The phrase “beyond the impression” comes from the preface of C. S. Lewis’ last work, The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature.

There are, I know, those who prefer not to go beyond the impression, however accidental, which an old work makes on a mind that brings to it a purely modern sensibility and modern conceptions; just as there are travelers who carry their resolute Englishry with them all over the Continent, mix only with other English tourists, enjoy all they see for its ‘quaintness’, and have no wish to realize what those ways of life, those churches, those vineyards, mean to the natives. They have their reward. I have no quarrel with people who approach the past in that spirit. I hope they will pick none with me. But I was writing for the other sort.

Beyond the Impression

I like the phrase beyond the impression. The phrase implies that there are two types of knowledge: “mere hearing” and “understanding.” The former implies that a persons is satisfied with the mere impression of knowledge, while the latter seeks (to use another Lewis phrase) to go “further up, further in!”

Gospel: Going Beyond the Impression

In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13), Jesus Christ used the imagery of a sower casting seed on different types of soil to demonstrate the principle of going beyond the impression: the sower cast some seeds along the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them; other seed fell on stony places that had not much earth, and they sprung up, but on account of not having deepness of earth they withered away when the sun rose; other seed fell among thorns and were choked out by them; lastly, some seed feel into good ground, and brought forth fruit upon fruit upon fruit (“some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold”).

Christ goes on and provides the interpretation for this parable: regarding the 1) seed on the way side, 2) seed on stony places, and 3) seed among thorns, Christ said,

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received the seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he comeeth unfruitful.

And  this is Christ’s interpretation regarding the last example, the seed cast upon good soil:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The difference between the three former examples and the fourth latter example can be described with Lewis’ phrase “beyond the impression” — the fourth example of the received seed into the good ground demonstrates the need to go beyond the impression of Gods word.

Spiritual Acknowledgment and Spiritual Agreement: Beyond the Impression

With understanding we go beyond the impression of merely hearing of God’s word. Understanding God’s word comes by the way of assent — spiritual acknowledgement and spiritual agreement. But how does one come to God’s word by way of assent? We must acknowledge and agree that God’s word is God’s word on the basis of God’s authority — we acknowledge and agree it is God’s word because God said so. Submission is how you begin to go beyond the impression.

The demons have heard God’s word. The demons even have faith (James 2:19). But is it a submissive faith? Is it a submissive, spiritual acknowledgement and agreement with what God has said? No. It is not. The demons have demon faith. They have demonic assent. They will not bend their knee to God. They will not accept God’s word on the basis of God’s authority. As James says, the demons believe and “tremble”. Therefore, the demons never go beyond the impression of God’s word. So too the reprobate.

God declares his word all over the place: God’s word is declared in both special and in general revelation. The reprobate and the demons never go beyond the impression of God’s special and general revelation. The elect, however, do go beyond the impression. The elect are those who received the seed of God’s word into good (submissive) ground. Therefore, the elect understand, they are fruitful, and for this they will receive their reward.