The Greek is literally "causes you to stumble," but stumble is a common metaphor for
sin and some versions translate it this way for greater clarity. This loses the wordplay. Where normally eyesight is what prevents one from stumbling, Jesus here states that eyesight should be sacrificed to prevent the greater stumbling of sin. The verse is similar to , and a version much closer to that in Mark appears at
Matthew 18:9. This verse, along with the next one, is the most extreme part of the Sermon on the Mount.
R. T. France notes that the severity of this verse is unparalleled in the contemporary literature. It advocates an action that is extremely drastic. No major Christian denomination has ever taken this verse literally, no
monk has ever plucked out his eye to prevent temptation (though it is rumored that the early church father
Origen castrated himself, i.e. removed a body part that caused him to sin). Most commentators take this verse as a clear example of
hyperbole, Jesus is using an extreme example to make sure his audience understands the importance of his teachings. Jones notes that the mention of only the right eye makes it clear that Jesus is not meaning for this to be taken literally, as the left eye would be just as likely to lead into sin. The obvious hyperbole of this passage have led some commentators to see other difficult parts of the Sermon as hyperbole, such as
Matthew 5:39 and
40. Jesus's hyperbolic language in Matthew stands out, as the
Markan tradition of the same saying appears not to be hyperbolic. De Bruin has argued that Jesus's original commands were meant to be taken literally, and that they are a method of dealing with
demons that have gained a foothold in a person. Nolland notes that within the harshness of this verse, there is also a message of redemption. If the sinner acts quickly to avoid sin, Gehenna will be avoided. As with
Matthew 5:22, the word translated in many versions as
hell is
Gehenna, and there is great debate about whether Jesus was talking about the physical valley of fire or an afterlife of
damnation. Gundry feels that the reference to Gehenna is
eschatological. He notes that the reference to the "whole body" implies that the
wicked will also enjoy full body resurrection in the end times, prior to being thrown into
Hell. This is counter to the standard understanding of only the worthy being resurrected. ==Commentary from the Church Fathers==