SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:29
Por tanto, si tu ojo derecho te fuere ocasin de caer, scalo, y chalo de ti; que mejor te es que se pierda uno de tus miembros, y no que todo tu cuerpo sea echado al quemadero.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:29
Verse 29. - 30. Pluck it out-cut it off] We must shut our senses against dangerous objects, to avoid the occasions of sin, and deprive ourselves of all that is most dear and profitable to us, in order to save our souls, when we find that these dear and profitable things, however innocent in themselves, cause us to sin against God. It is profitable for thee that one of thy members] Men often part with some members of the body, at the discretion of a surgeon, that they may preserve the trunk, and die a little later; and yet they will not deprive themselves of a look, a touch, a small pleasure, which endanger the eternal death of the soul. It is not enough to shut the eye, or stop the hand; the one must be plucked out, and the other cut off. Neither is this enough, we must cast them both from us. Not one moment's truce with an evil passion, or a sinful appetite. If you indulge them, they will gain strength, and you shall be ruined. The rabbins have a saying similar to this: "It is better for thee to be scorched with a little fire in this world, than to be burned with a devouring fire in the world to come."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. And if thy right eye offend thee , etc.] Or cause thee to offend, to stumble, and fall into sin. Our Lord has no regard here to near and dear relations seeking to alienate us from God and Christ, and hinder us in the pursuit of divine things; whose solicitations are to be rejected with the utmost indignation, and they themselves to be parted with, and forsaken, rather than complied with; which is the sense some give of the words: for both in this, and the following verse, respect is had only to the law of adultery; and to such members of the body, which often are the means of leading persons on to the breach of it; particularly the eye and hand. The eye is often the instrument of ensnaring the heart this way: hence the Jews have a saying, whoever looks upon women, at the end comes into the hands of transgression.
Mention is only made of the right eye; not but that the left may be an occasion of sinning, as well as the right; but that being most dear and valuable, is instanced in, and ordered to be parted with: pluck it out, and cast it from thee : which is not to be understood literally; for no man is obliged to mutilate any part of his body, to prevent sin, or on account of the commission of it; this is no where required, and if done, would be sinful, as in the case of Origen: but figuratively; and the sense is, that persons should make a covenant with their eyes, as Job did; and turn them away from beholding such objects, which may tend to excite impure thoughts and desires; deny themselves the gratification of the sense of seeing, or feeding the eyes with such sights, as are graceful to the flesh; and with indignation and contempt, reject, and avoid all opportunities and occasions of sinning; which the eye may be the instrument of, and lead unto: for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell . This is still a continuation of the figure here used; and the meaning is, that it will turn to better account, to lose all the carnal pleasures of the eye, or all those pleasing sights, which are grateful to a carnal heart, than, by enjoying them, to expose the whole man, body and soul, to everlasting destruction, in the fire of hell.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 27-32 - Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painfu exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others int temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. If painful operations are submitted to, that ou lives may be saved, what ought our minds to shrink from, when the salvation of our souls is concerned? There is tender mercy under all the Divine requirements, and the grace and consolations of the Spiri will enable us to attend to them.
Greek Textus Receptus
ει 1487 COND δε 1161 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM οφθαλμος 3788 N-NSM σου 4675 P-2GS ο 3588 T-NSM δεξιος 1188 A-NSM σκανδαλιζει 4624 5719 V-PAI-3S σε 4571 P-2AS εξελε 1807 5628 V-2AAM-2S αυτον 846 P-ASM και 2532 CONJ βαλε 906 5628 V-2AAM-2S απο 575 PREP σου 4675 P-2GS συμφερει 4851 5719 V-PAI-3S γαρ 1063 CONJ σοι 4671 P-2DS ινα 2443 CONJ αποληται 622 5643 V-2AMS-3S εν 1520 A-ASN των 3588 T-GPN μελων 3196 N-GPN σου 4675 P-2GS και 2532 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N ολον 3650 A-NSN το 3588 T-NSN σωμα 4983 N-NSN σου 4675 P-2GS βληθη 906 5686 V-APS-3S εις 1519 PREP γεενναν 1067 N-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
29. Offend (skandalizei). The word offend carries to the English reader the sense of giving offense, provoking. Hence the Rev., by restoring the picture in the word, restores its true meaning, causeth to stumble. The kindred noun is skandalon, a later form of skandalhqron, the stick in a trap on which the bait is place, and which springs up and shuts the trap at the touch of an animal. Hence, generally, a snare, a stumbling-block. Christ's meaning here is: "If your eye or your hand serve as an obstacle or trap to ensnare or make you fall in your moral walk." How the eye might do this may be seen in the previous verse. Bengel observes: "He who, when his eye proves a stumbling-block, takes care not to see, does in reality blind himself." The words scandal and slander are both derived from skandalon; and Wyc. renders, "If thy right eye slander thee." Compare Aeschylus, "Choephori," 301, 372.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:29 {Causeth thee to stumble} (skandalizei se). this is far better than the Authorized Version "_Offend thee_." _Braid Scots_ has it rightly "ensnare ye." It is not the notion of giving offence or provoking, but of setting a trap or snare for one. The substantive (skandalon, from skandalthron) means the stick in the trap that springs and closes the trap when the animal touches it. Pluck out the eye when it is a snare, cut off the hand, even the right hand. These vivid pictures are not to be taken literally, but powerfully plead for self-mastery. Bengel says: _Non oculum, sed scandalizentem oculum_. It is not mutilating of the body that Christ enjoins, but control of the body against Sin. The man who plays with fire will get burnt. Modern surgery finely illustrates the teaching of Jesus. The tonsils, the teeth, the appendix, to go no further, if left diseased, will destroy the whole body. Cut them out in time and the life will be saved. Vincent notes that "the words scandal and slander are both derived from skandalon. And Wyc. renders, 'if thy right eye _slander_ thee.'" Certainly slander is a scandal and a stumbling-block, a trap, and a snare.
