Hello. My name is Jeremy McCool. If you want to know more about me, you can read my personal blog. This is not about me, however. I started this blog as an outlet for Bible study. I plan to use it as a place to share insights and observations regarding the Bible with anyone who cares to read it. I have no real expertise in Bible study or theology. There are no letters behind my name, I have not been to seminary or had much formal training. But I love the Bible. It is by far my favorite book, and if you (the reader) get anything out of my insights into it, then I will consider this time well spent.
The idea of "Backlit Eyes" comes from several passages of scripture, indeed, a concept overarching scripture as a whole. Specifically, though, the thought is most clearly portrayed in Matthew 6:22, and a more detailed recounting in Luke 11:34-36. As recorded in Matthew 6:22, Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body, so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will also be full of light." In Luke's recounting of Jesus' words, he adds (Luke 11:36), "If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illuminated, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." So when the eye is clear (your outlook, or worldview, when your lens is clean and free from streaks), then light can flood in through your eye into your body. This is exactly how a camera works too. When a camera lens is clean, light comes in and projects onto the film. But the idea here is that once the light has flooded through your eyes and into your body, it can then radiate back out into the world for others to see. The flip side of this is of course that your eye is not clear, light cannot come in, and your body is full of darkness (Matthew 6:23,Luke 11:35). Jesus told his disciples, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) and then compares them to a city on a hill which cannot be hidden (especially at night). This is light that stands out. It's obvious to everyone. And this is how Christians are called to be.
Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that He was the light of the world (John 8:12). Right after he said this, the Pharisees accused Him of blasphemy. It doesn't seem obvious to a casual observer why this would be. After all, Mr. Rogers could be the "light of the world". He's an optimist, right? But the Jews understood this differently. If you're not familiar with Genesis 1 and 2, I suggest you read it. It is the account of God's creation of the universe. But if you read it and pay attention, you'll notice that God said, "Let there be light" on day one of the creation week, but he did not create the sun and moon and stars until day four. Many Jewish scholars have come to conclude that God Himself was the light from day one to day four. This conclusion was come to long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. So Jesus passing on His title of "light of the world" to us is quite significant. It is a title that really only applies to God.
The idea of "Backlit Eyes" comes from several passages of scripture, indeed, a concept overarching scripture as a whole. Specifically, though, the thought is most clearly portrayed in Matthew 6:22, and a more detailed recounting in Luke 11:34-36. As recorded in Matthew 6:22, Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body, so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will also be full of light." In Luke's recounting of Jesus' words, he adds (Luke 11:36), "If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illuminated, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." So when the eye is clear (your outlook, or worldview, when your lens is clean and free from streaks), then light can flood in through your eye into your body. This is exactly how a camera works too. When a camera lens is clean, light comes in and projects onto the film. But the idea here is that once the light has flooded through your eyes and into your body, it can then radiate back out into the world for others to see. The flip side of this is of course that your eye is not clear, light cannot come in, and your body is full of darkness (Matthew 6:23,Luke 11:35). Jesus told his disciples, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) and then compares them to a city on a hill which cannot be hidden (especially at night). This is light that stands out. It's obvious to everyone. And this is how Christians are called to be.
Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that He was the light of the world (John 8:12). Right after he said this, the Pharisees accused Him of blasphemy. It doesn't seem obvious to a casual observer why this would be. After all, Mr. Rogers could be the "light of the world". He's an optimist, right? But the Jews understood this differently. If you're not familiar with Genesis 1 and 2, I suggest you read it. It is the account of God's creation of the universe. But if you read it and pay attention, you'll notice that God said, "Let there be light" on day one of the creation week, but he did not create the sun and moon and stars until day four. Many Jewish scholars have come to conclude that God Himself was the light from day one to day four. This conclusion was come to long before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. So Jesus passing on His title of "light of the world" to us is quite significant. It is a title that really only applies to God.
The Bible may look like one book from the outside, but it is actually 66 separate books, written by at least 40 different authors over a span of more than 1500 years, put together into a kind of anthology, a biblia. It is the most prolific book on the planet. It has been at the top of the best-seller list since the list was invented, and its precepts were the most important shaping element of Western Civilization. Words and ideas it contains have led to many major scientific discoveries in the last two centuries (although it was completed nearly 2 millenia ago). It is composed of two major sections, The Old Testament and The New Testament. It contains history, poetry, songs, prose, letters, and prophecies. I and many others consider its words to be absolutely inspired by God. It is the story of God's historical and spiritual relationship to mankind. Read on and I will back up my claims with several posts regarding apologetics (evidence for belief). Read on also for insights into the Word, what it means, and how these 66 books are intricately interrelated and show signs of an over-arcing intelligence guiding every word, even though most of the authors could never have met each other.
I encourage you all to do your own diligent study, like the Bereans of Acts 17, to make sure what I say is accurate. Please feel free to comment if you think I have committed logical fallacies, or if you see things I missed, or misstated. If you want to know God, this is where to begin, with the book He wrote for us. He wants us to know Him. As the Biblical story unfolds, you'll see that concept written everywhere...even in the stars.
