The first real chapter of Pilgrim’s Progress gives us a background on our main character, Christian, explaining where he comes from and how he set out on his journey.
As we go through it today, we’ll be looking for allegories, parables, examples, and pictures that reference the Bible. I’ll also share a few of my thoughts 🙂
Let’s get into it!!
Christian’s Struggle
The chapter opens with Christian crying, holding a book and asking “What shall I do?”
He feels unbearably troubled. The book he holds compels him to leave his home, the City of Destruction, and to take his family with him, for the city will soon be burned to the ground.
He explains this to his wife and children. But his family, convinced that he has gone crazy, basically tells him to sleep on it. They think, “he’ll come back to his senses in the morning.”
But Christian’s night is full of nothing but pain. No sleep or rest comes to him–only tears.
The next morning, he is feeling no better.
After a few days of this, his family begins to neglect and scold Christian. Still he is troubled.
The Evangelist
“…[Christian] looked this way and that, as if he would run: yet he stood still, because, as I perceived, he could not tell which way to go. I looked then and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him and asked, Wherefore dost thou cry?”
The next part of the chapter introduces kind Evangelist, who points Christian in the way he should begin his journey.
Christian, now knowing which direction to take, begins to run.
His journey has now begun.
What it Represents
You probably know that this book is an allegory, and represents the life of a believer. This first chapter gives an example of what a new believer might go through, in story form of course.
Christian, representing the new believer, reads the bible for the first time and believes it. He repents for his sins, and feels troubled because he doesn’t know how to live his life for God.
Evangelist, representing someone who can help the new believer in his faith (maybe like a pastor or mentor), shows him the way to take.
The believer sets out running, ready to experience the plan God set before him.
To be clear, that’s just my interpretation of the chapter. That was what I saw and thought of while reading ‘Christian’s Dilemma’ and if I got something wrong or missed something I’d love to hear what you have to say.
My Thoughts
I’m already enjoying this book and I’ve barely gotten through the first chapter!! So far so good.
My only complaint is that the way it’s written is much different from what I’m used to, but that’s not even bad. It’s just an older, more poetic version of writing than I normally read.
I like how real and honest and raw Christian is. He knows he has issues, and he’s sorry for them. He wants to do something about them.
Anyways, I can’t wait for the next chapter! Stay tuned for more of Pilgrim’s Progress!!!
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