David Wilcock, a well known New Age lecturer who claims to be the reincarnation of Edgar Cayce, who has a huge following, regularly twists Scripture to make it sound like it means something that it has absolutely nothing to do with. In this video, Wilcock takes the passage out of Matthew Chapter 6, (apparently referencing the American King James Version, since it would be the easiest translation to twist into the meaning he is trying to portray of it), the parable of Laying Up Treasures in Heaven, and claims that Jesus’ hidden message in this passage is in reference to the Pineal gland, and using it to enlighten us. Take the following transcript of David’s video: (Entire Lecture Video can be found here)

There are some absolutely obvious quotes from Jesus that clearly indicate that he was aware of the Pineal gland and how important it is to any spiritual path, including the positive, loving, awakening of consciousness that he was trying to teach us. In the book of Matthew, Jesus says, ‘the light of the body is the eye, if therefore your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of light.’ … it doesn’t mean you have to poke one of your eyes out to become psychic, it’s saying that when your pineal gland opens, your body becomes enlightened and aware. Jesus was always speaking in parables, and this is a hidden metaphor for the Pineal gland

The Pineal gland, known in occult and New Age/mystic religions as the “third eye,” is a pine cone shaped gland in the center of the brain that is responsible for the production of melatonin and plays a role in the metabolism of certain hormones and drugs, including psychedelic drugs. In esoteric circles, this “third eye” is believed to be the gate to higher consciousness, which can be awakened through certain mystical practices as well as the use of some psychedelic drugs, such as Ayahuasca. The symbol of this mystical third eye can be found in many of the world’s major religions, including Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Satanism, Freemasonry, as well as the New Age. Many cults of “Christianity” also embrace this symbol, and incorporate this line of thinking into their belief system. As you can see, all of these religions are unified around the same principle, that man’s “inner self,” or “inner consciousness,” is the key to spiritual enlightenment, and that man must awaken his consciousness in order to ascend into the next spiritual phase. David Wilcock would have us believe that Jesus Christ was teaching this same concept while hear on earth, but is this really what Jesus was saying? Let’s examine the passage in context, on a critical and logical level, and uncover the real meaning of this passage, as intended by the author of this text.

The passage Wilcock uses, in the American King James Version that he uses to quote his passage, is as follows:

¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²² The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ²³ But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

First of all, the Greek world translated is “light” in verse 22 is λύχνος, or luchnos. It literally means “lamp,” or “illuminator,” something that sheds or shines light on something else. It doesn’t actually mean the essence of light itself, rather a source of light. A lamp illuminates the things around us, likewise the eye shows us the things around us, and where we are going and what we are doing. Here Jesus is likening our eye to a lamp that lights our bodies. Our eyes, or what we see and perceive, are the entrance to our hearts, and affect our whole being.

Understanding what Jesus meant by “single” in verse 23 is key to understanding the passage. Notice that Wilcock conveniently left out verse 24, because it totally changes the context of the point he is trying to deceive his audience with. The word translated as “single” in this verse is ἁπλοῦς, or haplous, which literally means simple, whole, healthy, properly folded. In other words, Jesus is saying that if your eye is good, your body, surroundings, path, will be illuminated, but if your eye is bad, and you can’t see properly, you’re going to stumble.

What Jesus is saying has absolutely nothing to do with the esoteric, “single eye,” or “third eye” of the Pineal gland. He’s saying that we as Christians should have one focus, or singleness of vision. Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and Jesus Christ should be our single vision for Christians.

John 1:1-14 says:

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. ⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus wants us to set our eyes and our hearts on his Kingdom. He does not want us to be seeking the evils of this world, through politics and government. Such things are pictured as the beasts throughout the Bible in prophecy. We are rather to seek the light of his Word, and the rule of his reign over our lives and the lives of others by furthering the Gospel. The very next passage after the verse Wilcock tries to twist tells us not to be anxious about these worldly things, but to seek the kingdom of God first through faith, and our spiritual needs will all be met (Matthew 6:33).