BE GENEROUS Some teachings from Jesus were clear to the people Jesus was talking to but are less clear today, unless we consider how Jews in Jesus’ day understood expressions. Jesus talks about a lamp is lit to be seen and then says, “THE LAMP OF YOUR BODY IS THE EYE. WHEN YOU HAVE A ‘GOOD EYE,’ [THAT IS, WHEN YOU ARE GENEROUS,] YOUR WHOLE BODY IS FULL OF LIGHT; BUT WHEN YOU HAVE AN ‘EVIL EYE,’ [WHEN YOU ARE STINGY,] YOUR BODY IS FULL OF DARKNESS” [Lk 11:34 CJ]. This is one of the few translations that tries to communicate the Jewish understanding an ‘EVIL EYE,’ [WHEN YOU ARE STINGY]. It can be helpful to consider usage of a word in other scriptures. In Matthew’s Jesus stories, which seem to be written for Jews, Jesus refers to “IF YOUR EYES ARE EVIL”, which was understood a being stingy or greedy, and then concludes with “YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MONEY AT THE SAME TIME” [Mt 6:23-24 IC]. As Jesus cautions against being stingy or greedy resulting in darkness, He encourages us to be generous and have our whole body “FULL OF LIGHT” [Lk 11:36 NI]. Are you generous? Home, Basic,  Subjects, Scriptures