Pluck Out Your Eyes?

"27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell." (Matt. 5: 27-30 nkjv)

“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire." (Matt. 18: 8-9 nkjv)

Many years ago my beloved father, God rest his soul, called me and asked me my interpretation about what Jesus was teaching when he said the above words. I responded by basically saying: 

"Jesus was showing us that our problem is not in our eyes, hands, feet, or any other physical member of our bodies. The problem is in our hearts. That is the source of our sins. Cutting off the hand or plucking out the eye will not cure us of our propensity to sin." 

Father was a minister and theologian and he replied: "that's okay, good," or something to that effect. Jesus in Matthew chapter five spoke of sinning "in heart" before uttering the above words. People without eyes still lust. People without hands can still steal or do what is wrong. What people need is a new heart and I don't mean a physical heart. By heart I mean what the scriptures mean. The heart is the core of a person's psychological being, the place of his thoughts, where his choices originate. Jesus said:

"16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” (Matt. 15: 16-20 nkjv)

Here Jesus corrects an error or excuse that many people put forth about why they sin. A drunkard will sometimes blame the liquor he drinks for his bad behavior, when the fault is in his choice to become intoxicated. An adulterer will sometimes play the victim, saying that he was enticed or seduced. Etc. No, the problem with your sin and your evil ways is a result of your depraved and unbelieving and impenitent heart. You need a new heart and spirit and the only way you will ever obtain it is by going to Dr. Jesus and sincerely asking him to save you from your sins.