamp puts it in a hidden place or under a bushel, but on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when your eye is wrong, your body is also full of darkness. 35 See then that the light that is in you is not darkness. 36 So, if your whole body is full of light, with no part dark, your whole body will be full of light, like when the glow of a lamp shines on you. (Lk 11, 33-36)
The clarity of our spiritual sight is based on our complete and unbiased acceptance of the truths that Jesus revealed. . If our understanding is based on any other source than what He came down from heaven to reveal, then that part of us is still in the dark. Paul explained to the Corinthians that everything we see with our eyes in the material realm is only temporary. The things that Jesus came to reveal are invisible and eternal! What we gain from this world is only temporary.
- “We do not look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. Because the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
This includes all cultural norms and standards that change from generation to generation and differ from what is revealed in the Scriptures. Any misuse of fleshly desires and any decisions we make based on pride in this life is just a part of temporary darkness masquerading as light because everyone but Jesus is affirming it. Still, it will happen when we die or Jesus returns.
- “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. 17 And the world passes, and its desires; but he who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:16-17).
This is why we must pay careful attention only to the things that Jesus has revealed in the Scriptures of the New Covenant revealed through His apostles and prophets. Only what has come down from above and is found in the Scriptures is the true spiritual light.
- “All Scripture is inspired by God, and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be perfect, fully equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
This reveals a blatant blindness to current religious standards. If the Scriptures teach anything contrary to the current understanding of our time, many who call themselves Christians will set aside what Jesus revealed and, in doing so, will exchange the light of truth for the darkness of our present wicked age (Galatians 1:4 ), which is dying.
What Paul wrote about the role of women in the church has been sidelined by the darkness of false equality created by our wicked age.(1Cor. 14:34-38; 1Tim. 2:1-8), leading the multitudes back into darkness. What Jesus said about divorce has also been sidelined by the darkness of a selfish happiness that is not afraid to set aside the permanent nature of marriage (Mt 5, 31-32; 19, 1-12). What God revealed about marriage being a covenant between one man and one woman has been cast aside by the darkness of a marriage between two men or two women (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11 ).
If we want to be filled with light, we cannot allow our prejudices or worldly thoughts to be more important than what the Scripture reveals.. We must accept everything that is written and base our lives on it alone! If we do, these Scriptures will become a true mirror of reality. When we look at them and are transformed, we will begin to reflect the same glory that Jesus possessed while he was here.
- “Therefore we all, beholding with unveiled face as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed from glory to glory into the same image, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Conclusion. Jesus revealed a terrible reality that we can see so clearly in others. Multitudes think they are living and walking in the light even though by the words of Jesus they are still in darkness. Israel was so blinded by this that they crucified their own Messiah. However, what we see so clearly in others we often do not see within ourselves. The key to eliminating our own “ spiritual falls ” is found in Proverbs:
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will direct your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own opinion; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Miscellaneous scriptures for further study.
- “But the way of the righteous is like the shining sun, Which shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They don’t know what trips them up.” (Proverbs 4:18-19)
- “And Jesus said: For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may be blinded.” 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these words, and said to him, Are we also blind? 41 Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say: ‘We see’. Therefore your sin remains.” (John 9:39-41)
- “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having enlightened the eyes of your heart, so that you may know ” (Ephesians 1:16-18)
- “But still if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who perish, 4 whose understanding the god of this age has blinded the unbelievers, so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image, does not shine. of God, must shine upon them . 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 Because the God who commanded that light should shine out of darkness is the one who shone in our hearts, to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face…