John, caught in the relentless whirlwind of life’s daily grind, was in charge of the company picnic. His temper flared and he blew a fuse when the heavens opened up, raining cats and dogs. His best laid plans went up in smoke. Ironically, his buddy, a TV weatherman, had given him a heads-up straight from the horse’s mouth – a warning of impending heavy rain. John had dismissed it as leg-pulling, but now he realized he was up a creek without a paddle. “Well, I guess that’s just the way cookies crumble,” John muttered, fretting over the possibility of getting the axe from his boss.
In our daily discourse, idioms like “a bull in a China shop” and “when the cows come home” pepper our language with vivid expressions. These phrases have ingrained themselves into our speech over the years to the point of becoming commonplace. They’re like word pictures painting vivid depictions of various scenarios. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?” or “I’m just killing time” are perfect examples.
Hebrew idioms have similarly woven themselves into millions’ everyday conversations. Consider, for instance, the biblical expressions such as the story of a man unwilling to “go the second mile” or the celebration that goes, “we’re going to kill the fatted calf.” She couldn’t perceive the “handwriting on the wall,” and another believed he could “walk on water.”
Yeshua, too, employed a Hebrew idiom when He proclaimed His mission was not to “destroy the Law or the prophets.” He used a phrase familiar to his audience in biblical times. Accused of misinterpreting the Torah, Yeshua asserted that He was, in fact, teaching it accurately. What exactly did Yeshua mean by “destroy the Law” and “fulfill the Law”? These terms were like tools in the arsenal of rabbinic argumentation.
When one sage believed that a colleague had misinterpreted a passage of Scripture, he’d accuse, “You are destroying the Law!” Predictably, in most instances, his colleagues would vehemently disagree. What was “destroying the Law” to one sage was “fulfilling the Law” (correctly interpreting Scripture) to another.
In simple terms, Yeshua was stating, “Don’t even entertain the idea that I intend to nullify the Law through misinterpretation.” My intent is not to weaken it but, by faithfully interpreting God’s Written Word, to strengthen it. I would never invalidate the Law by misinterpreting it.”
Matthew 6:22-23 says: “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness” (KJV). Regrettably, translators and educators have grappled with the Hebraic concept of the “evil eye” for an extended period.
• “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (NKJV).
• “If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light” (NKJV).
• “Therefore, if your eye is sound, your whole body shall be full of light” (MKJV).
• “If then your eye is true, all your body will be full of light” (BBE).
• “If your eye is unclouded, your whole body will be lit up” (TCNT).
• “Thine eye may be perfect, all thy body shall be enlightened” (YLT).
This can be quite perplexing. Yeshua’s contemporaries immediately grasped His meaning when He spoke of the “evil eye.” This concept was, and still is, deeply rooted in Hebraic culture. But what did Yeshua truly intend? From a Hebraic perspective, what is an “evil eye” or a “good eye”? To unravel this idiom and bring clarity, let’s first delve into the context of Yeshua’s words and their connections in the Torah/Tanakh.
First, let’s zero in on the context. The very next verse, after the mention of the “evil eye” sheds light on its significance.
Matthew 6:23-24 explains, “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
When Yeshua referred to the “bad eye,” He wasn’t alluding to poor eyesight or advocating for LASIK surgery! From the context, it’s evident that Yeshua was employing a Hebrew expression to address human greed. Each time He referred to the eye, He addressed the avarice issue. An “evil eye” signifies a greedy eye belonging to an individual driven by selfish desires.
Proverbs 28:22 corroborates this notion: “He that hastes to be rich hath an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.”
In stark contrast, Proverbs 22:9 presents an alternative: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”
Deuteronomy 15:7-9 underscores the consequences of an “evil eye” within the context of assisting the impoverished, emphasizing the importance of generosity.
In essence, Yeshua employed the “evil eye” idiom to critique human greed. It serves as a poignant reminder that we should strive to be generous and not let selfishness dictate our actions. By delving into the original context and meanings, we can gain a profound understanding of these idioms and their enduring relevance in our lives today. Just as John learned from his rainy picnic experience, these idioms carry valuable lessons for us to uncover and apply in our daily journeys.