Notes and Commentary
by Ken Puls
on John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress
Part Two
33. A Rotting Tree
Notes and Commentary
by Ken Puls
on John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress
Part Two
33. A Rotting Tree
When the Interpreter had done, he takes them out into his garden again, and had them to a tree, whose inside was all rotten and gone, and yet it grew and had leaves. Then said Mercy, “What does this mean?” “This tree,” said he, “whose outside is fair, and whose inside is rotten, it is to which many may be compared that are in the garden of God; who, with their mouths, speak high in behalf of God, but indeed will do nothing for Him; whose leaves are fair, but their heart good for nothing but to be tinder for the devil’s tinderbox.”
Notes and Commentary
After the lesson of Proverbs, the pilgrims follow the Interpreter again into the garden. The garden, as noted earlier, represents the visible church. Here they see a curious sight. In the garden is a tree. On the outside the tree is “fair” with leaves and new growth. But on the inside it is rotten and decayed. Mercy asks the Interpreter: “What does this mean?”
The Interpreter explains that the tree represents many “that are in the garden of God.” There are many in the church “who, with their mouths, speak high in behalf of God, but indeed will do nothing for Him.” Their hearts remain unchanged, “good for nothing but to be tinder for the devil’s tinderbox.” Jesus, quoting Isaiah 29:13, calls them out as hypocrites.
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
“These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.”
(Matthew 15:7–8)
On the outside the tree looks fair with promising growth. But on the inside it is rotten and filled with decay.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness (Matthew 23:27–28).
The Interpreter brings the pilgrims again to the garden to emphasize and expand the crucial warning against hypocrisy.
The first time the pilgrim’s are in the garden they see a robin and a spider. The robin is the hypocrite who sings a pleasing melody, yet feasts on sin. This is hypocrisy at its beginning. The tune dwells upon grace and goodness, yet the appetite continues to crave and indulge in iniquity. This is one who believes you can sing the wonders of the gospel, yet toy with and cling to sin.
Now when the pilgrims return to the garden, they see hypocrisy that has been allowed to fester. What happens to a life that outwardly professes Christ, yet inwardly refuses to turn from sin and, day after day, month after month, year after year, continues to imbibe it? What is the outcome of trying to indulge in sin secretly? What is the result of one who plans to get serious about pursuing holiness and obeying God’s Word tomorrow, or the next day, or maybe the next?
The rotting tree is a picture of a life that has settled into hypocrisy. It is a life perilously moving in opposing directions: outwardly toward Christ and the hope of forgiveness, but inwardly toward sin and its ever elusive satisfaction.
Take note of three specific qualities of such hypocrisy.
1) This hypocrisy often goes unnoticed.
The tree in the garden seems like a good tree with promising growth. It has leaves and appears to be alive. Yet a closer look reveals the ravages of corruption within. It is rotten to the core. Keeping sins close and refusing to repent and flee from sin has allowed rottenness and decay to consume the heart. Though the life looks to be fair and even flourishing, yet inside it is dark and decaying.
If we are to avoid such hypocrisy, we must be accountable to other brothers and sisters in the church whom we trust and who will help us keep watch over our souls. It is tempting to keep our struggles with sin private and hidden, yet God did not intend for us to battle sin on our own. We need the local church. We need the strength and encouragement of fellow believers to come alongside us and aid us in the fight. And this requires intention, openness, and honesty. Those who get no deeper than casual Sunday morning conversation (Hi, how are you? I’m good, how are you? Fine, glad to see you.) will not be able to see past the facade that hypocrisy attempts to build.
2) This hypocrisy leads to idleness.
The Interpreter says of such hypocrites, they speak well of God yet “will do nothing for Him.” They leave off prayer, Bible reading, worship with the gathered church, and other means of grace. They may acknowledge sin and profess faith, yet their words do not lead to deeds and actions indicative of a changed heart.
Clinging to sin is a time consuming, energy draining, mentally exhausting occupation. Every effort we make toward the pursuit of sin not only sets us in the wrong direction, it hinders us from making spiritual progress in the right direction. If we are to avoid hypocrisy, we must give no room for sin. We turn to Christ, rest in Him as our righteousness, and joyfully do all that God has commanded of us in His Word.
3) This hypocrisy is a breeding ground for sin.
The Interpreter concludes that such hypocrisy corrupts the heart and leaves it “good for nothing but to be tinder for the devil’s tinderbox.” It is not possible to cling to just a little sin. Small sins grow into large sins. Unchecked sins become besetting sins. We do not dare for a moment, so long as we are in this life, to leave off mortifying our sin. We must, as John Owen has said: “Be killing sin or it will be killing you!”
Owen’s words are not just for new believers entering the fight. They are just as valuable for mature believers, those who have grown up or have grown old in the church. We must stay in the battle!
Our daily prayer must be:
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalm 139:23–24)
We must heed Paul’s admonition:
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:11–12).
So long as God gives us breath, we must press on in repentance and faith, turning from sin and fleeing to Christ.We must daily rest our hope in Christ and never presume or make excuses for sin. May God grant us strength and courage to stay in the battle, “fight the good fight,” and “lay hold on eternal life.”
Continue Reading 34. Supper and Song
Return to 32. Proverbs before Supper
The text for The Pilgrim's Progress
and images used are public domain
Notes and Commentary for Part II ©2014, 2021–2024 Ken Puls
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from
the New King James Version (NKJV) ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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