Mirror Reading

In conversations, sometimes people guess the reason for someone’s question. If I ask a friend, “What’s for dinner?” He might say, “Why? Are you hungry?” He is trying to guess why I asked what I asked. This is called “mirror reading.” Such a mirror reading can be accurate or wrong. If my friend were correct, I would say, “Yes. What are you cooking?” If he were wrong, I would say, “No, I am just curious.”

We have the same danger with reading the Scriptures. We see Paul saying to the Ephesians: “No bitterness, anger, wrath, shout, and blasphemy take hold of you” (4:31). If we were to conclude that the Ephesians had these, we are mirror reading. They might have or might not have.

One day, Jesus told the apostles that some of them would not die until they had seen God’s rule coming powerfully (Mark 9:1). Six days later, he took Peter, John, and James to a high mountain where he metamorphosized before them with shinning white garments (9:2). Most of us know what metamorphosis is – that’s what a butterfly goes through, from a green worm-like larva to a beautiful butterfly. Jesus did, too, with his face shining like the sun (Matt 17:2). As he changed, Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus (Mark 9:3). They were discussing his exodus (“departure”) that was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31).

At this moment, Peter said,

“Rabbi, to be here is good for us. May we make three tents – one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah?” (Mark 9:5)

Peter’s fear made him say what he said (9:6). This is where we start mirror reading, assuming Peter wanted to stay there because it was glorious or Peter didn’t want to come down and face persecution, etc.

Mark and Luke give us two important clues to understand Peter’s question. Mark said twice that it was an answer to a question that was asked: apokrinomai in v. 5a and 6a. NASB preserves this: “Peter responded and said” (v. 5a) and “He did not know how to reply” (v. 6a; I added the underlines). Peter was responding to a question or situation. Although we don’t know the question, we know the situation: “As they [Moses and Elijah] were departing from him, Peter said” (Luke 9:33). The saints’ departure triggered Peter’s response. He wanted to know if he needed to put up a tent to keep them with Jesus. He feared that they would depart and God’s rule wouldn’t come.

In response to Peter’s fear, the Father spoke and said, “He is my beloved son” (Mark 9:7a). This was God’s affirmation that the Messiah – God’s son – has come, and God’s rule has started with or without Moses and Elijah’s presence. Following that, God instructed the disciples to listen and obey his son’s instruction (9:7b), which included not talking about this scene until Jesus’s resurrection (9:9), which was his exodus, i.e., departure (Luke 9:31). At first, the disciples didn’t understand what was meant by his resurrection (Mark 9:10). After his resurrection, they would have understood.

Peter had good intentions; he wanted God’s rule to come. But Peter was confused about the process and timing. Jesus had to go to Jerusalem, suffer, die, and resurrect before he could bring God’s rule.

We, too, sometimes get anxious about bringing God’s rule into a situation, in someone’s life, or in our church. God assures us that Jesus is still his beloved son, the king. We wait patiently for his timing.