ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

Part 13: The Man in the Iron Cage

"Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God."

Hebrews 3:12 (ESV)

Christian has now been through several rooms in the Interpreter's House, and each lesson has revealed something that he needs to understand before continuing his journey. The Interpreter has shown him the faithful servant, the dusty room, Passion and Patience, the fire that continued to burn and the palace guarded by armed men. Each lesson has revealed something about the Christian life, yet Christian is still carrying the burden that brought him out of the City of Destruction. The Interpreter is not finished with him. He takes Christian into another room, and there he sees a man sitting inside an iron cage.

The sight of this man immediately troubles Christian. His eyes are looking towards the ground, his hands are folded together and he is sighing as though his heart might break. Christian asks who he is, and the man's answer is very revealing. He tells Christian that he is what he was not once. Christian naturally wants to know what he was once, and the man explains that he had been a fair and flourishing professor, both in his own eyes and in the eyes of others. He had believed himself to be on the way to the Celestial City and had even experienced joy when he thought about arriving there. Yet now he describes himself as a man of despair, shut up in an iron cage, and he sees no way of escape.

This is quite a change from the man he says he once was.

Christian wants to know how he came into such a condition, and the man's answer is sobering. He tells Christian that he stopped watching and being sober. He gave himself over to his lusts. He sinned against the light of the Word and the goodness of God. He says that he grieved the Spirit, tempted the devil, provoked God to anger and hardened his heart until he could no longer repent.

There is a progression here that is difficult to ignore. The man did not describe himself as someone who had never known anything about God. He had made a profession. He believed himself to be on the way to the Celestial City. He had experienced joy concerning the things of God. Yet he became careless, allowed his desires to take control and continued in a direction that eventually brought him to a place of complete despair.

Peter writes, "Be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

Peter's words immediately bring the man's testimony to mind. He tells Christian that he stopped watching and being sober, while Peter warns us to remain sober minded and watchful. Bunyan has already shown us that the Christian pilgrimage is not a journey without danger. Christian has encountered those who would turn him away from the narrow road, and now he is being shown what can happen when a person becomes careless with the things of God.

There is something else here that has caused me to stop and think about Christian's journey. How is Christian able to receive all these lessons in the Interpreter's House before he reaches the Cross? Jesus tells Nicodemus, "Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 (ESV): Christian has not yet reached the Cross; his burden is still upon his back, yet he is clearly being shown things that have spiritual meaning.

Perhaps we have been looking at this the wrong way.

Christian does not appear to understand everything that God is doing in his life. He knows that something is wrong. He knows that he is in danger. He has opened the Book and discovered his condition. He has listened to Evangelist, sought the Wicket Gate and entered the Interpreter's House. Something has already happened to this man, even though he has not yet reached the place where his burden will finally fall from his back.

Sometimes a person can notice that something is changing before they understand what is causing it. I can speak to this from my own experience. I was very much about wine, women and song, yet before I returned to South Africa, what had once been relatively easy to achieve suddenly became strangely difficult. At the time, I could not understand why. I simply noticed that something had changed. I certainly was not thinking that God was dealing with me or preparing me for the Gospel. I simply knew that something was different. Looking back now, I can see that He was dealing with me long before I understood what He was doing.

I wonder how many of us could look back and recognise something similar? Perhaps there were circumstances that made no sense at the time, desires that began to lose their appeal, or things that once satisfied us that suddenly seemed strangely empty. We may have put it down to circumstances or simply to getting older, never considering that God might be dealing with us before we had any understanding of it. I am not suggesting that every change in our lives is God preparing us for salvation, but having experienced it myself, I cannot help but look at Christianity differently. He knows something is wrong; he knows he needs deliverance, but he does not yet understand what God is doing. Could Bunyan be showing us a man beginning to see his condition before he understands the hand that is leading him towards the answer? Perhaps that is a question each of us should consider when we look back over our own lives.

Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." John 6:44 (ESV). That is worth considering alongside the Christian's journey. He is not finding his own way to God through human wisdom. He has been awakened to his condition and is being directed towards the place where his burden will finally be removed. He does not understand everything, but that should not surprise us. We do not understand everything at the Cross either. The Cross is where the burden is removed. It is not where our education suddenly ends.

Christian still has a long pilgrimage ahead of him after he reaches the Cross. There will be temptation, suffering, false teaching, spiritual conflict, and many more lessons before he reaches Celestial City. The Parable of the Sower comes to mind here, because Jesus tells us that some receive the Word with joy, yet when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, they stumble. Hearing the Word is not the end of the matter. What happens afterwards matters. Perhaps this is part of what Bunyan is showing us by placing the Interpreter's House where he does. Christian is being prepared for what lies ahead, and the Interpreter is helping him understand things he could not yet grasp while he was still content to remain in the City of Destruction.

This makes the image of the man in the iron cage even more sobering, as Christian is shown what can happen when a man receives light and then grows careless with it. We must not soften that warning, but neither should we forget the abundance of God's grace. I can say that from experience because when I look back at the man I was, I know that God has shown me a patience I did not deserve, and I continue to experience that patience today. Samson gives us another remarkable example. His choices brought terrible consequences, including blindness, captivity and humiliation, yet when he cried out to God, the Lord heard him and restored his strength. His story does not make his sin acceptable, but it does show us something of God's mercy. "and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 1:14 (ESV)

Christian is deeply affected by what he has heard and asks whether there is any hope for such a man. The Interpreter tells him to ask the man himself, but Christian asks the Interpreter to do it. The man's answer is filled with despair. He believes there is no hope for him. Christian reminds him that the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful, yet the man believes that he has gone beyond the reach of mercy. He speaks of despising Christ, His righteousness and His blood, and of doing despite to the Spirit of grace.

The language Bunyan uses here takes us directly into the warnings of Hebrews.

"How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:29 (ESV)

These are difficult words, and Bunyan does not make them any easier. The man believes that he has deliberately turned away from the truth he once professed, and now he sees nothing before him except judgment. He believes that he has hardened his heart to such an extent that repentance is no longer possible.

This is where we need to be careful about what Bunyan is actually showing us. It would be very easy to decide exactly who this man represents theologically. Was he truly converted and then lost his salvation? Or was he someone who had made a profession but had never possessed saving faith? Bunyan does not stop here to settle that question for us. He allows the man to tell Christian what has happened to him, and then the Interpreter tells Christian to remember what he has seen as an everlasting caution.

We do not need to force an answer where Bunyan has not provided one. We can heed the warning and allow the Scriptures to speak alongside it.

The man also says that he has grieved the Spirit and that the Spirit is gone. Those words take us back to what we have already considered in the Interpreter's House. The Holy Spirit has been brought before us as the Spirit of truth, the One who teaches and guides God's people. Paul tells the believers at Ephesus, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30 (ESV)

The man then tells Christian what brought him to this condition. It was the lusts, pleasures and profits of this world. These were the things he had promised himself he would delight in, yet they have now become a source of misery. What he once believed would satisfy him has turned against him, and he describes them as biting and gnawing him like a burning worm. Judas Iscariot is a sobering example of this very thing. He was entrusted with the money bag, yet his love of money eventually led him to betray his Master. When the consequences finally became clear, the thirty pieces of silver that had once seemed worth the price of his betrayal offered him no comfort. He returned the money, confessed, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood," and then went away and took his own life. Matthew 27:3 to 5. What had appeared to be worth having became a terrible burden once the reality of what he had done caught up with him. Sin has a way of hiding the price until after the purchase has been made.

Is that not so often the way sin works? We see what it promises before we see what it costs. The pleasure comes first, and the consequences often arrive later. We tell ourselves that we are in control, yet the very thing we have chosen can eventually become the thing that controls us. The man in the iron cage now sees the consequences of choices that once appeared to offer him pleasure.

The Interpreter tells Christian to remember the man's misery as an everlasting caution. Christian's response is revealing. He asks God to help him watch and be sober, and to pray that he might shun the cause of this man's misery. Bunyan then has Christian ask whether it is time to continue on his way, but the Interpreter tells him to stay because there is one more thing he wants to show him. I think this is worth considering, because Christian believes he is ready to continue, yet the Interpreter knows there is still something Christian needs to see before he leaves the house.

Christian has entered by the right way, but he still needs to be taught. He has seen things, but he does not yet understand everything. He is moving towards the Cross, but there are still lessons that must be learned before he leaves.

That is important because the Christian pilgrimage does not begin with complete understanding, nor does it suddenly produce complete understanding at the Cross. God deals with us, teaches us and reveals things to us as we walk. Sometimes we only recognise afterwards what He was doing before we had the understanding to recognise it.

Bunyan's Christian is being prepared for something he does not yet fully understand. He is carrying a burden that he cannot remove himself, and he is being brought towards the place where he will finally discover what Christ has accomplished for him. The Interpreter has shown him many things, and the man in the iron cage has given him another warning to carry with him.

The burden is still upon his back; the Cross is still ahead of him, and there is still one more lesson waiting before he leaves the Interpreter's House.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: John 3:3; John 6:44; Matthew 13:20 to 21; Matthew 27:3 to 5; Judges 16:28 to 30; Luke 8:13; Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 6:4 to 6; Hebrews 10:26 to 29; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Timothy 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:6.

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 Part 12 – The Stately Palace: Counting the Cost

"So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:33 (ESV)

Having shown Christian the fire that could not be extinguished, the Interpreter leads him to yet another room, where a very different scene unfolds. Before him stands a stately palace on a beautiful hill. It is a place of great splendour, and everything about it invites admiration. Yet Bunyan immediately directs our attention away from the palace itself and towards its entrance. Armed men stand before the doorway, determined to prevent anyone from entering. Their swords are drawn, and they appear ready to oppose all who attempt to pass.

Why would Bunyan place such a scene before Christian?

As we have already discovered, nothing in the Interpreter's House is accidental. Every lesson has prepared Christian for the pilgrimage that still lies before him. The portrait taught him to recognise a faithful servant of Christ. The dusty room revealed the true purpose of God's Law. Passion and Patience contrasted the passing pleasures of this world with the inheritance awaiting the believer. The fire burning against the wall reminded him that the work of God's grace is continually sustained by Christ Himself. Now Bunyan presents another lesson, one that speaks to the cost of following Christ.

At first, the picture appears almost discouraging. If the palace represents God's blessings, why is its entrance guarded by armed men? Why is the way not open and inviting? Bunyan could easily have described Christian entering without resistance, yet he deliberately places conflict before blessing. That alone should prompt us to pause and ask what he intends us to learn.

Christian then notices a man seated at a table, a book before him. One after another, those who wish to enter the palace approach the entrance, but as soon as they see the armed men, they quietly withdraw. The danger seems greater than the reward. Finally, one man of resolute spirit steps forward and says to the man with the book,

"Set down my name, sir."

Having spoken these words, he draws his sword and presses forward. Though wounded many times in the struggle, he refuses to turn back until he has passed through the armed men and entered the palace. Immediately those within receive him with great joy, clothe him in garments of gold, place a crown upon his head, and welcome him into their company.

Why does Bunyan describe the scene in this way?

The answer lies in the teaching of our Lord. As great crowds gathered around Him, Jesus never concealed the cost of discipleship. Rather than encouraging superficial followers, He called men and women to count the cost before committing themselves to Him.

"So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:33 (ESV)

These words are often misunderstood. Jesus was not teaching that salvation is earned through sacrifice or perseverance. Bunyan has already made it abundantly clear that Christian entered through the Wicket Gate by God's appointed way, not by his own merit. The palace is not teaching us how to be saved. It is teaching us what it means to follow the One who saves.

The Scriptures leave us in no doubt that the Christian life will be marked by opposition. Paul reminded Timothy,

"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)

Similarly, when Paul and Barnabas strengthened the churches, they reminded the disciples,

"Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

Acts 14:22 (ESV)

These passages do not present suffering as unusual but as something to be expected. Bunyan illustrates this truth by placing armed men at the palace entrance. They are not there because Christ is unwilling to receive His people, but because the world, the flesh and the devil continually oppose those who seek to follow Him faithfully.

One detail deserves particular attention. The man does not ask whether there is another entrance. He does not seek an easier path, nor does he wait for the armed men to leave their posts. Having committed himself, he presses forward despite the wounds he receives. His confidence rests, not in his own strength, but in the certainty that what awaits within the palace is worth every hardship endured along the way.

Does this not bring to mind the words of the Apostle Paul?

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Romans 8:18 (ESV)

Perhaps this is why Bunyan places this lesson before Christian reaches the Cross. The pilgrimage is not a promise of an easy road, but of a faithful Saviour. Before Christian continues his journey, he must understand that opposition is not evidence that he is on the wrong path. Rather, it often confirms that he is walking the narrow way of which our Lord spoke.

As we continue through the Interpreter's House, Bunyan prepares both Christian and the reader for the realities that lie ahead. Each lesson strips away another misunderstanding, each lesson directs us back to the Scriptures, and each lesson points us once again to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Luke 14:25 to 33; Acts 14:22; 2 Timothy 3:12; Romans 8:18; James 1:12.

 

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 11 – The Fire That Would Not Go Out

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27–28 (ESV)

Having shown Christian the difference between Passion and Patience, the Interpreter leads him into another room, where he is presented with a most remarkable sight. Christian sees a fire burning against a wall while a man stands before it, continually casting water upon the flames. Everything about the scene suggests the fire should soon be extinguished, yet the opposite happens. The more water is poured upon it, the more brightly it burns. As with the previous lessons, Bunyan offers no explanation at first. He simply presents the picture and leaves both Christian and the reader to consider what they have seen.

Why would Bunyan place this lesson before Christian? Throughout the Interpreter's House, every room has unfolded a spiritual truth firmly rooted in the Scriptures. The portrait taught Christian how to recognise a faithful servant of Christ. The dusty room revealed that the Law exposes sin but cannot cleanse the heart. Passion and Patience showed the difference between living for present pleasures and waiting for the inheritance God has promised. This scene now introduces another truth that every pilgrim must learn before continuing the journey.

At first, the picture seems to make little sense. Fire and water cannot coexist for long. Common experience tells us that if enough water is poured on a fire, the flames will eventually die. Yet Bunyan deliberately reverses what nature teaches us. The enemy appears to have every advantage, yet despite his continual efforts, the fire refuses to go out. The explanation only comes when the Interpreter invites Christian to look behind the wall. There he sees another man, hidden from view, continually pouring oil on the same fire. What had seemed impossible suddenly becomes perfectly clear. The fire continues to burn because another work is taking place that Christian cannot see.

The Interpreter explains that the fire represents the work of grace within the heart of the believer. The man casting water upon it represents the devil, who continually seeks to quench that work through temptation, persecution, doubt and discouragement. The One standing behind the wall is Christ Himself, secretly sustaining His people by His grace. Satan sees the fire, but he does not see the hand that preserves it. Christian sees the attack, but he does not immediately see the One who is ensuring that the fire will never be extinguished.

There is another thought that may be worth considering. Throughout the Scriptures, fire is often associated with the work of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist declared that Christ would baptise "with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11), and on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples with "divided tongues as of fire" (Acts 2:3). Bunyan does not tell us that the fire represents the Holy Spirit, and we should be careful not to say more than the Scriptures or Bunyan himself allow. Nevertheless, it is difficult to overlook the connection. The work of grace burning within the believer is the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is Christ who continually sustains that gracious work.

Does this not bring to mind the words of our Lord?

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27–28 (ESV)

Jesus does not say that His sheep will never face danger. On the contrary, He speaks of wolves, thieves and robbers throughout this discourse. Yet in the midst of every threat, He gives His people an unshakeable assurance. They belong to Him, and because they belong to Him, no power is able to remove them from His hand. Their security rests, not in their ability to hold on to Christ, but in Christ's determination to hold on to them.

The Apostle Paul expresses the same confidence when writing to the Philippians.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

Notice where Paul's confidence rests. He does not point believers to their own strength, their own faithfulness or their own perseverance. He directs them to God, who begins the work and who also completes it. The Christian life begins by grace, continues by grace and will one day be perfected by grace. Left to ourselves, the fire would long ago have gone out. It continues to burn because Christ continually supplies what His people need.

Perhaps this explains why Bunyan places this lesson before Christian reaches the Cross. The pilgrimage will not be easy. There will be trials, disappointments, fierce temptations and determined opposition. Before Christian encounters those realities, the Interpreter reminds him that there is always more taking place than human eyes can see. Behind every trial stands a faithful Saviour who neither slumbers nor sleeps, continually preserving those whom He has redeemed.

As we continue our journey through the Interpreter's House, Bunyan will unfold yet another lesson that prepares Christian for the road ahead. Each room brings us one step closer to understanding the grace of God more fully, and each lesson points us once again to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: John 10:27–29; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 7:25; Jude 24–25; 1 Peter 1:3–5.

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 10 – Passion and Patience: Which Treasure Are We Seeking?

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15 (ESV)

Having shown Christian that the Law can expose sin but cannot cleanse the heart, the Interpreter leads him into another room. There, Christian sees two young children seated in chairs. One is called Passion, the other Patience. At first, there seems little to distinguish them, yet Bunyan is once again using a simple image to reveal a profound biblical truth.

Christian is told that Passion can no longer wait for his inheritance. He demands it immediately. His request is granted, and for a short time he delights in all he has received. Yet his joy is short-lived. Before long, his riches are gone, and he is left with nothing but rags and regret.

Patience, however, is willing to wait. He refuses to demand what has not yet been given, content to receive his inheritance in the proper time.

Why would Bunyan place this lesson before Christian reaches the Cross?

The answer goes back to one of the oldest temptations recorded in Scripture. Ever since the Garden of Eden, mankind has desired to grasp now what God has appointed for later. Eve saw that the fruit was desirable, and rather than trusting God's wisdom, she reached out to take what had been forbidden. The immediate seemed more attractive than faithful obedience.

Has anything really changed?

Our world encourages us to seek immediate satisfaction. We are taught to pursue comfort, success, wealth and happiness now. Patience has become a rare virtue because we have been conditioned to believe that fulfilment must not be delayed.

The Apostle John warns believers,

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15 (ESV)

He continues by reminding us that,

"...the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:17 (ESV)

Is this not exactly what Bunyan is showing us?

Passion lives for what is temporary. Patience lives in light of eternity.

The contrast is not merely between two personalities. It is between two kingdoms, two hopes and two treasures. One seeks satisfaction in the present world, while the other waits in faith for what God has promised.

Our Lord spoke in similar terms when He said,

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." Matthew 6:19–20 (ESV)

Bunyan's lesson remains as relevant today as it was in his own generation. Every day we are encouraged to value the immediate over the eternal. Yet Scripture continually calls God's people to look beyond the passing pleasures of this world and to fix their hope on the inheritance that can never perish.

Perhaps that is why the Interpreter shows Christian these two children so early in his pilgrimage. Before he encounters the attractions of Vanity Fair, the hardships of the journey, and the many temptations to abandon the narrow way, Bunyan teaches him to distinguish between what is transient and what is enduring.

In our next study, the Interpreter leads Christian to another striking scene. This time he sees a fire burning against a wall, while someone continually pours water on it in an attempt to extinguish it. It is another lesson that reminds us where the believer's confidence truly rests.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: 1 John 2:15–17; Matthew 6:19–21; Genesis 3:1–6; Hebrews 11:24–26; Colossians 3:1–4.

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 9 – Can the Law Cleanse the Heart?

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20 (ESV)

After showing Christian the portrait of a faithful servant of Christ, the Interpreter immediately leads him into another room. Once again, Bunyan does not explain what Christian is about to see. Instead, he simply presents the scene and allows both Christian and the reader to consider it.

There is a room that has never been swept. Dust lies thick upon the floor until a man enters with a broom and begins to sweep. Yet instead of making the room clean, the dust rises into the air so violently that it becomes almost impossible to remain inside. Then another person enters and sprinkles water upon the floor. Only then can the room be swept, and it is left clean.

Why would Bunyan place this lesson before Christian?

At first glance, it appears to be little more than an illustration of housekeeping, yet Bunyan is unfolding one of the most important truths in the whole of Scripture. The broom was not the problem. Neither was the dust. The problem was expecting the broom to accomplish something it was never intended to do.

Bunyan tells us that the dusty room represents the heart of man, while the broom represents the Law of God. The dust was already there before the broom touched the floor. Sweeping did not create the dust; it simply exposed what had remained hidden. The more vigorously the room was swept, the more the dust filled the air.

The Apostle Paul teaches exactly the same truth.

"...through the law comes knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20 (ESV)

The Law was never given to remove sin. Its purpose is to reveal it. It exposes the true condition of the human heart by setting before us God's perfect holiness. What may once have appeared respectable is suddenly seen for what it truly is. The Law shines into every corner of our lives, exposing not only our actions but also the thoughts, desires and motives from which they spring.

Paul develops this further in Romans 7. He explains that he would not have known what it was to covet had the Law not said, "You shall not covet." The commandment did not create sin within him; it exposed what had always been there. The more clearly God's holy standard was understood, the more sinful sin appeared.

This explains why the broom filled the room with dust. The Law awakens the conscience, exposes guilt and strips away every false confidence, but it cannot cleanse the heart. This is not because the Law is deficient, for Paul declares, "So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good" (Romans 7:12). The problem has never been the Law, but the sinner.

Bunyan then introduces a second person who sprinkles water upon the room before sweeping it again. This time the dust settles, and the room is cleansed. Why does Bunyan choose water?

Bunyan then introduces a second person who sprinkles water upon the room before sweeping it again. This time the dust settles, and the room is cleansed. Why does Bunyan choose water?

For anyone familiar with the Scriptures, water immediately recalls the ceremonial washings found throughout the Law of Moses. Under the Levitical system, those who became ceremonially unclean were repeatedly washed. The priests washed before entering the service of the tabernacle. Those healed from leprosy underwent ceremonial cleansing. Garments, vessels and even the people themselves were washed according to God's commandments.

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest himself was commanded,

"He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place..."

Leviticus 16:24 (ESV)

These repeated washings reminded Israel that sinful men and women could not approach a holy God without cleansing.

Yet every one of those ceremonies pointed beyond itself. However often the water was applied, it could never cleanse the conscience or remove sin. The worshipper returned again and again because the cleansing was ceremonial rather than complete.

The writer to the Hebrews draws our attention to this very truth.

"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ... cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."

Hebrews 9:13–14 (ESV)

The contrast could not be clearer. The Law reveals our uncleanness, and its ceremonies remind us that cleansing is necessary, but neither the Law nor its washings can accomplish what only Christ can do. They were shadows pointing forward to the One whose blood would truly cleanse the sinner.

Perhaps this is why the Interpreter places this lesson before Christian reaches the Cross. Unless we first understand what the Law can accomplish, and what it cannot, we shall never fully appreciate why Christ had to die. The Cross is not God's answer to a lack of effort. It is God's answer to a problem the Law could expose but could never remove.

As we continue through the Interpreter's House, Bunyan is carefully preparing both Christian and the reader for the great truth that lies ahead. Every lesson brings us one step closer to the Cross, where the shadows of the Law give way to their fulfilment in Jesus Christ.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7–13; Leviticus 14:1–9; Leviticus 15; Leviticus 16:23–28; Exodus 30:17–21; Hebrews 9:13–14; Hebrews 10:1–4.

ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

Part 8 – The Portrait on the Wall

"God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)

Having entered the Interpreter's House, Christian is not immediately given instruction through words. Bunyan first directs his attention to a portrait hanging upon the wall. As with everything else in Pilgrim's Progress, this is no accidental detail. Before Christian is shown the realities of the Christian life, Bunyan first introduces him to the character of the man who proclaims its message.

Why would Bunyan begin here?

If the pilgrimage is to be governed by truth, then surely the one who declares that truth must first be understood. Throughout the Scriptures, God has never left His people without faithful witnesses. From the prophets of the Old Testament to the apostles of the New, He has continually raised up men to proclaim His Word. Yet Bunyan is careful to remind us that not every voice claiming to speak for God has been sent by Him.

The portrait Christian is shown is striking. Bunyan describes a man whose eyes are lifted toward heaven, who holds the very best of books in his hand, whose lips are governed by truth, and whose back is turned toward the world. Above his head stands a crown, while the world lies behind him as though it were of little value.

This is no ordinary picture. It is a portrait of a faithful minister of the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul gives a similar description when writing to the Corinthians.

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake."

2 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV)

That single verse guards both the preacher and the hearer. The faithful servant of Christ is never the message. His calling is to proclaim Christ. Whenever the messenger becomes more important than the One of whom he speaks, something has gone terribly wrong.

Perhaps this explains why Bunyan places this portrait first. Christian has already encountered voices that sounded convincing. Mr Worldly Wiseman spoke with confidence, yet his counsel led away from Christ. Legality offered another solution, but it could never remove the burden of sin. Even Formalist and Hypocrisy appeared religious while bypassing the only entrance God had appointed.

Christian has already learned that sincerity is no guarantee of truth.

Now Bunyan teaches him another lesson. Not every teacher should be followed simply because he carries influence, learning, or popularity. The question is far simpler. Does he faithfully declare the Word of God, or does he direct men elsewhere?

Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would no longer endure sound teaching, but would gather teachers to suit their own desires. That warning applies to every generation. The temptation has never disappeared. We naturally gravitate towards those who tell us what we want to hear rather than what God has spoken.

The portrait in the Interpreter's House reminds us that the true servant of Christ is recognised not by his personality or reputation but by his faithfulness. His eyes remain fixed on heaven because his hope is there. The Scriptures remain in his hand because they are his authority. His lips speak truth because he has no other message. His back is turned towards the world because his treasure is elsewhere. The crown above his head reminds us that his reward is not found in this life but in the presence of his Master.

It is remarkable that before Christian reaches the Cross, Bunyan teaches him how to recognise those who will faithfully point him there. Throughout the remainder of his pilgrimage, Christian will meet many companions, counsellors and opponents. Some will strengthen his faith, while others will seek to lead him astray. Before those encounters begin, Bunyan gives both Christian and the reader a biblical measure by which every teacher should be examined.

That standard has never changed. Every preacher, every teacher and every ministry must ultimately be measured by the same question: do they proclaim Christ according to the Scriptures, or do they proclaim something else?

In our next study, the Interpreter will lead Christian to another room where Bunyan will unfold a further lesson, each preparing the pilgrim for the journey that still lies ahead.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 4:5–6; 2 Timothy 4:2–4; Acts 20:28–31; Jeremiah 23:16–22; Titus 1:7–9.