Matthew 6:22 Meaning and Explanation
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →As a sound eye fills the body with light, a heart fixed singly on God fills the whole life with clarity.
What Does Matthew 6:22 Mean?
Jesus uses a picture from daily experience to speak of the inner life. The eye is the lamp through which light enters; if it is healthy, the whole body walks in light. He is still speaking of treasure and the heart, now through the image of vision.
A 'single' eye is one undivided in its focus -- and the word also carried the sense of generosity. A heart fixed wholly on God, undivided by greed, fills the whole person with light. Such a life sees clearly, walks surely, and is flooded with the good it gazes upon. The way we look at the world -- with open-handed simplicity or with grasping divided desire -- determines whether our inner life is bright or dim. Jesus calls us to a single, God-ward gaze.
Matthew 6:22 in the Original Language
haplous (ἁπλοῦς), 'single' -- sound and undivided; the word also suggests generosity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 6:22
What does Matthew 6:22 mean?
As a sound eye fills the body with light, a heart fixed singly on God fills the whole life with clarity.