James 1:23
“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A hearer who does not act is like a man glancing at his face in a mirror.
What Does James 1:23 Mean?
James illustrates the self-deceived hearer. He is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, catching a true glimpse of himself. The word, rightly heard, shows a person what he really is, the way a glass shows the face.
The comparison is exact so far: hearing the word is a genuine seeing. The problem comes in what follows, in the next verse. For now James simply sets the scene, a man before a mirror, granted an honest look. The word offers this same honest look to everyone who hears it, revealing both need and the remedy in Christ. What matters is what the hearer does with what he has seen.