The Interpreter’s House

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. JOHN 14:26

Beyond the gate, Christian comes to the house of the Interpreter, knocks over and over, and is let in. The Interpreter lights a candle and leads him from room to room, showing him a series of pictures and scenes, and explaining each one. It is the schoolroom of The Pilgrim’s Progress. The pilgrim has entered the way; now he must learn to understand it.

Bunyan never says in so many words who the Interpreter is, but the reader of Scripture has little doubt. It is the Holy Spirit, who takes the things of Christ and shows them to us. The Interpreter does not add new revelations. He opens what is already there, so that a new believer can see it. And that is the first lesson of the house: the Christian life cannot be lived on first impressions. We need to be taught.

The picture of the true guide

The first thing the Interpreter shows Christian is a picture of a very grave person. It has eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in its hand, the law of truth written on its lips, the world behind its back. It stands as if it pleaded with men, and a crown of gold hangs over its head. This, the Interpreter explains, is the only kind of man whom the Lord of the country has authorised to be Christian’s guide in all difficult places; he shows it first, so that Christian may not be misled by those who pretend to lead him right but whose way goes down to death.

It is Bunyan’s portrait of a faithful minister, and it is worth pausing on, for he spent his life trying to be one. The true guide looks to God, holds to Scripture, speaks the truth, has turned his back on worldly reward, and pleads with people for their souls. Bunyan does not care whether he is learned, ordained by a bishop or eloquent. He cares whether he has these marks. It is a searching test for preachers, and a useful one for anyone choosing whom to listen to.

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. HEBREWS 13:7

The dusty parlour

Next the Interpreter leads Christian into a large parlour full of dust, never swept. He calls a man to sweep it, and at once the dust flies about so thickly that Christian is almost choked. Then the Interpreter bids a damsel bring water and sprinkle the room, and it is swept and cleansed with pleasure.

The parlour, the Interpreter says, is the heart of a man never sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel. The dust is original sin and inward corruption. The man who swept is the law; the damsel with water is the gospel. The law, instead of cleansing the heart, stirs sin up, gives it strength and increases it, for though it discovers and forbids sin, it gives no power to subdue it. But when the gospel comes, sin is vanquished and the soul made clean.

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. ROMANS 5:20

Passion and Patience

In a little room sit two children. Passion is discontented; Patience is quiet. Their governor would have them wait for their best things till the next year, but Passion will have all now. Someone brings Passion a bag of treasure; he laughs Patience to scorn, spends it all, and soon has nothing left but rags.

The Interpreter explains. Passion stands for the men of this world, who must have their good things now; Patience for the men of the world to come, who wait. And then he adds a wonderful thought: Passion had less reason to laugh at Patience for having his good things first than Patience will have to laugh at Passion for having his best things last. For the first must give place to the last, but the last gives place to nothing.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:18

The fire that will not go out

The Interpreter then shows Christian a fire burning against a wall, and a man continually casting water on it to quench it; yet the fire burns higher and hotter. Round the back of the wall stands another man, secretly pouring oil into the fire from a vessel.

The fire is the work of grace in the heart; the one who casts water is the devil; the one with the oil is Christ, who with the oil of His grace maintains the work already begun, so that, whatever the devil does, the souls of His people prove gracious still. And the Interpreter points out that the man with the oil stands behind the wall — to teach that it is hard for the tempted to see how the work of grace is maintained in the soul.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. PHILIPPIANS 1:6

The valiant man and the iron cage

Two more scenes stand side by side. In one, a stately palace is guarded by armed men, and a crowd stands at a distance, afraid to go in. Then a man of very stout countenance comes to the one sitting at a table with a book and says, “Set down my name, sir.” He puts on a helmet, draws his sword and cuts his way through, and is received into the palace with singing. The kingdom of heaven, Bunyan is saying, is entered by the resolute. Faith is not passive; there is a fight at the door.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. MATTHEW 11:12

In the other, in a very dark room, sits a man in an iron cage, sighing as if his heart would break. Asked what he is, he says, “I am what I was not once.” He was once a fair and flourishing professor of religion; now he is a man of despair, shut up in it, and he cannot get out. He left off watching, gave his lusts the reins, sinned against light, and now believes that God has left him and that he cannot repent.

Here pastoral care is needed. The man in the iron cage is a warning against careless, presumptuous sin, and Bunyan meant it seriously. But it is worth noticing that Bunyan himself, in Grace Abounding, spent years believing he was in just such a condition, past repentance and forsaken — and he was wrong. The very fact that he grieved and sought God showed that he was not. If you read this scene and fear that the cage is yours, remember the fire behind the wall. Those who long to repent have not been abandoned by the Spirit who gives that longing. Take the warning, and run to the promise.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench. MATTHEW 12:20

FOR REFLECTION AND ACTION

1. Ask the Holy Spirit, before you next read Scripture, to be your Interpreter, and read one passage slowly, asking what it means for you.

2. Measure those whose teaching you follow by the picture of the grave person. Pray for your pastor by name.

3. Where are you trying to sweep your heart clean by the law? Bring that area to the gospel instead.

4. Identify one way in which you are Passion rather than Patience. Choose one thing you will wait for.

5. If you fear you are the man in the iron cage, talk to a wise Christian friend this week, and read Isaiah 42:1–4.

A PRAYER

Holy Spirit, Interpreter of the things of Christ, light Your candle in my heart and show me what I need to see.

Where I have tried to sweep myself clean, sprinkle me with the water of the gospel. Where I have wanted everything now, teach me to wait for the best things.

When the devil pours water on the fire You have lit, pour in Your oil, though I cannot see You do it.

Make me resolute to enter, and keep me from the cage of despair. Amen.