Matthew 5:29
Encyclopedia
Matthew 5:29 is the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
. It is the third verse of the discussion of adultery
. Jesus
has just stated that looking at a woman
in lust
is equal to the act of adultery itself and in this verse he recommends gouging out one's eye
to prevent sin
ning.
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
The World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:29
The Greek is literally "causes you to stumble," but stumble is a common metaphor for sin
and some versions translate it this way for greater clarity. This loses the wordplay. Where normally eyesight is what prevents one from stumbling, Jesus here states that eyesight should be sacrificed to prevent the greater stumbling of sin. The verse is similar to Mark 9:47, and a version much closer to that in Mark appears at Matthew 18:9.
This verse, along with the next one, is the most extreme part of the Sermon on the Mount. France notes that the severity of this verse is unparalleled in the contemporary literature. It advocates an action that is extremely drastic. No major Christian denomination has ever taken this verse literally, no monk
has ever plucked out his eye to prevent temptation (though the early church father Origen
castrated himself, i.e. removed a body part that caused him to sin). Most commentators take this verse as a clear example of hyperbole
, Jesus is using an extreme example to make sure his audience understands the importance of his teachings. Jones notes that the mention of only the right eye makes it clear that Jesus is not meaning for this to be taken literally, as the left eye would be just as likely to lead into sin. The obvious hyperbole of this passage have led some commentators to see other difficult parts of the Sermon as hyperbole, such as Matthew 5:39
and 40
.
Nolland notes that within the harshness of this verse, there is also a message of redemption. If the sinner acts quickly to avoid sin, Gehenna will be avoided.
As with Matthew 5:22
, the word translated in many versions as hell
is Gehenna
, and there is great debate about whether Jesus was talking about the physical valley of fire or an afterlife of damnation
. Gundry feels that the reference to Gehenna is eschatological. He notes that the reference to the "whole body" implies that the wicked will also enjoy full body resurrection in the end times, prior to being thrown into hell. This is counter to the standard understanding of only the worthy being resurrected. Gehenna appears six other times in the Gospel of Matthew: 5:22
, 5:30
, 10:28, 18:19, 23:15, and 23:33
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
. It is the third verse of the discussion of adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
. Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
has just stated that looking at a woman
Woman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
in lust
Lust
Lust is an emotional force that is directly associated with the thinking or fantasizing about one's desire, usually in a sexual way.-Etymology:The word lust is phonetically similar to the ancient Roman lustrum, which literally meant "purification"...
is equal to the act of adultery itself and in this verse he recommends gouging out one's eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
to prevent sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
ning.
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
- And 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.
The World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it
- out and throw it away from you. For it is more
- profitable for you that one of your members should
- perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:29
The Greek is literally "causes you to stumble," but stumble is a common metaphor for sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
and some versions translate it this way for greater clarity. This loses the wordplay. Where normally eyesight is what prevents one from stumbling, Jesus here states that eyesight should be sacrificed to prevent the greater stumbling of sin. The verse is similar to Mark 9:47, and a version much closer to that in Mark appears at Matthew 18:9.
This verse, along with the next one, is the most extreme part of the Sermon on the Mount. France notes that the severity of this verse is unparalleled in the contemporary literature. It advocates an action that is extremely drastic. No major Christian denomination has ever taken this verse literally, no monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
has ever plucked out his eye to prevent temptation (though the early church father Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
castrated himself, i.e. removed a body part that caused him to sin). Most commentators take this verse as a clear example of hyperbole
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally....
, Jesus is using an extreme example to make sure his audience understands the importance of his teachings. Jones notes that the mention of only the right eye makes it clear that Jesus is not meaning for this to be taken literally, as the left eye would be just as likely to lead into sin. The obvious hyperbole of this passage have led some commentators to see other difficult parts of the Sermon as hyperbole, such as Matthew 5:39
Matthew 5:39
Matthew 5:39 is the thirty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This is the second verse of the antithesis on punishment...
and 40
Matthew 5:40
Matthew 5:40 is the fortieth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This is the third verse of the antithesis on punishment....
.
Nolland notes that within the harshness of this verse, there is also a message of redemption. If the sinner acts quickly to avoid sin, Gehenna will be avoided.
As with Matthew 5:22
Matthew 5:22
Matthew 5:22 is the twenty-second verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount...
, the word translated in many versions as hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
is Gehenna
Gehenna
Gehenna , Gehinnom and Yiddish Gehinnam, are terms derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ; one of the two principal valleys surrounding the Old City.In the Hebrew Bible, the site was initially where apostate Israelites and...
, and there is great debate about whether Jesus was talking about the physical valley of fire or an afterlife of damnation
Damnation
Damnation is the concept of everlasting divine punishment and/or disgrace, especially the punishment for sin as threatened by God . A damned being "in damnation" is said to be either in Hell, or living in a state wherein they are divorced from Heaven and/or in a state of disgrace from God's favor...
. Gundry feels that the reference to Gehenna is eschatological. He notes that the reference to the "whole body" implies that the wicked will also enjoy full body resurrection in the end times, prior to being thrown into hell. This is counter to the standard understanding of only the worthy being resurrected. Gehenna appears six other times in the Gospel of Matthew: 5:22
Matthew 5:22
Matthew 5:22 is the twenty-second verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount...
, 5:30
Matthew 5:30
Matthew 5:30 is the thirtieth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Part of the section on adultery, it is very similar to the previous verse, but with the hand mentioned instead of the eye. For a discussion of the...
, 10:28, 18:19, 23:15, and 23:33