And If Thy Right Eye Offend Thee, Pluck It Out

GodJesusAndChocolate

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?
 

HTacianas

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?

They are hyperbole. I think it was St. John Chrysostom who commented on it. I don't remember exactly who it was. But he said if a person's right eye caused them to sin so they cut it out they would then simply sin with their left eye. Same as for the hands.
 
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Halbhh

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?
The hyperbole means to do what it takes to avoid moving yourself towards temptations.

Examples: you might have to avoid a street that has 'adult' stores, or you might need to stop buying a couple of 6 packs of beer every few days and not even go past a liquor store but detour around it.

Or don't linger in a group falling into disparaging gossip (slanders)....

So do what it takes. Do enough. Even if you have to sell your TV, if you can't manage a problem otherwise.

But another great help is to pray the prayer Christ gave us to pray each day in Matthew 6, which includes asking for this very aid, so that we better avoid temptations, and get delivered from evils.
 
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Sabertooth

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Even though plucking eyes and cutting off hands won't help, it applies to other practical actions.

If [drinking alcohol] causes you to sin [be mean or promiscuous] don't [drink alcohol].
If [gambling] causes you to sin [spend money that is not yours] don't [gamble].
 
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Clare73

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:29-30
What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?
That you must deal radically with your sin.
 
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Mark Quayle

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They are hyperbole. I think it was St. John Chrysostom who commented on it. I don't remember exactly who it was. But he said if a person's right eye caused them to sin so they cut it out they would then simply sin with their left eye. Same as for the hands.
I have often thought it doesn't matter what the apparent addiction was. A person still always does 1. What they really want to do (if only for that moment). 2. Something else that serves like purpose for them if they cannot have 1.

There is something behind the 'addiction', and that is what must be dealt with severely.
 
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Guojing

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?

If you know Jesus could heal anyone who comes to him, do you think it might be worth it to
  • Remove body parts if those parts are causing you to miss the kingdom, so that at the end of the Tribulation, you can get into the promised kingdom and get healed by him, OR
  • going to hell with all your body parts?
That is what Jesus meant.
 
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Vanellus

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The negative (sin) needs to be replaced by something better or one might find far more sins coming in:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near.6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Phil 4:4-9
 
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Dan Perez

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?

And this what many believe , as to what Matt 5:29 means .

This is a figure of speech called AMLIFICATIO : HYPERBOLE and Christ does not wish us to MUTILATE our bodies so that it must be Hyperbolical or Emphatic exhortation to avoid and remove and remove everything that causes us to stumble .

And by the way , Christ is speaking to Israel and NOT to the BODY OF CHRIST .

dan p
 
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martymonster

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?


It's all literal, until it's inconvenient!

I'm yet to see a member of the "it's literal" crowd, missing a hand, foot or eye.
 
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Vanellus

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Maybe better it's literal if that was the author's intention. Not being able to consult the author can make that a hard question but I think, for instance, the accounts of Jesus' post resurrection appearances (despite their quasi mystical nature e.g. walking through locked doors) are meant to be understood literally given later events in the NT.
 
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HIM

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And this what many believe , as to what Matt 5:29 means .

This is a figure of speech called AMLIFICATIO : HYPERBOLE and Christ does not wish us to MUTILATE our bodies so that it must be Hyperbolical or Emphatic exhortation to avoid and remove and remove everything that causes us to stumble .

And by the way , Christ is speaking to Israel and NOT to the BODY OF CHRIST .

dan p
Jesus allowed Himself to be mutilated unto death to give us victory over sin and death.
God forbid that it should be needed due to the Spirit that is in us but we should be willing to do what ever it takes to keep from sinning.

And
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
 
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throughfiierytrial

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?
They mean what they say...better to decide for Christ over any earthly goal...even over bodily need.
 
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ViaCrucis

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29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:29-30

What do these verses mean? Should we be cutting off our arm and removing our eyes in order to go to Heaven?

Jesus frequently employed hyperbole to make His point.

Jesus doesn't mean literally disfigure ourselves.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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throughfiierytrial

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Hyperbole?
That's not exactly hyperbole there as one typically employs that word. He is stressing the seriousness of sin and its consequences. The consequences of sin are so much more dire than plucking out one's eye...it can lead to destruction and hell.
We read on in the Scriptures that we can free ourselves from the trap...having become as a gazelle in a trap. How? Through repentance with faith in Jesus our Savior.
I believe that this statement of Jesus is in part meant to preach a need for repentance.
 
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martymonster

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That's not exactly hyperbole there as one typically employs that word. He is stressing the seriousness of sin and its consequences. The consequences of sin are so much more dire than plucking out one's eye...it can lead to destruction and hell.
We read on in the Scriptures that we can free ourselves from the trap...having become as a gazelle in a trap. How? Through repentance with faith in Jesus our Savior.
I believe that this statement of Jesus is in part meant to preach a need for repentance.


so it’s just a general warning about going to hell then? One would think then, that if he was going to go around warning people about hell, that he would be a little less cryptic about it, by speaking only in parables. One would also assume, if you are going to speak in parables, that the would have more meaning than just “look out for the bad thing”
 
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Hyperbole?

Hyperbole = exaggeration for effect.

Jesus wasn't telling anyone to literally pluck out their eye, or dismember themselves.

There is an apocryphal tradition that Origen of Alexandria supposedly had take Jesus literally when He spoke of being a eunuch for the kingdom, and so had his....appendage...removed. And that later realized his grave error in interpretation after it was too late.

Again, the story is apocryphal, there's no evidence for it whatsoever. But it seems to have arisen as a cautionary tale.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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