Guide to The Pilgrim's Progress Part Two

The Interpreter then called for a manservant of his, one Great-Heart, and bade him take sword, and helmet, and shield. “And take these my daughters,” said he, “and conduct them to the house called Beautiful, at which place they will rest next.” So he took his weapons, and went before them; and the Interpreter said, “God speed!” Those also that belonged to the family sent them away with many a good wish; so they went on their way, and sung:

“This place has been our second stage:
Here we have heard and seen
Those good things that, from age to age,
To others hid have been.
The Dunghill raker, Spider, Hen,
The Chicken, too, to me
Hath taught a lesson: let me then
Conformed to it be.
The Butcher, Garden, and the Field,
The Robin, and his bait—
Also the Rotten Tree—doth yield
Me argument of weight:
To move me for to watch and pray;
To strive to be sincere;
To take my cross up day by day,
And serve the Lord with fear.”

Notes and Commentary

As the pilgrims prepare to resume their journey, the Interpreter graciously provides for a pressing need. Since setting out for the Celestial City, they have lacked a guide. As they begin the next stage of their journey, the Interpreter commissions one of his male servants to “conduct them to the House called Beautiful.”

Early in their journey, the pilgrims encountered perils along the Way. They heard the barking of a menacing dog. They were enticed by forbidden fruit. And they were assaulted by two ill-favored ones. In all these circumstances, they lacked a guide to help them recognize and avoid danger. The Reliever accentuated their need when he came to their aid not far from the Wicket Gate. He expressed surprise that they had not asked the Lord to provide a guide to help them along the Way.

In light of the many perils and pitfalls we face in this life, we should be quick to pray for God’s provision and protection. As we travel the Way that leads to life, God has promised in His Word that He will watch over us and guide us.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
(Psalm 32:8)

The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalm 121:5–8)

One of the ways God provides for us and protects us is by raising up leaders. The guide whom the Interpreter commissions to care for the pilgrims is named Great-Heart. Great-Heart represents a pastor who is called and set apart to his office in accord with God’s instructions in Scripture:

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of an overseer, he desires a good work. An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil (1 Timothy 3:1–7).

Great-Heart’s name denotes a crucial quality for a pastor. As one who is responsible to care for the church of God, he must have great love for the church. His love is to mirror Christ’s love, who “loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25–27). He is to be like Solomon in the Old Testament, known both for his wise counsel as well as his deep compassion.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt (1 Kings 4:29–30).

And he is to be armed for battle, to ward off the enemies of truth and righteousness. Like Great-Grace, the King’s Champion in Part 1, he is arrayed in spiritual armor.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13–17).

Taking up this armor involves casting off the works of darkness and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He is “the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). He is all our hope and truth (Psalm 71:5).

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 13:12–14).

One who would lead the people of God must walk in the light of the gospel, trusting fully in the righteousness and salvation that God has provided for us in Him. And he must teach all who look to his leadership to do likewise.

In Part 1, Christian learned how to recognize a true gospel minister by viewing a portrait in the House of the Interpreter. The Interpreter explained that “the man whose picture this is, is the only man whom the Lord of the place where you are going has authorized to be your Guide in all difficult places you may meet with in the Way.” Here in Part 2, as the pilgrims prepare to face more and greater difficulties, the Interpreter gives them into the care of Great-Heart.

Great-Heart’s task is to conduct the pilgrims safely “to the house called Beautiful.” House Beautiful is a stately palace where Christian lodged in Part 1. The palace represents the church where the pilgrims can rest and find fellowship and encouragement. Not only do we need a guide on the journey, we need fellow travelers to walk alongside us. It is a great kindness of God that He does not leave us to walk this journey in life alone. Rather, He calls us to be joined to the church. Earlier at the House of the Interpreter, in the Interpreter’s Garden, the pilgrims learned the value of belonging to a local church. Now Great-Heart will help the pilgrims heed this lesson.

In the company of Great-Heart, the pilgrims now depart from the House of the Interpreter. They go, remembering and rejoicing in the lessons they have learned. As Christian discovered in Part 1 of The Pilgrim’s Progress, all the lessons they have gleaned from God’s Word will prove to be valuable later in their journey and help them persevere along the way. When Christian prepared to resume his journey, the Interpreter instructed him to “keep all things so in your mind, that they may be as a goad in your sides, to prick you forward in the Way you must go.” Christian heeded the Interpreter’s words and continue on his journey singing of what he had learned. Now Christiana, her children, and Mercy do the same.

Continue reading 41. Preaching at the Cross

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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

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