The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 320

Vers. 34-36.-Spiritwil sight. • The light of the body is the eye;• i.e. the eye is ~~~ or~~. t~ro~gh which light enters _so lhat the min? perceives; and if our eye is smgle, 1f 1t 1s sound, and does not. give a double or distorted or coloured impres8ion, then the "wh<l)e body is full of light," then the man knows exactly what is about him and how to nee his bands and direct his feet; but if the eye be diseased, if it be "evil," giving false impressions, then all is confusion in the mind, and it is as if" the whole body were full of darkness," no member of the body can take its proper part- the bands do not know how to handle, nor the feet to walk. Here we have a parable, very easily understood. •• The spirit of man is the candle [lamp] of the Lord." God has given trnth to the mind as he has prepared light for the body; he has also given us a spiritual eye, an organ through which Divine truth enters the mind. We may call it mind, conscience, reason, the soul; it is of no consequence what we call it; it is that in us which distinguishes between right and wrong, righteousness and unrighteousness, truth and falsehood, nobility and baseness; it is that which gives us the place we occupy in God's creation. If the light we receive into us is sound, pure, healthy, then our whole soul is full of light, then we "see light in God's light." But if this inward light be confused, disordered, discoloured, our whole spirit is "full of darkness;" that is to say, if our understanding be darkened, if we are habitually judging unrighteous judgment, if our conscience be coodamning what is good and be approving what is evil, if our reason be misconceiving and misinterpreting, how hopeless is our condi!ion I When that which should lead is misleading, when tbat which should be guiding us into wisdom is betraying us into deadly error, wheo the light that is in us is darkness, "how great is that darkness" (Matt. vi. 23) I But if, on the other hand, our reason is directiog UB to right conclusions, and our conscience is "approving things that are excellent," tben our whole soul is walking and rejoicing in the light of the Lord, our spirit is full of light, it is a house whereio the bright shioing of the lamp of truth does give us light. What, then, brings about ba.d spiritual sight? What are the diseases of the inward eye? L PREJUDICE. How that warps the jn<lgment and blinds the eyes of men I Deter- mined to recognize one object only, men can see no other, however it may staud before them in bold relief. lt was prejudice that ma.de the meo of ChriRt's time fail to perceive that the kingdom of God had come among them. His wisdom, bid worth, his power, everything was distorted and misconceived by them; their inward eye W!l,S diseasP.J, and how great was the darkness that resulted I IL PRIDE. How many men there are walkiog, strutting, across the stage of life, confident, complacent, cootemptuous, that have beeo too proud to learn I Pride has bent their judgment, has affected for evil the inward eye; the truth has become distorted; there is darkoess in the sonL Well does the apostle say," If a man think himself to be wise, let Lim become a fool [in his own opiniou], that he may be wise." Pride blocks the path, while humility opens the gates of tlie kingdom of truth. "The meek will he guide in judpuent, the meek will he teacl.i hid way." IIL SELl"IB!illESB. The worst of all diseases spoiling the spiritual sight. The man who livt:11 under its evil domic,ioo "sees double," is mentally confused, wanders in bewilder- ing error. The slave-owner could not see the iniquity of slavery when his temporal iuteresl.S covered tbe tyes of his mind with a thick film of folsily. Present proi;pects, worldly advantag".s, f!etil1ly iudulgcnccs,-<lo the~ not form thick scales which co1·er on. :u. 1-51,) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE.