Mark 10:23-27 And Jesus looked round about, and said to his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!… The Interpreter takes them apart again, and has them first in a room where was a man that could lock no way but downwards, with a muck rake in his hand. There stood also One over his head, with a celestial crown in His hand, and proffered to give him that crown for his muck rake; but the man did neither look up nor regard, but raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and the dust of the floor. Then said Christiana, "I persuade myself that I know somewhat the meaning of this; for this is a figure of a man of this world; is it not, good sir?" "Thou hast said the right," said the Interpreter; "and his muck rake doth show his carnal mind. And whereas thou seest him rather give heed to rake up straws and sticks, and the dust of the floor, than to what He says that calls to him from above, with the celestial crown in His hand, it is to show that heaven is but as a fable to some, and that things here are counted the only things substantial. Now, whereas it was also showed thee that the man could look no way but downwards, it is to let thee know that earthly things, when they are with power upon men's mind, quite carry their hearts away from God." Then said Christiana, "Oh, deliver me from this muck rake!" "That prayer," said the Interpreter, "has lain by till it is almost rusty. 'Give me not riches' (Proverbs 30:8) is scarce the prayer of one of ten thousand. Straws and sticks and dust, with most, are the great things now looked after." (John Bunyan.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! |
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