And If Thy Right Eye Offend Thee, Pluck It Out

[throughfiierytrial]

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”

Jesus employs many manners of speaking...not just one. He does use parables...I do not agree this is a parable however.Understanding of sin and its consequences is central to the Gospel...it leads to a knowledge of the need for a Savior. Again, however, this is not the only message He speaks. As I first wrote you...we search the rest of Scripture...all His teachings are important and necessary for good understanding. One cannot read "better to pluck it out" and act upon it; it stands side by side with the rest of the Gospel.

 

[throughfiierytrial]

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

I do not believe this to be exaggeration as you do. It is true that it is better to lose an eye than to be cast into hell and that is His statement. It is not a command to gouge out one's eye, but to realize that sin can lead to hell and hell is worse than losing an eye. We thank and praise Jesus that we are saved from our sin and hence hell through faith and repentance.

 

[martymonster]

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

Yeah, I know what hyperbole means. What I mean is, that's not what Christ was getting at. The eye, hand and foot, are all symbolic.

 

[martymonster]

Jesus employs many manners of speaking...not just one. He does use parables...I do not agree this is a parable however.Understanding of sin and its consequences is central to the Gospel...it leads to a knowledge of the need for a Savior. Again, however, this is not the only message He speaks. As I first wrote you...we search the rest of Scripture...all His teachings are important and necessary for good understanding. One cannot read "better to pluck it out" and act upon it; it stands side by side with the rest of the Gospel.

Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
Mat 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.


Christ's parables are a way of keeping things away from prying eyes and ears. His parables are only for certain individuals (who's names are written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world) to understand.

 

[Ohorseman]

I plucked out my right eye, metaphorically speaking, with the help of my priest and Christian brothers. It was my right one, my dominant eye. You see, I had the sinful and oppressive habit of looking at things that I should not look at, due to lust of the flesh. It took about 3 years to get that eye out. That eye of the flesh was replaced with an eye of the spirit, and I look at new things now. Sometimes, though I hate it, my flesh wants its old eye back. I pray that with the help of the Holy Spirit this never happens.

If you are Christian, and ONLY if you are led to do so, pray for me, pray that I walk in the spirit, and that I worship our Lord in spirit and truth, all the days of my life, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Yeah, I know what hyperbole means. What I mean is, that's not what Christ was getting at. The eye, hand and foot, are all symbolic.

Symbolic of what?

-CryptoLutheran

 

[throughfiierytrial]

I plucked out my right eye, with the help of my priest and Christian brothers. It was my right one, my dominant eye. You see, I had the sinful and oppressive habit of looking at things that I should not look at, due to lust of the flesh. It took about 3 years to get that eye out. That eye of the flesh was replaced with an eye of the spirit, and I look at new things now. Sometimes, though I hate it, my flesh wants its old eye back. I pray that with the help of the Holy Spirit this never happens.

If you are Christian, and ONLY if you are led to do so, pray for me, pray that I walk in the spirit, and that I worship our Lord in spirit and truth, all the days of my life, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Seriously? Very sad to me that you actually plucked out your right eye and that a priests and Christian brothers assisted in this. Just as you state, one can still sin without the eye and in the same manner as one sins with the eye. I am certain you are understanding this more clearly now.

 

[Ohorseman]

Seriously? Very sad to me that you actually plucked out your right eye and that a priests and Christian brothers assisted in this. Just as you state, one can still sin without the eye and in the same manner as one sins with the eye. I am certain you are understanding this more clearly now.

LOL. That was metaphorical. I updated my post to show that.

 

[martymonster]

Symbolic of what?

-CryptoLutheran

Eyes: Symbolic for your understanding.

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Jer 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:


Hand: Symbolic for your works.

Ecc 2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:


Foot: Symbolic for your walk with God.

Lev 26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
Lev 26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Pro 1:15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
Pro 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.


Right hand: Symbolic for serving God, or thinking you are serving him.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:


So in other words, if you discover your doctrines are not Christ's, your walk is not with Christ, or your works are not his works, change course immediately. Another way of saying it would be, if you realise that you are following another Jesus, repent and follow the real deal.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.