Mirror and Forgetting

The Word of God as a Mirror

Sören Kierkegaard¹ (1813-1855) is one of those authors who always make something resonate in me. In his writing “For Self-Examination”² he critically deals with our handling of the Bible. His starting point is James 1:23-24:

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1.22-23; NIV)

I must confess: I have stumbled over this passage again and again, but without ever having dealt with it more closely. Okay: since Luther, James has not had a good standing in large parts of Christianity. Luther was convinced that the letter was not written by the James who had been one of the first followers of Jesus. He complained, above all, that its teaching did not conform to the gospel. The letter was much too legal for Luther.³ And so, in many churches today, the letter of James plays far less of a role than, for example, the letters of Paul. I think I, too, have preached on him only once.

When the mirror is more important than the reflection

James compares the word of God to a mirror; the reader would then be someone who ideally looks at himself in this mirror. But Kierkegaard obviously doubts that we like to deal with the Bible in this way:⁴

What is necessary […] to look at yourself with true blessing in the mirror of the Word? […] That you do not look at the mirror, examine the mirror, but see yourself in the mirror. (Kierkegaard)

I imagine a mirror, large, beautifully cut, with a gold decorated rim set with precious stones. Perhaps in the state room of a castle. When I look at it, I marvel at the skill of the masters who created it. When I examine it closely, I see the finest traces of the tools that were used for gilding. I think about the incredible value of this masterpiece, the people who created it, the history that led the mirror to this castle.

I might look at him in this way for minutes - but in the end I have not perceived myself in him even once.

So this is the first thing: if the Word of God is to become a Word that speaks to me personally, in which I can recognize myself, then it is not enough for me to see and admire the mirror.

This seems so obvious that one would think it hardly needed to be said. James warns against the oversight of looking at the mirror instead of seeing oneself in the mirror. (Kierkegaard)

If I’m honest: when dealing with the Bible, it’s really not hard to avoid facing myself. There are so many “meaningful” questions I can ask of the text. These were no different in Kierkegaard’s time than they are today:

How much belongs to the “Word of God” in the strict sense, which books are genuine, are they even from the apostles, and are they also credible, did they see everything themselves, or perhaps only heard various things from others? and now the readings, 30,000 different readings! and then this confluence and this jostling of scholars and of opinions, of learned and unlearned opinions about how the individual passage is to be understood. (Kierkegaard)

In short:

The story with the mirror gets so confused that I probably never get around to mirroring myself - at least not when I do take that path. (Kierkegaard)

Two ways to read the Bible

It is important to understand that Kierkegaard did not reject the scientific study of the biblical text. He was a theologian himself. But for him there were apparently two ways of reading.

• I can read the Bible as a venerable, ancient book, inspired by God, a gift to humanity. Depending on my commitment, I can trace the origin and connection of the different books, if possible taking into account for my interpretation the subtleties of the Hebrew and Greek language. And if that is not enough: for each verse there are commentaries in abundance.
• But I can also look for the Word of God in the Bible, the challenge it makes to me, the encouragement that speaks into my current situation - and measure myself and my reality against what I perceive when I listen closely.

Both approaches are okay and have their place. But Kierkegaard’s text encourages me to ask:

• Where does the Bible passage speak to me personally?
• Can I find my attitudes, prejudices, my weaknesses, but also my strengths reflected in the people who are acting?
• What encouragement or directional correction does this passage show me?
• What do I learn from it that I can apply directly today?

For me, this will be a process of practice in the near future. In the [lectio divina], the possibility of letting myself be touched by the text is already inherent. But even there I would like to have more discipline to consciously allow the transforming power of his word for the points about which God wants to say something to me personally.

How do you feel about it? Do you also know it: reading the Bible without it touching your life? Would you like to change anything about it? Maybe we can walk a short way together in this process. If you have questions or want to talk about your experiences, just write in the comments, or email me personally.

Wenn du über neue Artikel auf meinem Blog informiert werden willst, abonniere doch meinen kostenlosen Newsletter. Ich gebe deine Daten an niemanden weiter. Und Du kannst ihn jederzeit wieder abbestellen. Versprochen.

 

Cover image: John Charles Robinson (1824-1913) - Small Mirror Frame, in Carved and Gilded Wood. Venetian (1858); on [artvee.com]. Image is in the public domain.