Ignorance answered, “I’ve eaten and drunk in the presence of the King, and He has taught in our streets.”

This was Ignorance’s response to the watchmen of the Celestial City when asked what he wanted.  When he first arrived there, there was no one to greet him like there had been for Christian and Hopefully just moments before.  Indeed, each time I read this final chapter, I actually get the impression that the watchmen are annoyed at the disturbance.  They do not recognize the man, they are unaware of his motives, and he has just now disturbed them from the joys of the City.  The second issue I find interesting because it seems pretty obvious that if you’re knocking on Heaven’s door (Bob Dylan notwithstanding) it’s because you want in!

It’s also worthy of note that Ignorance doesn’t simply say, “I want in!”  Instead, he claims some kind of connection with Christ that he assumes will grant him entrance.  I think he’s basically trying to say, “I’m part of the inner circle.”  The watchmen, however, are not fooled.  Entry into heaven is not a symbol of status, it’s a reward for our labors on earth.  Hearing Jesus talking and eating in the same room doesn’t sound like work to me.  The watchmen have something else to go by for entry: The Lamb’s Book of Life.  No name: no entry, period.

After making the claim quoted above, Ignorance was asked for his Certificate.  Sadly, he could not produce one.  I have no doubt that what he said was true.  He had indeed eaten in Christ’s presence and heard Him speak, but that was as close as He ever got.  He did not respond to the message, it simply entered one ear and left through the other.  He ate with Christ once already and that was apparently enough for him; therefore, he did not need at a place at the Banquet Table of  the King.

While it certainly appears that that was the time when it really mattered what Ignorance had to show for himself (a Certificate being the ideal or rather only thing to show), it seems that it was already too late.  The time that really mattered was when the message was being taught in the streets of his own city.  That was when it mattered; that was the “opportune moment”.  He was entirely ignorant of the fact that the moment of teaching was also the moment of response.  This was not something to remember now and act on later.  He obviously chose paths that would take him to the Celestial city, but every one of those choices was invalid because he had already said no when it really mattered.  He knew this was the right place to be, but he didn’t respond when given the chance.  Thus although he “knew” (was consciously aware) that the Celestial City was the place to go to, he didn’t really “know” (truly understand and act on it).  There is head knowledge and there is heart knowledge.  Ignorance had the former, but his name applies to the latter.