instruere...inlustrare...delectare Disputations

Monday, February 15, 2010

The eyes of Luke

What struck me in hearing yesterday's Gospel proclaimed were these words:
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said....
In preaching both the Beatitudes and the, er, Woeitudes, Jesus has his eyes on His disciples.

For what it's worth, here are all the verses in Luke that, in the NAB translation, mention eyes (I leave out one mention of the eye of a needle):

Eyes that see:
  • Lk 1:6 Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. Describing Zechariah and Elizabeth
  • Lk 2:29-30: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation...." The Canticle of Simeon.
  • Lk 6:20: And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours...." The Beatitudes.
  • Lk 16:22-23: "The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side." The parable of Dives and Lazarus
Eyes that want to see, but don't:
  • Lk 4:20-21: Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." Jesus preaching in the Nazareth synagogue.
  • Lk 6:41ff: Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?, etc.
  • Lk 19:41-42 :As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes." Jesus approaches Jerusalem
  • Lk 24:15-16,31: And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. ... With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. The road to Emmaus
Contrasting eyes that see with eyes that don't see:
  • Lk 10:23-24: Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
  • Lk 11:34: "The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is sound, then your whole body is filled with light, but when it is bad, then your body is in darkness."
Eyes that dare not see:
  • Lk 18:13: "But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'" The parable of the Pharisee and the publican.

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