Understanding Pilgrim's Progress Third Lesson Reprise

Ustream Video of the Third Lesson - Understanding Pilgrim's Progress

1. This is a visual book - painting pictures to teach us the lessons.
2. Dialogues are important for elaborating points (Beautiful Palace; Apolleon versus Christian).
3. Ironic humor - human failings.
4. Ideal for slow reading, re-reading.

Third Lesson

The benefits of the Atonement, faith in the crucified Messiah are many –

Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said, with a merry heart, “He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death.” Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him, that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. [Zech. 12:10] Now, as he stood looking and weeping, behold three Shining Ones came to him and saluted him with “Peace be unto thee”. So the first said to him, “Thy sins be forgiven thee” [Mark 2:5]; the second stripped him of his rags, and clothed him with change of raiment [Zech. 3:4]; the third also set a mark on his forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bade him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the Celestial Gate. [Eph. 1:13] So they went their way. P. 77.

The Pilgrim’s Progress is especially good in teaching the cross, because it is central to the Gospels and the New Testament, and taught by Luther. The book teaches about many blessings, but the warnings and threats are detailed and frequent, all along the way to the Celestial City. As the ending shows, one can be lost at the very gates of Heaven, by turning away from the Faith.

I saw then in my dream, that he went on thus, even until he came at a bottom, where he saw, a little out of the way, three men fast asleep, with fetters upon their heels. The name of the one was Simple, another Sloth, and the third Presumption. P. 80.

Christian warned the three men, and they answered accordingly –

With that they looked upon him, and began to reply in this sort: Simple said, “I see no danger”; Sloth said, “Yet a little more sleep”; and Presumption said, “Every fat must stand upon its own bottom; what is the answer else that I should give thee?” And so they lay down to sleep again, and Christian went on his way. P. 80.

“That Is Not a Hill I Would Die On”

The quotation above is used by clergy to answer such issues as Justification by Faith – “Not a hill I would die on,” and abortion – “Not a hill I would die on.”

Christian and others came to a Hill – Difficulty. The way up was steep.

So the one took the way which is called Danger, which led him into a great wood, and the other took directly up the way to Destruction, which led him into a wide field, full of dark mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and rose no more. P. 87

Christian climbed the steep trail but stopped at a pleasant arbor, where he stopped to rest and fell asleep. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise. [Prov. 6:6] And with that Christian started up, and sped him on his way, and went apace, till he came to the top of the hill.” P. 90.

Now, when he was got up to the top of the hill, there came two men running to meet him amain; the name of the one was Timorous, and of the other, Mistrust; to whom Christian said, Sirs, what’s the matter? You run the wrong way. Timorous answered, that they were going to the City of Zion, and had got up that difficult place; but, said he, the further we go, the more danger we meet with; wherefore we turned, and are going back again. P. 93.

This is brilliant writing, reminding us of many popular narratives where people enjoy repeating their favorite parts – Lucy in the candy factory, Bilbo facing Smaug, family disasters that gain humor with time. This book reminds us of our own frailties as we look at Christian – Everyman – and the characters he meets along the path of life.

            Christian left his scroll, the Scriptures, behind at the peaceful arbor, where he fell asleep. Now he had no source of comfort to read, so he went back to that arbor. Then he was able to climb the hill again quickly. It was getting dark so he looked for a place to stay. Ahead was a palace named Beautiful.

Now, thought he, I see the dangers that Mistrust and Timorous were driven back by. (The lions were chained, but he saw not the chains.) Then he was afraid, and thought also himself to go back after them, for he thought nothing but death was before him. But the porter at the lodge, whose name is Watchful, perceiving that Christian made a halt as if he would go back, cried unto him, saying, Is thy strength so small? [Mark 8:3437] Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for trial of faith where it is, and for discovery of those that had none. Keep in the midst of the path, no hurt shall come unto thee. P. 100.

Weapons Museum

Christian has an extensive conversation with the sisters -  Discretion, Piety, Charity, and Prudence - living at the palace called Beautiful, placed there for pilgrims to rest, to recuperate, and to have spiritual conversation.

They also showed him some of the engines with which some of his servants had done wonderful things. They shewed him Moses’ rod; the hammer and nail with which Jael slew Sisera; the pitchers, trumpets, and lamps too, with which Gideon put to flight the armies of Midian. Then they showed him the ox’s goad wherewith Shamgar slew six hundred men. They showed him also the jaw-bone with which Samson did such mighty feats. They showed him, moreover, the sling and stone with which David slew Goliath of Gath; and the sword, also, with which their Lord will kill the Man of Sin, in the day that he shall rise up to the prey. They showed him, besides, many excellent things, with which Christian was much delighted. This done, they went to their rest again. P. 116.

Delectable Mountains, Valley of Humiliation, Apollyon

The Delectable Mountains (Isaiah 33:16-17) would be the next stop, so Pilgrim went to the armory to be fitted for the journey (Ephesians 6). He would be closer to his goal by going there and hoped to meet other pilgrims. One of them, Faithful, was from his hometown. But first he had to travel through the Valley of Humiliation, where he faced the hideous monster, Apollyon, the Destroyer.

APOLLYON. Whence come you? and whither are you bound?

CHRISTIAN. I am come from the City of Destruction, which is the place of all evil, and am going to the City of Zion.

APOLLYON. By this I perceive thou art one of my subjects, for all that country is mine, and I am the prince and god of it. How is it, then, that thou hast run away from thy king? Were it not that I hope thou mayest do me more service, I would strike thee now, at one blow, to the ground.

CHRISTIAN. I was born, indeed, in your dominions, but your service was hard, and your wages such as a man could not live on, “for the wages of sin is death” [Rom 6:23]; therefore, when I was come to years, I did, as other considerate persons do, look out, if, perhaps, I might mend myself.

APOLLYON. There is no prince that will thus lightly lose his subjects, neither will I as yet lose thee; but since thou complainest of thy service and wages, be content to go back: what our country will afford, I do here promise to give thee.

CHRISTIAN. But I have let myself to another, even to the King of princes; and how can I, with fairness, go back with thee?

APOLLYON. Thou hast done in this, according to the proverb, “Changed a bad for a worse”; but it is ordinary for those that have professed themselves his servants, after a while to give him the slip, and return again to me. Do thou so too, and all shall be well.

CHRISTIAN. I have given him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to him; how, then, can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a traitor?

APOLLYON. Thou didst the same to me, and yet I am willing to pass by all, if now thou wilt yet turn again and go back.

CHRISTIAN. What I promised thee was in my nonage; and, besides, I count the Prince under whose banner now I stand is able to absolve me; yea, and to pardon also what I did as to my compliance with thee; and besides, O thou destroying Apollyon! to speak truth, I like his service, his wages, his servants, his government, his company, and country, better than thine; and, therefore, leave off to persuade me further; I am his servant, and I will follow him. P. 124

After the dialogue was finished, Apollyon attacked Christian, who fought back with the weapons from the armory at the palace called Beautiful. Christian was almost finished when he drew out the Sword of the Spirit and won the battle.

Ahead Lay the Valley of the Shadow of Death