“But if your eye is stingy, your whole body will be full of darkness” The “evil eye” is a Semitic idiom for being greedy, stingy, and selfish. In contrast to the “evil eye,” which is greedy, stingy, selfish, the “good eye,” or a “single eye,” is generous. This statement of Jesus is a serious warning to people who are stingy and greedy. It may be hard for a greedy, selfish person to change, but it can be done, and it will yield great reward.

[For more on idioms involving the good eye, see commentary on Prov. 22:9. For more on the idiom of the evil eye, see commentary on Prov. 28:22.]