The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 243

(ver. 20). •Lay up treneure indeed, ·but in (Revised Version); 6 AJxvo, (eh. v. HJ, note). ' the right plnoo ( cf. e. still more striking cll88 The thought or the power which treasure in John vi. 27); observe that in both cases it has of attracting the heart forms the transi- is "for yourselves.'' Lightfoot(' Hor. Hehr.,' tion to the need of a pure und eteady "eye" 'on Ver. I) quotes an interesting Haggada hcavcnwerds. The bodily eye is taken as - from Talm. Jer., • Penh,' 15b (equivalent to the symbol of the outlooking power or the Talm·. Bab., • Baba Bathra,' Ua), in which soul, not the sonl-the inner man-itself, "Mouobazes, the king,'' when blamed for but its outlooking power. As the body ie, giving so·much to the poor, defends himself illuminated by the eye, i.e. as by the eye at length: " My fath~rs laid up their wealth the bodily constitution learns its environ- on earth; I lay up mine in heaven," etc. ment, and naturally, almost automatie11lly, But our Lord here docs not mean to limit his tends to accommodate itself to it, so is it reference to almsgiving. He thinks of all with the gaze of the soul. If this be npon that has been mentio11ed since eh. v. 3 (cf. the things of this world, the sonl perceives,. Weiss)as affording means of heavenly wealth. and tends to acoommodate itself to, the- -Upon earth; upon the earth (Revised Version). things of this world; if upon things in ·Our Lord here wishes to emphasize the heaven, it perceives, and tends to accom- locality as such ('rl -rijs ris): in. ver. 20 modate itself to, the things iu heaven. The- rather the nature and qnality of the locality Authorized Version "light'' is, therefore, (i11abp<111rfi). Wheremoth(cf.JaLv.2,3; Isa. imperfect, for the gaze of the soul is not li. 8, especially LXX.). Either diructly or "light" (4'ws), but a "lamp'' (A6xvas). As, by its larvm, whether the treasure be clothes the bodily eye is not itself light, but only an or food. Or rust. lilly power that eats, or instrument for receiving 1rnd imparting light, corrodes, or wastes (fJp@rru). •Doth oorrupt ; so in the mere gaze of the soul there is no Revised Version, doth consume. " Corrupt" inherent light, but it is the means of receiv- "bas now a ·moral significance, which doea ing and imparting light to the soul. It not in any degree appertain t.o the Greek " therefore thine eye be single. 'fhe word (Humphry). 'Ag,a.111(., (ver. 16, note) is "single" (a.1r.\avs) presents some difficulty. here used of the complete change in the (I) If it meant" undivided," it would doubt- appearance or even of the complete destruc- less continue the illustration of the lamp, tion caused by these slow but sure enemies with an undivided as contrasted with a of ee.rthly wealth. And where thievea, divided wick, but it has no such meaning. Before, physical or non-responsible a.gents; (2) It states the opposite, not to di visiom, here, humo.n beings. Break through (B,ap6rr- but to folds (tlida Trench, • Syn.,' § lvi.) ~ rraua-,11); "dig through" (of. oh. :11.iiv. 43; it is " single" as opposed to " plicate," an,l Luke JI.ii 39 ; cf. Job ll.ll.iv. 16, LXX.). therefore can hurLlly contain any direot Where the houses are so frequently made of reference to the lamp. Its meaning rntber mud or sun-burnt brioka, this would be com- appears.to be purely metaphorical, and the paratively tnsy. word seems to be applied directly to the • Ver. 20.-But lay up (ver, 19, note). functions of the eye in 1·elation to the body. 'Ver. 21.-For where. A further reason If the eye be "single" and {to nee another for laying np lr~a.surea in heaven: wherever but rclak,1 metaphor) straightforward in its 'they are they have a positive effect on the working, then the body receives through it soul. Your treasure; thy{Revised Version). the light that it ought to receive. So is it The singular was altered by the copyhts so with the gaze of the soul in its effect on the as to correspond with the plul'nl found in inner man. (3) Perhaps, however, hAoJ, tho earlier part of the utterance and in is here Wled in the sonse of uon-coruponud the undisputed text of Luke. But our Lord (cf. Plato, 'Rep.,' 517. E); in this cnse free loves to speak to each soul individually. from auy foreign substance to bar the light Your heart (eh. v. 8, note). from passing through it (cf. eh. Yii. 3, and Vera. 22, 23.-The light of the body ls the Basil, • De Spil'itu 80.ncto,' ix. § 23, aqq.). eye, etc. • Parallel pussage : Luke :Ii. 34- Thy whole body shall he full of light ( ~•m- 36, where it immediately follows the illus- 11bv l'na.,), Well-lighted in itself, and bright tration of putting a lamp under the bushel iu appearance to others (of. v•4'•>-11 <jlomvf,, (eh. v.15). The e:11.cessive difficulty of Luke's eh. :11.vii. 5). The word chosen seems to ver. 86· points to Luke having preserved indicate, not meroly that tho holly is, throng!:. on the whole the more· original form of tho the eye, lighted, but ulso that it itself bo- saying; but it aeems quite impossible to say comcs in measure, like the eye, full of light which is its more original position. It suits for others. All one's powers become illu- the oontell.t quite as well in Matthew ns in mined with the Divine light, and the illullli- Luke, while the mere verbal similarity of nation shines through. But if thine eye be A6x11as may 1111.Ve cansed it to be placed in evil, etc. &il (1ron1pd,) ; ver. 13, note. Luke after his ver. 83 (cf. vcr. 21, infra, Vilinted, worthle~s. As an eye that does note). The light of the body; Ille lump not fulfil its nntural function, so is that gaz()  236 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MA.TTIIEW. [en. VI, 1-34.