I now read the next verses, 25 and 26:
“Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way with him, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”
When the Holy Fathers speak about the accuser in this passage, they offer several different interpretations of the term.
Chrysostom understands it as referring to a specific person who is in dispute with us, someone seeking to take our property, money, or possessions. The saint emphasizes a frequent situation in life—when our adversary is stronger than us, in a more powerful position, and able to exploit that to harm us. He thus offers an important piece of practical advice—a very grounded and rational reflection:
“You say: the adversary is stronger than me and is doing me harm? But will he not do you even greater harm if you fail to reconcile with him and are forced to go to prison? By reconciling, you may lose your possessions, but your body will remain free; if you submit yourself to the judge’s verdict, you will be bound and subjected to the harshest punishment. By avoiding litigation, you gain a double benefit: first, you escape unpleasantness, and second, it will be your virtue, not a result of compulsion. If you ignore my advice, you will not harm your adversary as much as you will harm yourself.”
In other words, Chrysostom here appeals to our reason: if we find ourselves in such a situation, we should choose what is best for us—even if it wounds our pride. We must remain aware of what we stand to lose.
Another interpretation of accuser is that the Lord is referring to our conscience.
Abba Dorotheos writes:
“Why is conscience called an accuser? It is so named because it constantly opposes our evil will and reproaches us for not doing what we are obliged to do. Again, it condemns us when we do what we ought not to do. For this reason, the Lord calls it our accuser and commands: ‘Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way with him.’ The way, as Saint Basil says, is this present world. Therefore, let us take care, brethren, to guard our conscience while we are still in this world and not allow it to rebuke us in any matter. Let us trample it in nothing, not even in the least. For you know that from a small thing comes neglect of greater things. A person may begin by saying: ‘What does it matter if I say this word? What harm if I eat a little? What if I look at that thing?’ From this ‘What does it matter?’ a man receives a bitter and grievous wound, and begins to neglect both great and grave matters, trampling his conscience. And so, by gradual progression, he falls into total insensitivity.”
We see that neglecting our conscience in even the smallest matter can endanger our spiritual life. This teaching applies not only to monks but to all of us, because God has given everyone a conscience. It also answers the question of whether we Christians who live in the world must actively pursue the spiritual life—or if it suffices simply to attend church, light a candle, and “follow the traditions and culture of the Serbian people,” a phrase often used to justify spiritual lukewarmness. Many wish to live as non-Christians while still being counted among Christ’s own. Yet even in the world, we must be vigilant with ourselves.
These verses conclude in a manner similar to Christ’s parable in chapter 18—the parable of the debtor who owed ten thousand talents. In both stories, we see that the man is handed over to prison until he repays all his debt. At first glance, we may misunderstand the true meaning of these words, thinking that being thrown into prison is temporary—until the money is gathered—and that the person, while in prison, may reflect on life and reform before being released. However, Saint John Chrysostom teaches that being imprisoned until the debt is paid means that the person will never leave prison. He is eternally condemned, for he will never be able to repay the debt.
I now read the next verses, 27 and 28:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old: You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
When Christ says, You have heard that it was said to those of old, according to Saint John Chrysostom, He is setting the old and new laws side by side—giving us the opportunity to compare them and recognize that no contradiction exists between them. The Lord reminds the Jews of the time they spent under the old law and announces that the time has now come for a new covenant, a higher level of spiritual perfection.
The words everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent are often used as arguments by some who claim Christianity is unreasonable—that it causes neurosis and other psychological disturbances. Many ask why a person should deny themselves even mental enjoyment, as long as they don’t commit the physical sin of lust or adultery.
Such people do not know—or do not want to know—that strict observance of this commandment is precisely what protects a person from inner turmoil and great spiritual struggle. As it is written in the Book of Proverbs: Can a man walk on burning coals and his feet not be scorched? (Prov. 6:28).
Saint Gregory of Nyssa explains this verse as follows:
“To protect ourselves from such evil, the Lord in the Gospel cuts off the desire that is inflamed by sight, for it is the root of passion. He teaches us that the man who receives passion into himself through the eyes opens the way for the illness to advance.”
Thus, psychological problems may arise not because one restrains oneself, but because one consciously indulges in lustful images, thoughts, and feelings—and then attempts, unsuccessfully, to suppress or control them.
Saint John Chrysostom very precisely explains whether every glance is forbidden and how one is to discern the difference. Here are his words:
“Christ does not forbid every desire, but rather the desire that is stirred within us by looking at women. He who loves to gaze upon beautiful faces first kindles within himself the flame of passion and makes his soul a captive to it—and soon thereafter proceeds to the fulfillment of the desire. That is why Christ did not say: ‘Whoever desires has already committed adultery,’ but rather: ‘Whoever looks at a woman with lustful intent…’ For He did not merely say ‘whoever desires,’ since one can desire even while sitting atop a mountain—but rather, ‘whoever looks with desire,’ that is, one who willfully intensifies the desire within, and voluntarily introduces this wild beast into his once-peaceful heart. This does not arise from nature, but from laziness…
‘But is it such a great sin,’ you might ask, ‘if I look and desire, yet do nothing wrong?’ Yes—it is. Even in such a case, you are counted among adulterers. So has the Lawgiver determined, and you need not be excessively curious. If you look once, twice, or three times, perhaps you will still be able to overcome the passion; but if you continue to do so and feed the flame of passion, the passion will undoubtedly overcome you—for you are not above human nature.”
Since this entire teaching refers to “man,” it could be wrongly assumed that it only applies to males. However, Saint Justin of Ćelije clarifies that this commandment applies equally to women. He writes:
“Man and woman are one being; therefore, the Lord makes no distinction based on sex.”
I now read the next verses, 29 and 30:
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.”
This is yet another commandment that can preserve a person from many hardships in life. Here is why.
Saint John Chrysostom interprets these verses as follows:
“In giving this commandment, Christ was not speaking of bodily parts. No—He never condemns the body, but everywhere accuses the corrupt will. He does not look at your eye, but at your mind and your heart. When our soul is focused elsewhere, the eye often fails to see what is right in front of it. Therefore, we must not attribute everything to the activity of the eye. If Christ had been speaking of physical members, He would not have singled out only the right eye—He would have spoken of both eyes…
So, why did the Saviour mention only the right eye and the right hand? So that you might understand that He is not referring to bodily parts, but to people closely associated with us. If you love someone so dearly that you rely on them as your right eye, or regard them as so useful to you that they are like your right hand—and if this person corrupts your soul—then cut such a one off from yourself.
Notice, too, the intensity of the language. The Saviour did not say: ‘Distance yourself,’ but: ‘Pluck it out and cast it away,’ wanting to indicate complete separation. For when a person close to you does not even save himself, and instead leads you to destruction along with him, what kind of love is that—that both of you should sink into the abyss? By separating yourselves decisively, at least one of you may yet be saved.
What? You say that Paul desired to be separated from Christ for the sake of his brethren? He did not desire that without benefit, but so that others might be saved. In this case, however, the harm is mutual.”
Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid offers a concrete example:
“The Lord here speaks of those whom we believe to be our friends, but who actually harm us; for example, a young man has friends who are fornicators, and their bad influence harms him. Such as these, cut off from yourself—for in so doing, you may even save them, if they come to their senses and recognize their sin. If you do not succeed in saving them, at least you will save yourself. But if you continue associating with them, both you and they will perish.”
This reasoning, found in the teachings of the Holy Fathers, is sorely lacking among many people today. We have all heard of, or seen, examples where someone associates with drug users and ends up becoming one himself.
Saint Maximus the Confessor offers a very insightful and spiritually important interpretation of these words. He writes:
“If you possess lofty knowledge, but it lifts you into pride and arrogance—then pluck it out. If you possess refined ascetic practice, but it becomes a cause for your conceit—pluck it out. Likewise, if you are able to serve (which signifies the foot), and this becomes a source of arrogance—cast it away. For it is better to renounce imagined virtues than to perish utterly because of pride and vanity.”
That is, Saint Maximus teaches that no elevated form of ministry is of any value if it leads us to pride and self-destruction.
Saint Nilus of Sinai, for his part, adds that plucking out the eye or cutting off the right hand also signifies the degree of decisiveness one must have in fighting the passions.
Finally, I would like to highlight that in these very verses, we find another example of the essential role of Sacred Tradition in correctly interpreting Scripture.
For if we were to follow the Protestant principle of Sola Scriptura—that Scripture explains itself—then we would be obliged to literally cut off our limbs and gouge out our eyes, since nowhere in these verses is it explicitly stated that Christ is speaking figuratively. Fortunately, even Protestants do not consistently adhere to what they preach, since we see them healthy, with both eyes and both hands.
Adapted and compiled for contemporary readers from Patristic commentaries by Stanoje Stanković.
