A Guide to John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress

Notes and Commentary

by Ken Puls

on John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress

Part Two

Fine White Linen

39. Clothed in White 

Then said the Interpreter again to the damsel that waited upon these women, “Go into the vestry, and fetch out garments for these people.” So she went, and fetched out white raiment, and laid it down before him; so he commanded them to put it on. It was fine linen, white and clean. When the women were thus adorned, they seemed to be a terror one to the other; for that they could not see that glory each one on herself which they could see in each other. Now therefore, they began to esteem each other better than themselves; “For you are fairer than I am,” said one; “And you are more comely than I am,” said another. The children also stood amazed to see into what fashion they were brought.

 

Notes and Commentary

Once the pilgrims are cleansed and sealed, the Interpreter instructs Innocent to bring them fine white garments. This mirrors Christian’s experience in Part 1 of The Pilgrim’s Progress. When Christian’s burden tumbles away at the cross, the Shining Ones tell him his sins are forgiven (cleansed) and they clothe him with a “change of raiment.” They also set a Mark on his forehead and give him a Roll with a Seal on it, identifying him as belonging to Christ.

The imagery of “fine linen, white and clean” comes from the book of Revelation. “White garments” are commended to the church of the Laodiceans:

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see (Revelation 3:18).

And they are promised in the letter to the church in Sardis to those who overcome, whose names are in the Book of Life:

You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels (Revelation 3:4–5).

These are garments that the church, the bride of Christ, shall wear in glory at the marriage of the Lamb:

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19:6–8).

This passage explains that “the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (literally “righteousnesses of the saints”).

The fine linen represents holiness and humility. This is the proper adornment for those who follow Christ. This is the only clothing suitable for those who who enter into the presence of the Lord.

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:5–7).

As followers of Christ, we must walk in holiness and humility. But holiness and humility are not attainable in our strength or by our own efforts. On our own, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.”

But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
(Isaiah 64:6)

True holiness and humility are found in Christ. He alone is our righteousness.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21–26).

It is Christ who came to redeem us who displayed ultimate humility.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5–8).

Holiness and humility are not “fine linen” we can fashion ourselves. They can only be sewn in hearts that are washed and cleansed by the Spirit and the Word, enlivened and regenerated by the power of God. We can only receive holiness and humility as a gift by “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts (Romans 3:11–14).

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:26–27).

We who are washed and cleansed (baptized) into Christ, must “put on Christ” if we are to “walk in newness of life.”

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1–4).

We put off the old man and “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:17–24).

When Christiana and Mercy put on the white raiment, they looked upon each other with awe and fear. Each could more readily see the splendor of grace in the other than in herself. Even the children marveled “to see into what fashion they were brought.” The pilgrims saw evidences of changed lives in each other, yet they were aware with trembling of their own remaining sin and need for ongoing grace and sanctification. And so they esteemed “each other better than themselves.”

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1–4).

Such like-mindedness and love for one another are only possible as we look to Christ. All we need—wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—can be found only in Him.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).

 

          Unchanging Righteousness

1.   There sits My Righteousness,
         Enthroned at God's right hand:
      The perfect, spotless Lamb of God,
         In Him alone I stand.
      No better is my stand
         On days when all feels right,
      No worse when days are dark and gray,
         For nothing dims His light.

     Unchanging Righteousness,
         My only hope and plea,
      That Jesus came and lived and bled
         And died and rose for me.

          (from "Unchanging Righteousness" by Ken Puls)

 

Return to 38. Fair as the Moon

 

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.

Above image from Unsplash

Return to A Guide to John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress Part II

Return to A Guide to John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress Main Index