The Bible records several occasions where Jesus said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out”.  What did He mean by this?

Here are the passages where Jesus said this.

Mat 5:29  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.
Mat 5:30  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.

Mat 18:8  “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.
Mat 18:9  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.

Mar 9:47  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—

It is helpful to look at the preceding verses in Matthew 5.

Mat 5:27  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.’
Mat 5:28  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus was addressing the topic of adultery.  He said looking at a woman lustfully is sin.  His solution was to pluck out the offending eye.  Clearly, Jesus did not mean this to be taken literally, as you can still lust in your imagination with no eyes. 

Jesus was using parts of the body to teach that we should not tolerate sin in our lives.  A sinful habit needs to be removed even though doing so may be as painful as losing an eye or a hand.  It is far better to give up a sinful pleasure than to lose out on salvation.

The apostle Paul stated the same thing but in different words.

Col 3:5  Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Summary

“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out” means get rid of sin in your life even if it is painful to do so.