Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5125 Parts of the body and clothing  »  5149 eyes

The part of the body designed for seeing. In Scripture eyes are often associated with light, watchfulness or spiritual understanding, whereas blindness may be a metaphor for darkness, ignorance of God or rebellion against him. The eyes of God watch over all his creation.

Eyes are part of the physical body

Deuteronomy 28:65; Job 11:20; Job 31:16; Psalm 69:3

Eyes may represent the whole person

Luke 10:23; Revelation 1:7

Eyesight is a vital sense

Matthew 6:22 See also Psalm 54:7; Proverbs 20:12; Lamentations 4:17; Matthew 11:5 pp Luke 7:22; Matthew 20:33 pp Mark 10:51 pp Luke 18:41; Acts 28:27; 1 Corinthians 12:17

Eyes may have a powerful emotional effect

Songs 4:9

Eyes reflect character, feelings and emotions

Malice:

Psalm 35:19; Proverbs 6:13; Proverbs 10:10; Proverbs 16:30

Haughtiness:

Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 21:4 Mark 3:5 anger; Mark 10:21 love

Sorrow:

Psalm 88:9; John 11:33-35

Desire:

2 Peter 2:14; 1 John 2:16

God's eyes are upon all his creation

God is aware of everything

Job 34:21 See also 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 94:9; Psalm 139:16; Proverbs 15:3; Amos 9:8; Habakkuk 1:13; Zechariah 3:9; Zechariah 4:10; Hebrews 4:13

God watches over his people with care

Psalm 34:15 See also Deuteronomy 11:12; 1 Kings 8:29; Kings 9:3; Psalm 1:6; Psalm 121:3-5; Proverbs 22:12; 1 Peter 3:12

God's eyes symbolise his assessment of human behaviour

Genesis 6:8 See also Exodus 15:26; Judges 2:11; 1 Kings 15:5; 2 Corinthians 8:21

Human eyes may symbolise spiritual vision

God opens eyes in a spiritual sense

Psalm 119:18 The “opening of eyes” is an important biblical metaphor for revelation ; Ephesians 1:18 See also Numbers 24:3-4; 2 Kings 6:17; Ezra 9:8; Isaiah 35:5; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 6:22-23 pp Luke 11:34-36; Acts 26:18; Hebrews 11:27

Human eyes should be directed towards God

Psalm 34:5; Psalm 123:1-2 Lifting one's eyes towards God is an important biblical image of prayer. See also 2 Chronicles 20:12; Psalm 25:15; Psalm 27:4; Isaiah 40:26; John 17:1; Acts 7:55; 2 Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 12:2

Human eyes will ultimately see God

Job 19:25-27 See also Isaiah 33:17; John 17:24; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4

Eyes are a channel of temptation

Matthew 4:8-9 pp Luke 4:5-7 See also Genesis 3:6; Numbers 15:39; Joshua 7:21; 2 Samuel 11:2; Psalm 119:37; Ecclesiastes 2:10; Ecclesiastes 6:9; Matthew 5:28-29; 1 John 2:16

Eyes should be guarded against evil

Job 31:1; Proverbs 4:25 See also Psalm 101:3; Isaiah 33:15-16 The direction of human eyes is a matter of choice.

Closing one's eyes may symbolise indifference to God and his will

Matthew 13:15 See also Isaiah 6:10; Proverbs 28:27; Ezekiel 22:26; Matthew 23:16-17; John 9:41

See also

1020  God, all-knowing
1466  vision
1670  symbols
4811  darkness, symbol of sin
5135  blindness, spiritual
5865  gestures
6248  temptation
7781  seer
8226  discernment
8474  seeing God
8490  watchfulness
9410  heaven