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.
Continue Reading Notes and Commentary
The text for The Pilgrim’s Progress is public domain.
Notes and Commentary for Part II ©2014, 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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