What does the Bible mean when it says, "if your right eye offend thee, pluck it out?"


Let's look at that section of Scripture in its entirety:

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And if thy right eye offend thee (causes you to stumble), 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.

And 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.
(Matt. 5:27-30 KJV)

Jesus is dealing with the subject of adultery or sex outside of the marital union. He states that we can commit adultery in the mind as well as by the literal act. Then He talks about our right eye or right hand causing us to stumble. It's obvious that He's referring to the sin of adultery.

He's not referring to you literally plucking your eye out, or cutting your hand off. He's using these two parts of our body symbolically. I believe the eye is referring to what we allow ourselves to see. The hand is referring to our actions.

If there is something in our lives that continually causes us to fall into the sin of adultery (or any sin), then we need to cut that out of our lives. This is just as painful as plucking out our eyes or cutting off our hands. We need to focus on the rewards as Jesus soothes our pain.

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