Welcome!

QUESTION 172
In Matthew 5:29 it says, “And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable unto thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” What does this mean?

ANSWER:
Somebody has well said, “When a verse makes good sense, then seek no other sense, lest it become nonsense” Would it make good sense to chop off your hand or pluck out your eye? We must not take the words of the Lord to be literally carried out. You might pluck out your right eye, but your left one can still offend you.

In Matthew 5:28 the Lord speaks of looking after a woman to lust after her and says that that person has already committed adultery in his heart. Now He goes on to say in Matthew 5:29 if your looking at a woman to lust after her “CUT IT OUT.” Not your eye, but the looking after her in that way. In other words, what you are watching that hurts you “cut it out” The next verse He mentions the same thing about the hand. In other gospel He mentions the foot. What He is teaching is this; if what you look at (eye) or do (hand) or where you go (foot) is hindering you from being saved, then “cut it out,” because it is better to do that then perish in hell. He is teaching that men should repent of what they are doing that is harmful and sinful or they will perish. Luke 13:3 Regarding the “eye” David said, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” Psalms 103:3. Job said, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid” Job 31:1 Good advice from two of God's old prophets.

What about you? Are your trying or trusting?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

Return to Salvation Questions Main Page

Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen