This is a longer chapter, full of symbolic imagery intended to teach basic truths about the Gospel. I wonder if the images in this chapter are culled from the Rev. Bunyan's sermons.
Our Pilgrim travels on to the house of the Interpreter, knocks and is let in by a butler. The Interpreter is called, and Christian is led into a private room, where a picture of a serious person is on the wall. The man is pictured with the "Best of Books" in his hand, the "Law of Truth" written upon his lips, the world behind his back, and a crown of gold hung over his head. The depiction is meant to show that "his work is to know and reveal to sinners things hard to understand." The Interpreter continues, "Now, I've shown you this picture first because the man whose picture you see is the only man authorized by the Lord of the place where you're going to be your guide in all the difficult places you may encounter within the Way. Remember well, therefore, what I've shown you and apply your mind seriously to what you've seen lest in your journey you meet with individuals who pretend to lead you correctly but whose ways lead to death." Christian is then led to various rooms within the house where he is shown various things intended to teach him basic truths.
First, he is led to a room full of dust because it was never swept. The Interpreter calls for someone to sweep the room, but as the room is swept, the dust begins to fly, and Christian is almost choked by it. The Interpreter then tells a girl standing by, "Bring water here and sprinkle the room". When she does so, the room is easily swept and cleaned. The dry, dusty room is the heart of a man that was never sanctified by the Grace of the gospel. The first sweeper represents the law, which instead of cleansing the sinful heart, actually empowers and increases sin in the soul. The girl who brought and sprinkled the water is the Gospel.
In the second room, Christian is shown two boys, Passion and Patience. Passion is very discontented, but Patience sits very quietly. The Interpreter says, "Their guardian wants them to wait until the beginning of next year to receive his best things. Passion wants to have it all now, but Patience is willing to wait." Someone then brings a bag of treasure to Passion, who gathers it up, rejoices in it while laughing at Patience, but then squanders it all away and is left with nothing but rags. Passion is explained as representing the people of this world, while Patience represents the people of the world to come. Christian cites two reasons for Patience having the best Wisdom: "One--because he waits for the best things; and two--because he will have the glory of his possessions when the other has nothing but rags." The Interpreter adds a third, "the glory of the next world will never wear out, but other glories are soon gone. Passion, therefore, didn't have as much reason to laugh at Patience--because Passion had his best things first--as Patience will have to laugh at Passion--because Patience had his best things last. First must give place to last because last must have its time to come, but last gives place to nothing, for there is nothing more to follow. So he who has his portion first must of necessity have a time to spend it, but he who has his portion last must have it permanently. Therefore it is said of Dives [the traditional name of the rich man referred to in Luke 16:19-31], 'In your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.' "
In the third room, Christian sees a fire burning next to a wall. A man in the room is continually throwing water on the fire in order to put it out, yet the fire burns higher and hotter. The Interpreter explains the fire as the work of grace working in the heart. The man throwing water on the fire is the Devil. Christian is led to the other side of the wall, where the secret of the fire's burning hotter is revealed. Another man, standing behind the wall, is secretly pouring oil upon the fire. The Interpreter explains, "This is Christ, who continually maintains the work already begun in the heart by applying the Oil of His Grace. Because of this, the souls of His people remain full of grace in spite of what the Devil can do. In that you saw the man standing behind the wall to keep the fire burning, that's meant to teach you that it's hard for those tempted to see how this work of grace is continued in the soul."
Next, Christian is led to a pleasant place where a stately palace had been built. People standing on the wall of the palace are all dressed in gold. The Interpreter leads Christian toward the door of the palace where a large group of people are wanting to go inside, but dare not do so. A man seated at a nearby desk has a book and pen to take the name of any individual who has intentions of going in through the door. Armored men stand in the doorway to block the entrance, intending to inflict pain and injury upon the people who would enter the door. After the first group of people leave the door out of fear of the armed men, Christian sees a strong man approach the man at the desk who says, "Write down my name, Sir." After this he draws his sword, puts on a helmet, and rushes the door, and presses forward into the palace. Voices from above say, "Come in, come in! Eternal glory you will win." Christian smiles and says, "I think I actually know the meaning of this."
In the next room, Christian is shown a man locked in an iron cage. The man used to be an honest and flourishing professor of faith, but testifies, "I stopped being alert and self-controlled. I let loose the reigns of my desires. I sinned against the Light of the Word and the goodness of God. I've grieved the Spirit, and He is gone. I tempted the Devil, and he has come to me. I've provoked God to anger, and He has left me. I have so hardened my heart that I cannot repent." Christian asks the Interpreter if there is any hope for him. The Interpreter replies, "Ask him". After Christian asks, the bound man replies, "No, none at all". The Interpreter warns Christian, "Remember this man's misery, and let it be an everlasting caution to you."
Christian is just about ready to proceed on his journey, but the Interpreter wishes to show him one last thing. Christian meets a man, getting out of bed trembling. Christian asks why the man is trembling. The man explains that he had a dream of the sky growing dark, thunder and lightning, clouds rising and stretching, followed by the sound of a trumpet. He sees a Man sitting upon a cloud, accompanied by the thousands of Heaven, and he hears a voice, "Arise, you Dead, and come to judgment!" The Man sitting upon the cloud then opens a book and summons the world to draw near, and hears a proclamation, "Gather together the tares, chaff, and stubble and cast them into the burning lake." The Bottomless Pit opens at the dreamer's feet, and he hears another proclamation, "Gather my wheat into the barn". With that, he sees people caught up and carried away, but he is left behind. He tries to hide, but the Man sitting upon the cloud fixes His gaze on him and his conscience constantly accuses him. With that, the man awakes. The man explains that his trembling is due to his fear at being left behind, and the affliction from his conscience.
The Interpreter then asks if Christian has considered all these things, and Christian replies, "Yes, and they cause me both to hope and to fear." "Good," replies the Interpreter. "Keep these things in your mind so they may act as prods in your sides to poke you and cause you to go forward in the way you must go." Christian begins to prepare to leave, and the Interpreter gives him one last benediction, "May the Counselor always be with you, good Christian, to guide you in the way that leads to the City."
Thoughts on this chapter
The Interpreter is a well-qualified preacher or teacher who quickly teaches our Pilgrim, who has just entered through the Gate, what he needs to know in order to proceed on his way. Most of the images are self-evident in their meaning, but I will comment on two of them.
The strong man attacking the door of the palace: Christian thinks he knows what this means, but I wish he would have explained it! I've heard this metaphor somewhere else, but I can't remember where. I wonder if it has anything to do with Christ's words in Matthew 11:12, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."
The man bound in the iron cage: I think this means that Bunyan believed that someone could lose their salvation through loss of self-control, because he certainly implies that this man was saved once, and now is not. I believe that God's forgiveness covers all our sins, including those in the future, however I wonder if someone can forfeit that forgiveness through unbelief.