The Evil Eye

Many people in the world, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, believe in the spiritual power of the evil eye. Approximately 40% of the world population has superstitious beliefs about the evil eye. Generally, they believe that if someone has an evil eye toward them, that they may be harmed, and they believe they need to protect themselves from this spiritual harm.

The Bible also warns us against the evil eye. But unlike the cultures of the world, the Bible warns us that we can be badly affected by our own evil eye, rather than by the evil eye of others. We need to make sure our eye is not evil, rather than worrying about the evil eye of others.

Jesus said that if a person has an evil eye, his body will be full of darkness (Matthew 6:22-23). The darkness produced by the evil eye is spiritual darkness, and this darkness creates problems. Jesus does not want his children to have an evil eye because he does not want them to be full of darkness.

Jesus said that the opposite of the evil eye is a good (simple) eye. Those with a simple eye will have bodies full of light. This means they will be blessed. According to Jesus, spiritual darkness and spiritual light come into us depending on the type of eye that we have. Jesus wants us to have simple or good eyes so we can be blessed.

What is the difference between an evil eye and a simple eye?

An evil eye is connected to the love of money, which the Bible says is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Those who are eager to be rich have an evil eye (Proverbs 28:22). These people envy, covet, and lack generosity.

The opposite of an evil eye is a simple or good eye. The Greek word for simple is from a word meaning unfolded. Imagine a piece of cloth that is laid out flat – it has no folds, creases, or dark places. The cloth is open and laid bare. This is how the simple eye is: it is uncomplicated.

An evil eye on the other hand is more complex, like a folded cloth. It has folds, creases, coverings, dark places, and hidden recesses. The evil eye is full of envy, hatred, and jealousy.

There are two ways to look at the world – with an evil eye or a simple eye. The same situations and people can be viewed in two different ways. A person with an evil eye looks at people with envy and hatred. A person with a simple eye looks at people with love, generosity, and kindness.

One way the Bible describes the evil eye is by explaining a poor person coming and asking for help. A person with an evil eye will refuse to help the poor man because he thinks he is just taking advantage of people (Deuteronomy 15:7-11). The evil eye doesn’t want to help people. It is not generous. It attributes evil motives to people.

When Jesus came to this world, he didn’t have an evil eye towards the people of the world. Although he was mistreated and killed, he kept loving and giving. On the cross he cried out, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus did not come to take from us. He came to give. He had a simple, good eye.

The Holy Spirit in us will inspire us to have a simple, good eye toward others.

Another way the Bible describes the evil eye is when Jesus told a parable about workers who agreed to work for 12 hours a day for a denarius (the coin that was the daily wage). At the end of the day, when these workers were paid their denarius, they saw others who worked only one hour who were also paid a denarius. Everyone was paid the same! Those who worked for twelve hours had an evil eye against the ones who only worked one hour because they didn’t think it was fair that they all received the same amount. Although they agreed to be paid only a denarius, they didn’t want others getting more than they did (Matthew 20:15).

A person with an evil eye doesn’t want others to succeed. He certainly doesn’t want others to be preferred over him, and he doesn’t want to get less than what he thinks is his fair share.

When we are relying on ourselves, it is easy to develop an evil eye. We will hoard resources and turn inward. We think that everything depends on us, and then we covet what others have and become envious and wrongfully suspicious. The evil eye will hinder us from experiencing God’s miracles, and it will block us from supernatural provision. It shows lack of faith.

But when we trust in God, then we can look at things differently. We can give, hoping for nothing in return. The love of God can pour out from us to a needy and wicked world. When there is a supernatural flow out from us, there will be a supernatural flow into us.

God is raising up people at the end of the age who will look to heaven for their help, and not rely on their own strength. They will have a simple eye, and not an evil eye, because they know God is their Father and he will provide for all they need.

Jesus said it’s more blessed to give than to receive. A generous person wants to bless others and help them. He is simple. He has a bountiful or a good eye (Proverbs 22:9). This person will be blessed supernaturally by God.

The evil eye comes from a wicked heart (Mark 7:22). When a person has an evil eye, it’s because he has a heart problem. In order to be free from the evil eye, a person needs Jesus to change his heart. He needs to be full of the Holy Spirit. When a person is full of the Holy Spirit, God’s living water will flow out of him to bless others.

We need to have hearts full of the Holy Spirit and the love of God. Then we will have a simple eye. We will be full of light. When we are full of light, then that light will radiate out of us into our surroundings, circumstances and relationships. Other things will become full of light because we are full of light (Luke 11:34-36).

The Bible warns us not to eat the food of a person who has an evil eye (Proverbs 23:6-8). It says the person with an evil eye will try to hide his hatred and not let others know what is really in his heart. He pretends that he likes you, but he actually doesn’t. He pretends he is generous to you, but he is actually the opposite. The Bible warns us that desiring things from a person with an evil eye can create problems.

Jesus Christ can heal us from the evil eye. He became poor that we could become rich. He did not have an evil eye against us, even when we were dead in our sins. He didn’t want to take from us or punish us, when we deserved God’s wrath. We were like the poorest and most wretched beggars, and yet God had mercy on us. He wiped away our sins. He gave his life freely so we could be blessed. We did not deserve this gift. But Jesus looked on us with love and gave us the riches of heaven freely.

We have freely received, let us freely give. We can do this when we have a good, simple eye.