The Eye as the Window to the Soul Exploration

The saying, "The eyes are the window to the soul," is a perpetual expression (alliteration intended) we’ve all heard. It suggests that a person’s eyes reveal their deepest feelings, intentions, and character. While this exact phrase is not found in the Bible, it does capture a profound spiritual truth that Jesus Himself taught in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

In this blog post I will delve into the biblical foundation of this idea, exploring what Jesus meant by the "lamp of the body," and how this concept is directly connected to the finished work of Christ and the glorious Gospel of Grace.

A Deeper Look at the Lamp of the Body

Origin of the Saying

The phrase has been used in Western literature and philosophy for centuries. Its earliest known use is often attributed to the Roman orator and philosopher Cicero who wrote, "the face is the image of the soul, and the eyes are its interpreters." Other notable figures who used similar expressions include:

• Leonardo da Vinci: He wrote, "The eyes... are the window of the soul, the chief organ whereby the understanding can be made manifest to the soul."

• William Shakespeare: In his play, Richard III, he wrote, "But when I was a-frown a villain... I looked upon his eyes, which are the windows of his soul."

The saying is therefore a product of human observation and philosophy, reflecting the common belief that a person's emotions, intentions, and inner character are most vividly expressed through their eyes.

However, the saying might have been borrowed from the biblical parallel "the eyes are the window to the soul" is found in Matthew 6:22-23 and Luke 11:34-36. In these passages, Jesus uses a powerful metaphor: the eye as the "lamp of the body."

The key difference between the secular and biblical perspective lies in the source of the "light" or "darkness." The secular saying refers to the eyes revealing a person's inner psychological or emotional state, which is often a result of their character. The biblical phrase, however, is a spiritual teaching. It concerns a person's inner spiritual condition and their orientation towards God. The "healthy eye" (haplous in Greek) is one that is "single," or sincerely focused on God and His kingdom, leading to a life filled with His Spirit and spiritual light. The "unhealthy eye" (poneros) is "evil," or double-mindedness, which leads to a life of spiritual darkness.

In Matthew 6:22-23, Jesus says:

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Similarly, Luke 11:34-36 states:

"Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, therefore, that the light within you is not darkness."

What did Jesus mean by a “healthy” or “unhealthy” eye? This isn't a reference to physical eyesight. To understand the spiritual meaning, we need to look at the original Greek words.

• Greek: Ophthalmos (Eye): This word for "eye" is a metaphor for a person's inner spiritual vision, their focus, and their motives. The eye is the channel through which light enters the body, just as a person’s inner focus determines the spiritual state of their entire being.

• Greek: Haplous (Healthy): The word translated as "healthy" or "good" in Matthew 6:22 is haplous, which literally means "single," "sincere," or "undivided." It describes an eye that is focused on a single, pure objective—the truth of who God is and His Kingdom. A person with a haplous eye or single-minded faith in who God is, free from divided corruption, tradition and loyalties with ulterior motives. Their gaze is fixed on Christ, and His fully accomplished work.

• Greek: Poneros (Unhealthy): The opposite of haplous is poneros, which means "wicked" or "evil." An "unhealthy" eye is one that is focused on worldly things—division from greed, lust, pride, and selfish ambition. This divided and wicked focus fills a person's life with spiritual darkness, leading to a life that is spiritually blind and without God's light.

Jesus’s teaching reveals that our receiving in faith is a direct reflection of our inner spiritual condition. What (or rather Who) we look at, appropriate in our lives, and what we focus on reflects in our souls.

The Single Eye vs. Double-Mindedness

Jesus’s teaching on the "single eye" finds a powerful complement in the Epistle of James, where the author warns against being "double-minded." The two concepts are two sides of the same coin, with one describing the state of spiritual health and the other describing spiritual instability. (see this post)

In James 1:8, the author describes the one who doubts God as a “double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” The Greek word for "double-minded" is dipsychos, meaning "two-souled." This is the very antithesis of the haplous or "single" eye. (see also this post)

A double-minded person is like a wave of the sea, tossed back and forth by the wind (James 1:6). They are trying to serve two masters—God and the world—but as Jesus himself declared in Matthew 6:24, "You cannot serve both God and money." This inner conflict leads to spiritual and emotional instability.

The connection between the “single eye” and “double-mindedness” is clear:

• The Single Eye (Haplous): Represents a single-minded devotion to the finished work of Christ. This person's belief, outlook and spiritual vision are aligned with who God is, resulting in a life filled with spiritual light and stability.

• The Double-Minded Heart (Dipsychos): Represents a heart filled with doubt and unbelief sprouting from a mixed Gospel message divided between God and the world. This person’s inner vision is blurred and corrupted, leading to a life of spiritual darkness and instability.

The Gospel of Grace, therefore, is the only solution for the double-minded heart.

Light for a Darkened World

Before Christ's finished work, all of humanity's "eyes" were inherently "unhealthy" or poneros due to sin. We were spiritually blinded, walking in darkness without the ability to truly see God. The Bible describes this state:

• Ephesians 4:18: "They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts."

• 2 Corinthians 4:4: "The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

Humanity was trapped in a state where the "light within" was truly "darkness." The more we tried to find light through our own efforts or good deeds in accordance with the law, the more our spiritual vision was clouded by sin and self-righteousness.

The Source of True Light

The Gospel of Grace declares that Jesus Christ came to be the "light of the world" (John 8:12). He did what we could never do for ourselves. By living a perfect, sinless life and dying on the cross to atone for our sins, He accomplished a redemptive work that changes everything.

• Justification: Through the finished work of Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we are declared righteous in God’s sight once and for all. This act of justification removes the barrier of sin that caused our spiritual blindness.

• Sanctification: The Holy Spirit now indwells believers, consummating spiritual transformation and sanctification. The Spirit gives us new spiritual "eyes" and a new heart. As 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ."

The finished work of Christ is the source of the divine light that now fills the hearts of believers. The Gospel of Grace is the power of God unto salvation in all regards, cleaning our inner vision, enabling us to have a "healthy eye" and move from a state of double-mindedness to one of single-minded devotion to God.

A Single Eye

So, what does it look like to have a "healthy" or "single" eye in light of the Gospel? It means:

1. Our gaze is on Christ: We are no longer consumed by our world of make-belief, traditions and like things that we do (Mar 7:13 KJV). Even the fleeting desires and distractions of the world fall outside of our vantage point. Our primary focus is on Jesus, the "founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

2. Our motives are pure: A single eye means our belief, appropriation, and our actions are motivated by our belief in the fully accomplished work of Christ, not by self-justification, our own ambitions to attain salvation or the pursuit of law-driven worthiness.

3. What we believe reflects God’s glory: When our hearts are filled with God's light━the finished work and glory of Jesus, our actions naturally follow our belief. We will walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:5-7), and our words will be a testimony to His goodness.

The "eyes are the window to the soul" is a powerful truth. It reminds us that our spiritual state is not hidden from God—and ultimately, it cannot be hidden from others. The Gospel of Grace, however, is the beautiful promise that we no longer have to live in spiritual darkness. Through the finished work of Christ, our "eyes" are cleansed, our "souls" are lit up, and our entire lives radiate the finished work and glory of God.