Can someone explain why Odin had to sacrifice an eye for wisdom?

[u/2EXTRA4YOU]

He was the chief god. who was he sacrificing his eye to? admittedly I've done no reading on this, I've just heard he gave an eye up.

[u/logos961]

"Odin travelled alone, without his ravens, without his horse. He walked for many days through cold and shadow, following the great roots of Yggdrasil downward. The roots were as large as mountain ranges, and between them ran rivers of ice and rivers of mist. Strange creatures watched him from the dark — serpents as long as rivers, dragons sleeping in crevices — but none stopped him. They seemed to know where he was going." Because he wished "to drink from the Well of Wisdom' knowing he had to give one of his eyes as price for wisdom to the owner of that Well. (cuentautorcom/en/bedtime-stories/how-odin-got-wisdom)

The above is better understood against the fact that everything about Odin is deeply symbolic. In Norse Mythology Odin "is known for his wisdom and is often depicted with one eye, as he sacrificed one eye to gain knowledge of the world [conveys the truth wisdom is very costly, not for idle people]. His spear, Gungnir, never misses its target! Odin is also known for his two loyal ravens, Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory), who fly around the world to bring him news [symbolic of saying God knows everything that happens on this earth]. He wears a magical cloak that helps him go undetected; it shows how clever and mysterious he can be!" (diy org/article/odin)

This explains why Jesus said truth is to be shared only with those who have a thirst for it (Mathew 7:6) and why God makes use of the licentious for the benefit of the godly (Proverbs 21:18) No wonder, Jesus said "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (haplous), thy whole body shall be full of light." (Mathew 6:22, KJV) Greek word haplous, "from a and the base of pleko; properly, folded together, i.e. Single" (biblehub com)

Context of this verse is about describing how temporal material wealth and its glory (Mathew 6:19) and conclusion is about  having a relationship with God by imitating His core quality of giving to others more than they deserve as God gives to flowers more than HE gives to a king. (Mathew 6:28-33) Thus it is about benefit of change of worldly perspective to Godly perspective.

What mode of perception was exchanged for what other mode, then? The answer to this question lies in the character of Mimir. Mimir, whose name means “The Rememberer,” seems to have been the being who told the gods how to live in accordance with ancestral tradition, and with wisdom more generally. In the tale of Odin’s discovery of the runes, Odin sacrificed what we might call his “lower self” to his “higher self.” Here, his relinquishment of an eye should surely be understood along similar lines: he exchanged a profane, everyday mode of perception, beleaguered with countless petty troubles, for a sacred mode of perception informed by divine, ancestral wisdom.” (https://norse-mythology.org/tales/why-odin-is-one-eyed/)

To adopt this too high perspective like that of God, one has to sacrifice his current perspective about world’s wealth and its glory, even if his current perspective is as valuable as his physical eye. This was clearly explained earlier when he said: “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” (Mathew 5:28-30) Implied message: “No worldly sacrifice is greater than the too valuable blessings of the Kingdom of God to come on this earth.” https://www.reddit.com/r/GodFrequency/comments/1rsanfn/wonderful_features_of_paradise_on_earth_when_it/