# Chapter XXVIII explained — Barlaam and Ioasaph

> Chapter companion for Barlaam and Ioasaph by Anonymous.

## What happens

After Nachor's unexpected defense of Christianity, King Abenner is enraged but bound by his own decree. Ioasaph secures Nachor's custody, reveals he knows Nachor's true identity, and thanks him for championing the truth. Ioasaph then counsels Nachor to repent, leading to Nachor's conversion, baptism, and retreat to the desert. Meanwhile, the king punishes his orators and remains torn between scorn for his idols and fear of embracing the Gospel.

## Themes in this chapter

### Conversion and Baptism

Nachor's heartfelt repentance, baptism by a priest in the desert, and his subsequent life of penance exemplify the theme of conversion.

### Idolatry vs. True Worship

King Abenner begins to condemn his idols as impotent, while Nachor's oration and Ioasaph's counsel affirm the truth of Christian worship over false gods.

### Renunciation of Worldly Wealth

Ioasaph despises worldly pleasures and the vain pursuits of youth, focusing entirely on Christ and the monastic ideal.

## Character check-ins

### Ioasaph

Rejoices in Nachor's defense of truth, secures Nachor's safety, reveals his knowledge of the deception, and counsels Nachor toward repentance.

### Abenner

Enraged by Nachor's speech, punishes his orators, and remains conflicted—scorning his idols yet unable to embrace Christianity.

### Nachor

Delivers a powerful oration defending Christianity, is confronted by Ioasaph, repents, receives baptism, and retreats to the desert.

### Barlaam

Mentioned fondly by Ioasaph as his teacher and the one who pointed him to Christ; Ioasaph longs to see him again.

## Key lines

> He himself began to condemn the impotence of the gods falsely so called, although as yet he refused to look fully at the light of Christ, for the dense cloud of darkness, that enveloped him, still bound the eyes of his heart.

The king started to criticize his powerless idols, but he still could not accept Christ because his spiritual blindness held him back.

_Describes King Abenner's internal conflict between recognizing the futility of idolatry and resisting Christian faith._

> But evil habit and the insolence of the ancient supplanter hath blinded the eyes of my heart, and shed a thick darkness over my reason.

My sinful habits and the devil's arrogance have clouded my mind and darkened my understanding.

_Nachor confesses his spiritual blindness caused by sin and the devil._

> For it is written, God is able of these very stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Scripture says that God can create faithful followers even from the most unlikely people.

_Ioasaph encourages Nachor that no one is beyond God's power to save._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barlaam_and_ioasaph_se/chapters/xxviii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barlaam_and_ioasaph_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/barlaam_and_ioasaph_se/chapters