What do eyes represent in the Bible?

Used symbolically for the omnipresence of God. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place," Prov. 15:3; "the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous." Ps. 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12: cf. 2 Chr. 16:9; Zech. 4:10. His eyes are also upon the wicked, and His eyes will not spare, neither will He have compassion in the day of judgement. Ezek. 5:11. The eye is also used symbolically for the organ that transmits the light to the soul. If the eye is single — there being but one object (the glory of God) before the soul — the whole body is full of light; but if the eye be evil, having divers objects (as when an eye sees double), the whole body is full of darkness. And if the light (true light it may be) be darkness, how great is that darkness! A Christian in this condition may do the very things he had strongly condemned in others. Matt. 6:22-23; Luke 11:34-36.

His eyes are like unto a flame of fire. Eyes speak of intelligence, understanding and discernment, and the symbol of a flame of fire would convey the thought of all-searching, penetrating, discerning judgment. The prophet Habakkuk said, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity" (ch. 1:13 ). "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Prov.15:3).

Cant. 5: 12. "His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set." Margin, setting in fulness. In Revelation 5: 6, John speaks of "the Lamb" which he sees in the midst of the throne, having "seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." The number seven, we know, denotes fulness, perfection, which here signifies intelligence. "For the eyes of the Lord, run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him." (2 Chr. 16: 9) But the believer has nothing to fear from the keen, penetrating glance of that eye of sevenfold brightness; to him it is soft, tender and affectionate "as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters." It is his happy privilege to watch its direction. "I will guide thee with mine eye." What feature so expressive as the eye! And, oh! what an eye is now before the eye of faith! Tender as the dove's - bright and lustrous as when bathed in the river; or shining, as with a passing tear of deep compassion. The white part, pure as milk, the eye itself, "fitly set." Neither too prominent nor too much sunk, but like the precious stone that is perfectly set in the foil of the ring.

"Thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks." The dove was ceremonially clean. It only, of all the feathered tribe, was offered in sacrifice on God's altar. (See Meditations, on Cant. 1:15) It is the understood emblem of humility, chastity, and harmlessness. "Thou hast doves' eyes." The eye is a term often used in scripture for spiritual light and understanding. "If therefore thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light." But there is one peculiarity about the dove's eyes which may be designed to teach the believer a needed lesson. It has a wonderful power of distant vision. It is supposed to see, from an immense distance, its own dovecot. Having been taken far from home, it may be seen when liberated from its cage, ascending very high — steadying itself in the air, until it has discovered its way back: then it flies straight and rapidly home. Oh! for this power of distant and heavenly vision, that, having seen by faith the risen Jesus, we may forget the things that are behind, and press on to those that are before. Christ, Himself, is the Christian's mark — but the "mark" must be seen, before we can take our aim. First, fix thine eye, O my soul, on the risen, exalted Man in glory. Then, "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3) The similitude is easily understood — is it true of thee, my soul? This is the question, what is thine aim? what is thy course? what is thy progress? Observe, the beautiful bright eye of the bride, glancing through her flowing tresses, meets the admiring eye of the Beloved, and ravishes His heart, "Thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks." Her locks soften their brightness.

But there was another point connected with this - the motives. This Light, when really received, became the motives of conduct and way. The truth presented tried the motives; if objects other than following God were in the mind, it became an instant stumbling block. The light of the body was the eye; there might be plenty of light in the world, but the light of the body was the eye. If there was simplicity of intention, if the heart was simply directed to God Himself thus manifested, the whole body was light. It was not each part having light for itself. This it was as the light of the whole. But if what our mind was directed to, the object in our eye, was not simple and consequently necessarily evil, the whole body was full of darkness; all went wrong. This governed and characterised all, was the moral character of the whole, whatever its form or appearance might be, were it truth and purity itself. Motives, i.e., God Himself thus revealed, formed the whole principle of understanding, judgment and light. It is a completely new broad moral principle of all possible importance - no question of Jewish ordinances and privileges, but of light come in, and singleness of purpose which received the light because (through grace) Light was its object - light not abstractedly previously, but light by grace loved when light came. For here is a mistake. Little light may be received candidly, but often candour and readiness to receive the truth is boasted of previous to any light being there. This supposes light in se in the man, and good, and is only the pride of the supremacy of mind. It is willing subjection to light produced by the Lord which is here spoken of, not abstract goodness and sincerity which would not, in fact, need light. There is an object, a candle lighted, something shining and receiving, i.e., singleness, and sincerity of heart, for God's truth and authority are in it. There may be other objects, other light, and so the light in me be darkness, false instruction, passions and affections determined on an object which distracts and ends in self and Satan, but there is no abstract singleness of eye without an object, for where is the simplicity where there is nothing at all? This however it is, or evil. But we have to take heed not merely that our passions or personal objects do not hinder the light, for these are not called light, but that the very instruction, religious system be not formed for the sanctioning of these evil objects by Satan. The eye is then evil, but it is evil, having the authority of light by the system we are in, supposed light. But if indeed the eye be single, then the whole body is full of light, and if the whole body be full of light - blessed consequence! no part is dark. This may seem tautology to man, but the Lord knew the value of His words. When the Spirit stamps them to us, no darkness shall be there, it is a complete deliverance - the whole shall be light, positive light. It may seem tautology to say: Heaven is heavenly. But to those to whom what is heavenly is known, it conveys everything. Those who know the light, and God is in the light, will know what it is to say: It shall be all light, actively, actually light, and everything enlightened as when the bright shining of a candle gives light.

And this alone gives a single eye: there is no confusion, no distraction of vision; no unsteadiness therefore, or uncertainty. The eye is the lamp of the body; not the light, but what holds and fixes the light. The light comes from elsewhere: the organ of perception does not create the light, but receives it. The light for us is in the Word alone: it is this that judges and makes plain; but there must be spiritual reception and, for this, capacity of reception, which the Lord indicates here, as it is stated by the apostle (Eph. 1:18, R.V.) to be in the heart and its condition. With the heart set on things above, the eye is single and clear: God is before it, and in His light we see light. Then the whole body becomes full of light: the hands and feet have plenty of it for work and walk. On the contrary, if the eye be evil, the very light may blind one; and when the word of God becomes this, how great may the resulting darkness become.

But Luke always brings in man's state, or moral condition. "The lamp of the body is thine eye." Light alone outside does not enable a man to see. If the eye, physically, is powerless, the light makes no impression. As in John, the light may be ever so true, but, according to Luke, the eye also enters the account; and by nature it is evil and only so. It is not only Christ as Light that is wanted. Eyes to see must be given; its actual state must be considered. "[Therefore] when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is light." It is a question here of moral purpose. If there be no object to divide the heart's attention, if Christ fills the field of vision, the whole body is light. "But when it is wicked, thy body also is dark." And is there not evil in looking to other objects from Christ, in turning away from the only One Who is worthy? "When it is evil thy body also is dark. See, therefore, that the light which is in thee be not darkness." What darkness is comparable to it? This is moral darkness, and fatal to the soul which can see nothing in Christ, or if it seem to see, is evidently indifferent to Christ, indifferent not to one's own soul alone, but to the eternal truth of God. The eye is evil, the body, therefore, is dark indeed.

Here lies the cause of so much indecision and inconsistency. People have not defined to themselves what is right; and hence they make a trial of every offer on its own merits, instead of on the merits of an ascertained standard. Now the right occupation of the eye must be determined by reference to the power that has a right to control it. If the Lord has this right, then its occupation must be in accordance with His mind and appointments down here while in the body. The engagement or occupation of any organ is characterised by the power which controls it. If the Lord controls my eye, it is occupied and engaged with what is interesting to Him. If my eye is controlled by my own will, it will be characterised by my carnal tastes and likings; and it is a very active agent in furnishing the natural mind with provision for its enmity against God. Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was pleasant to the eye; and this promoted in her heart an inclination to act in independence of God. It is wonderful how the verdict of the eye affects us about everything, and how much that judgment is the fruit of our own state of soul.

Two persons may see the same thing with totally different impressions, but the impression imparted to each is in relation to his own peculiar state and condition before his eye thus acted. One admires, while another turns away pained from beholding the very same scene. The body is the Lord's, and the eye is the Lord's. Either the Spirit of God is using my eye to embrace and survey all that is important for me to see in my course, or the natural mind is using it to furnish materials for its own support; and therefore the "lust of the eye" is classed with the "lust of the flesh," though no man ever thinks that they could be placed together as morally equal. Both link us to the world which is not of the Father, and the "lust of the eye" is even the more dangerous of the two, because least feared or discountenanced, although Scripture abounds with warnings touching the dangers for the eye. Remember the eye sends back a message to the soul corresponding to the power which used it. If the Lord uses it, then an impression furnishing materials for His will is conveyed to the soul; if my own mind has used it, the impression will, on the contrary, furnish materials for its own promotion, which, to a Christian, is a double loss; for not only does it deprive him of what he might have gained for the Lord, but it acquires for him that which hinders and shuts out his sense of the Father's love. How little do our souls ponder these things and take them to heart!

“They are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” This is true still. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth not solely, however, in the observance of all things, which must be constantly true of Omniscience. Scripture teaches more than this. The Eyes not merely scrutinize in general, but take particular concern of what happens, not only to those who are His, but to men throughout the whole earth.

This boundless range of a vision, so penetrative and clear-sighted that no object can possibly be hidden from it, had been pointedly referred to by earlier inspired writers, and ascribed to Him "that sitteth in the heavens." To give an instance we quote from Psalm 33 (R.V.): "The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men; From the place of His habitation He looketh forth Upon all the inhabitants of the earth; He that fashioneth the hearts of them all; That considereth all their works Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, Upon them that hope in His mercy; To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine."