The Shepherds encourage the Pilgrims to stay a while and to draw all the benefit they can from their sojourn in the Delectable Mountains; and the Pilgrims’ deepening maturity is evidenced in their willingness to do so. Often folk who struggle to find their place in the ministry and mission of a Church present as if it is the Church’s fault… as if they are somehow too mature, or too eager, and the structures of the Church are inadequate to contain them; or perhaps they are too ‘spiritual’, and the worship of the Church is too staid; or perhaps no-one else is as zealous, pressing on in the faith as they are, and so they feel they would be hindered by such fellowship. It is in fact an arrogant immaturity that concludes we can do Christianity without the Church. Beware those who feel they are better than everyone else, who have no patience for the people of God, who consider themselves somehow beyond the teaching and ministry of such Shepherds as these. You might remember that once upon a time, Christian was marked by such impatience and contempt. But no longer. The further he goes in his pilgrimage, the more eager he is to enjoy the ministry of the Church: ‘They then told them they were content to stay; so they went to their rest that night … they went forth with [the Shepherds] and walked a while, having a pleasant prospect on every side’.

Their engagement is well rewarded, and the Shepherds discern a readiness, a preparedness in the Pilgrims to be taught some deeper truth. ‘Shall we show these Pilgrims some wonders?’ they ask each other…’ somewhat knowingly, I suspect. As we don’t start building a house by putting on a roof and working down, so there are some elements of our faith and doctrine that we can only put in place once the foundations and supporting walls are in place. There is a metaphor used repeatedly in the Bible to illustrate how aspects of being a Christian cannot be introduced until previous spiritual growth has taken place. It is the parallel with a baby, who starts with milk, but progresses by stages to solid food as they grow into adulthood (see e.g. I Cor.3:2; Heb.5:13-14; I Pet.2:2). It baffles me how quickly we settle down and assume we know everything there is to be taught… how quickly we lose our appetite for stronger teaching. It doesn’t bode well.

The first ‘wonder’ the Shepherds show the Pilgrims is a hill called Error. It is intriguingly far along the Way. There are some errors Christians make which show themselves quickly. They can easily be corrected early on, or more tragically, they quickly lead new converts into dangerous or disastrous ideas or behaviours. Other errors lie hidden. That can be intentional. We know we don’t really believe something we should, or that there is a pattern of sin we should be repenting of, but aren’t. We carefully conceal these from view. Or perhaps we live with questions that we should really have done the work to answer, and they silently corrode our faith. Or we buy into ‘respectable’ theological positions that are unBiblical, but are easier to believe and which are made acceptable by reputable scholars. We feel this is a more ‘sophisticated’ or ‘informed’ position to hold, but never really wrestle through why it doesn’t actually reflect the Gospel. For a long time the path of our Pilgrimage might be barely discernible from that of authentic discipleship. But in the end, we fall from the crest of of this terrible hill, Error.

Mature believers want their Shepherds not just to teach them truth, but also to warn them of error and the disaster to which it can lead (Col.1:28-29, II Pet.3:14-18). There is a humility that allows us to bring every aspect of our life and doctrine constantly to the lamp of Scripture, to expose the darkness of sin in our thoughts, words or deeds. A word of confession here? Looking back over my first decade or so here at MIE, I’m not sure this has been as prominent a part of my ministry as perhaps it should have been. I do believe I have taught the Bible faithfully, but I rather suspect that while I have taught truth (granted, sometimes forcefully), I have not always taught sufficiently about error, about why certain things - even things that have gained popularity in our contemporary Church scene - are in fact wrong.

The second ‘wonder’ the Shepherds show the Pilgrims is another hill, called Caution, from which they see Pilgrims wandering blind among tombs (Prov.21:16). Perhaps unwittingly (?), the Shepherds show Christian and Hopeful the dangers they had only narrowly avoided. We may suspect this is a lesson that they should have been taught earlier, but that is to miss the point Bunyan is seeking to make. Mature Pilgrims learn from their mistakes. They accept responsibility, and delight in the grace shown them. They remember their missteps and draw new wisdom from them. And they are thus better equipped for the temptations that lie ahead. They are thus cautioned, and become more cautious in their dealings with truth. Christian and Hopeful are overwhelmed by the grace of God that led them to avoid such a fate, and quietly fashion a new resolve to walk the Path faithfully. ‘Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour … Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way’ (Ps.25: 4-5 & 8-9).

Like the Pilgrims we will linger another day at the Delectable Mountains. With two wonders shown, and two to go, there is still more to learn.

Questions to Ponder:

How willing am I to be taught the Scripture? Do I resent it when I’m told something that exposes error in my thinking? …or am I glad? Do I dismiss things I hear when the Bible is being taught? On what grounds?

A Prayer for when we are taught:

O God the Holy Spirit,

Teach me what I don’t know. Keep me a humble disciple in the school of Christ, learning daily what I am in myself: a fallen, sinful creature.

And let me never lose sight of my need for my Saviour, or forget that apart from Him I am nothing, and can do nothing.

Open my understanding to know the Holy Scriptures; reveal to my soul the counsels and works of the blessed Trinity.

Instil into my dark mind the saving knowledge of Jesus. Make me acquainted with His undertakings in me and for me, that by resting in His finished work I may find the Father’s love in the Son…

Lead me into all truth, O Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, that I may know the things that bring me peace, and through You, be made anew.

Embed in my heart, and make me to know, the Father’s love as it is revealed in the Scriptures.

Apply to my soul the blood of Christ continually, and in such a way that it shapes and transforms me.

Help me to believe, with a clear conscience, the many benefits that Calvary has bought.

Lead me from faith to faith, guard me against doubts, fears, corruptions, temptations.

It is your office to teach me to draw near to Christ with a pure heart, steadfastly persuaded of His love, and in full assurance of faith.

Let me never falter in this way

…taken from The Valley of Vision, ‘The Spirit as Teacher’