How many understand the message about looking in the mirror in James 1:22-24?
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It is a fundamental principle of Jewish study that the Torah is a mirror reflecting one’s own life, soul, and spiritual journey.
The Book of James was written specifically to those believing Jews who lived in the Diaspora, and since Yacov (James) was Jewish, he knew about this teaching and so when he used it, he knew that his audience would understand, as well.
But how many Christians know what he was actually referring to?
Let’s see what he said (CJB):
Don’t deceive yourselves by only hearing what the Word says, but do it! For whoever hears the Word but doesn’t do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror, who looks at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
The only “Word” that existed when he said this was the Torah. That is not an opinion, it is historical fact, so what Jimmy was telling these messianic Jews was that they need to remain Jewish to stay on the right track for salvation. He did this because of the ever-growing influence of the Gentiles who were taking over this Jewish movement and teaching to reject much, if not all, of the Torah.
The Gentile introduction to salvation through Yeshua is considered to have begun with Kefa’s (Peter) conversion of Cornelius around 37-40 AD (Acts 10), and by the end of that century (after all the Jewish leaders had died or had been martyred) the now Gentile leadership of what was now a mostly Gentile sect was already separating itself from its Jewish roots.
Consequently, the further this movement got away from its Jewish roots, the further it got away from Yeshua.
The Book of James is considered to be one of the earliest written messages, sometime around 40-50 AD, and as such was written a little after the time that Gentiles started to come into (or should I say, infiltrate?) this evolving Jewish sect of Jews who accepted Yeshua as the Messiah. However, there was never any conversion because these Jewish believers continued living a Torah observant lifestyle, which is also how Yeshua lived and what he taught.
Sometime around 98 AD, Ignatius of Antioch stated that the Sabbath will be on a Sunday for (those who were now being called) Christians, and by the Council of Nicene, Christianity was not only totally foreign to its Jewish roots, but was anti-Jewish.
So, the idea that the Torah should be a mirror, meaning that when we see how God says to worship him and to treat each other we should recognize that this is what we do every day, has been lost to Christians.
The real new Covenant, Jeremiah 31:31, says that God will write his Torah on our hearts. This also reflects back on the analogy of the Torah being a mirror (get it? Reflect, Torah as a mirror, get it?).
OK, back to being serious… it is atsuv me’od (Hebrew for “very sad”) that because traditional Christian teaching is that the Torah is only for Jews, by rejecting the Torah Christians are excluding themselves from being able to partake in the new covenant. Why? Because you can’t have something you reject written on your heart.
Yacov wrote to believing Jews who were being influenced by Gentiles who accepted Yeshua, but were teaching to reject the way he lived and worshipped. That is why Yacov used this well-known analogy of the Torah being a mirror when he “drashed” about one who doesn’t do as God said is like someone who forgets what he looks like.
What he was saying was to really be who God wants you to be, the Torah has to be a mirror.
So, nu?… what do you see when you read the Torah?
Thank you for being here and please remember to like and comment on these messages, which helps me to get more exposure on the Internet. Also share these with everyone you know, even non-believers. Hey, after all, you never know how fertile the soil is until you plant a seed in it.
That’s it for this week, so L’hitraot and (an early) Shabbat Shalom!