Pilgrim's Progress 2

Good morning and welcome to our online book study of Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. For more information regarding this study click HERE. Also, remember that we are going to discuss the book according to the various stages detailed HERE.

Today we have reached Stage Two: the Gate, conversation with Good-Will, the Interpreter's House, Christian entertained, and the sights there shown him.

When we left Christian last week, He had just been confronted by Evangelist who had redirected him. Having returned once again to his original path, Christian reaches the Wicket-Gate. He knocks and asks for admission. Good-Will opens the gate and pulls him in.

Christian and Good-Will have an interesting conversation. One highlight for me was when Christian asks for help with the burden on his back. Good-Will replies, "As to thy burden, be content to bear it until thou comest to the place of deliverance; for there it will fall from thy back of itself." There is much to think about in Good-Will's answer. Good-Will tells Christian to be content to bear the burden of his sin. In other words, "stop trying to remove the burden in your own strength. When you come to the cross, the place of deliverance, your burden will be removed all by itself."

Christian comes to the Interpreter's house and sees many wonderful things there. I will readily admit that I did not understand the full significance of everything Christian saw here. One scene I really enjoyed was the parlour scene. Bunyan lets us know that the parlour represents our own heart before salvation. He then masterfully illustrates the effect of the law upon the sinful heart. He shows how the Law, "instead of cleansing the heart from sin, doth revive, put strength into, and increase in in the soul...for it doth not give power to subdue." The heart is only cleansed by the Gospel, represented by the water which was sprinkled throughout the parlour.

The Interpreter then takes Christian to another room and shows him Patience and Passion. The Interpreter, in explaining this scene to Christian gives a reminder to all of us, "the glory of the next world will never wear out."

Again, Bunyan gives an amazing illustration through the scene of the fire "burning against a wall." On one side of the wall stands the Devil throwing water on the fire to extinguish it. On the other side of the wall stands Christ pouring oil on the fire to keep it burning. Too often, we only see the Devil trying to extinguish this fire, which is the work of grace in our hearts. We fail to remember that Christ is working on our behalf. He stands fueling our fire and sustaining it.

The Interpreter shows Christian two more things: the palace and the man in the iron cage. After showing all these things to Christian, the Interpreter gives some final words of instruction and sends him on his way.

Your Turn
Now obviously, I cannot comment on everything. This post is already long enough. I only comment on those sections which really encouraged or stimulated my mind. Now it is your turn. Don't be shy. Share your highlights from this section.

Next Week
Next Monday, we will discuss The Third Stage: Loses his burden at the Cross - Simple, Sloth, Prsumption, Formalist, Hypocrisy - hill difficulty - the Arbor - misses his roll - the palace Beautiful - the lions - talk with Discretion, Piety, Prudence, and Charity - wonders shown to Christian - he is armed