Glasses
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Definition and Historical Context:
Glasses, known today as spectacles, are optical instruments consisting of lenses mounted in a frame that rests on the nose and ears. They are used to correct vision impairments such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The invention of glasses is attributed to the late 13th century in Italy, long after the biblical era. Therefore, glasses are not directly mentioned in the Bible.

Biblical References to Vision and Sight:
While glasses themselves are not mentioned in the Scriptures, the Bible frequently addresses the themes of vision and sight, both in the physical and spiritual sense. Vision is often used metaphorically to describe understanding and insight. For example, in Proverbs 29:18 , it is written, "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law." This verse highlights the importance of spiritual vision and guidance.

Spiritual Insight and Clarity:
The Bible emphasizes the need for spiritual clarity and insight, akin to the clarity that glasses provide for physical sight. In Ephesians 1:18 , Paul prays, "I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." Here, the "eyes of your heart" symbolize the need for spiritual understanding and enlightenment.

Healing of Physical Blindness:
The Gospels recount several instances where Jesus heals physical blindness, demonstrating His divine power and compassion. In John 9:6-7 , Jesus heals a man born blind: "When He had said this, He spat on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. Then He told him, 'Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam' (which means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing." These miracles underscore the belief in Jesus as the Light of the World, who brings both physical and spiritual sight.

Metaphorical Use of Sight and Blindness:
The Bible often uses blindness as a metaphor for spiritual ignorance or lack of faith. In 2 Corinthians 4:4 , Paul writes, "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." This metaphorical blindness contrasts with the spiritual sight granted to believers through faith in Christ.

Wisdom and Discernment:
The Scriptures encourage believers to seek wisdom and discernment, akin to seeking clear vision. James 1:5 states, "Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Just as glasses aid in correcting physical vision, divine wisdom aids in correcting spiritual perception.

Conclusion:
While glasses as a physical object are not present in biblical times, the themes of vision, sight, and clarity are deeply embedded in the Scriptures. They serve as powerful metaphors for understanding, wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment, encouraging believers to seek both physical and spiritual clarity in their walk with God.
Library

Faith in the Saved Sinner Alone.
... Faith is like a pair of glasses, not only useless, but hurtful to good
eyes; very helpful for diseased or weak eyes. So long as ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xl faith in the saved.htm

Meditation viii. Institution of the Holy Eucharist.
... with which they were covered and placed them before him on the board; then he took
out of the chalice a smaller vase, and ranged the six little glasses on each ...
/.../meditation viii institution of the.htm

A Human Picture of God.
... His eyesight was not very good. He wore glasses, and to-night they seemed
to blur up. ... It must have been the glasses, of course. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/a human picture of god.htm

The Moods of Mr. George Moore
... best in combating. Mr. Moore hates Catholicism because it breaks up the
house of looking-glasses in which he lives. Mr. Moore does ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/ix the moods of mr.htm

The Power and Wisdom of God in the Creation.
... There is scarce a single humour in the body of a man, or of any other animal, in
which our glasses do not discover myriads of living creatures. ...
/.../sect ii the power and.htm

Jerome Savonarola (Ad 1452-1498)
... There were among them cards and dice, fineries of women's dress, looking-glasses,
bad books, musical instruments, pictures, and statues. ...
/.../chapter xxviii jerome savonarola ad.htm

Meditation iv. The Chalice Used at the Last Supper
... The great chalice stood upon a plate, out of which a species of tablet could
also be drawn, and around it there were six little glasses. ...
/.../meditation iv the chalice used.htm

Secret Faults
... outward. They see themselves in their looking-glasses every morning, although
they 'go away and forget what manner of men' they were. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/secret faults.htm

The Pure in Heart
... sight. A mile or two from here skilful artisans make those great object-glasses
with which the mysteries of the stars are disclosed. ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/xxvii the pure in heart.htm

The Need of Scripture, as a Guide and Teacher, in Coming to God as ...
... set before them, though they perceive that there is something written are scarcely
able to make out two consecutive words, but, when aided by glasses, begin to ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 6 the need of.htm

Thesaurus
Glasses (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Glasses (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 3:23 The glasses, and
the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. (KJV BBE WBS). ...
/g/glasses.htm - 6k

Looking-glasses (2 Occurrences)
Looking-glasses. Lookingglasses, Looking-glasses. Lookout .
Multi-Version Concordance Looking-glasses (2 Occurrences). ...
/l/looking-glasses.htm - 7k

Glass (12 Occurrences)
... (Comp. Exodus 38:8: "looking-glasses" are brazen mirrors, RV). A mirror is
referred to also in James 1:23. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/g/glass.htm - 21k

Vails (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Vails (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 3:23 The glasses, and
the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/v/vails.htm - 6k

Undergarments (6 Occurrences)
... water. (See NAS NIV). Isaiah 3:23 The looking-glasses, and the fair linen,
and the high head-dresses, and the veils. (See NAS). Ezekiel ...
/u/undergarments.htm - 8k

Looking-glass (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. LOOKING-GLASS. look'-ing-glas (Exodus 38:8 the
King James Version margin "brasen glasses"). See GLASS; MIRROR. ...
/l/looking-glass.htm - 7k

Lookingglasses (1 Occurrence)

/l/lookingglasses.htm - 6k

Lookingglass
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia LOOKING-GLASS. look'-ing-glas (Exodus 38:8 the
King James Version margin "brasen glasses"). See GLASS; MIRROR. ...
/l/lookingglass.htm - 6k

Lookout (4 Occurrences)

/l/lookout.htm - 7k

Glaze (1 Occurrence)

/g/glaze.htm - 7k

Resources
What does it mean that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)? | GotQuestions.org

How do the elements of the Passover Seder point to Christ? | GotQuestions.org

Glasses: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Glasses (1 Occurrence)

Isaiah 3:23
The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
(KJV BBE WBS)

Subtopics

Glasses

Related Terms

Gleam (5 Occurrences)

Glasses (1 Occurrence)

Glass (12 Occurrences)

Refractory (7 Occurrences)

Babylonia (17 Occurrences)

Glass: Symbolical
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