Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 5:11
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
11 14. Complaint that his readers were so slow in their spiritual progress
11. Of whom ] i.e. of Melchisedek in his typical character. There is no need to render this “of which matter” or to refer it to Christ. The following argument really centres in the word Melchisedek, and its difficulty was the novel application of the facts of his history to Christ.
hard to be uttered ] Rather, “respecting whom what I have to say is long, and hard of interpretation.” The word “being interpreted” ( hermnenomenos, whence comes the word “hermeneutics”) occurs in Heb 7:2.
ye are ] Rather, “ye are become,” as in Heb 5:12, Heb 6:12. They were not so sluggish at first, but are become so from indifference and neglect.
dull of hearing ] Comp. Mat 13:14-15. Nothros “dull” or “blunted” is the antithesis to “sharp.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Of whom we have many things to say – There are many things which seem strange in regard to him; many things which are hard to be understood. Paul knew that what be had to say of this man as a type of the Redeemer would excite wonder, and that many might be disposed to call it in question. He knew that in order to be understood, what he was about to say required a familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures, and a strong and elevated faith. A young convert; one who had just commenced the Christian life, could hardly expect to be able to understand it. The same thing is true now. One of the first questions which a young convert often asks, is, Who was Melchizedek? And one of the things which most uniformly perplex those who begin to study the Bible, is, the statement which is made about this remarkable man.
Hard to be uttered – Rather, hard to be interpreted, or explained. So the Greek word means.
Seeing ye are dull of hearing – That is, when they ought to have been acquainted with the higher truths of religion, they had shown that they received them slowly, and were dull of apprehension. On what particular fact Paul grounded this charge respecting them is unknown; nor could we know, unless we were better acquainted with the persons to whom he wrote, and their circumstances, than we now are. But he had doubtless in his eye some fact which showed that they were slow to understand the great principles of the gospel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. Of whom we have many things to say] The words , which we translate of whom, are variously applied:
1. To Melchisedec;
2. To Christ;
3. To the endless priesthood.
Those who understand the place of Melchisedec, suppose that it is in reference to this that the apostle resumes the subject in the seventh chapter, where much more is said on this subject, though not very difficult of comprehension; and indeed it is not to be supposed that the Hebrews could be more capable of understanding the subject when the apostle wrote the seventh chapter than they were when, a few hours before, he had written the fifth. It is more likely, therefore, that the words are to be understood as meaning Jesus, or that endless priesthood, of which he was a little before speaking, and which is a subject that carnal Christians cannot easily comprehend.
Hard to be uttered] . Difficult to be interpreted, because Melchisedec was a typical person. Or if it refer to the priesthood of Christ, that is still more difficult to be explained, as it implies, not only his being constituted a priest after this typical order, but his paying down the ransom for the sins of the whole world; and his satisfying the Divine justice by this sacrifice, but also thereby opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and giving the whole world an entrance to the holy of holies by his blood.
Dull of hearing.] . Your souls do not keep pace with the doctrines and exhortations delivered to you. As signifies a person who walks heavily and makes little speed, it is here elegantly applied to those who are called to the Christian race, have the road laid down plain before them, how to proceed specified, and the blessings to be obtained enumerated, and yet make no exertions to get on, but are always learning, and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Spirit here digresseth from discoursing further of the priesthood of Christ, that he may fit these Hebrews to apprehend and improve it when he shall return to it, Heb 5:7. He beginneth with a reproof, which takes up the remainder of the chapter, and enters on it artificially from the doctrine delivered of Christs priesthood, insinuating the difficulty of its reception by them.
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered: , of whom, some would make to refer to Melchisedec, but by what followeth in this and Heb 5:7, it can be spoken of none but of Christ the truth of that type, who was made a High Priest after that order. And of him the apostle was filled by the Spirit with the matter, as Elihu speaks, Job 32:18. Much he had to say of this mystery, which was most excellent and weighty, and which a few words could not express; for it was , not unutterable in itself, or difficult for him to open and interpret, but for them to understand.
Seeing ye are dull of hearing; because the ears of their mind were not created nor proportioned to it: they were babes and children in understanding; the difficulty was in themselves, not in the word or mystery; their intellective faculty was slow to discern, perceive, and judge of this doctrine, and their hearts were averse to it, being so conceited concerning the Levitical priesthood: such were the apostles at the first, Joh 16:12.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. Here he digresses tocomplain of the low spiritual attainments of the PalestinianChristians and to warn them of the danger of falling from light onceenjoyed; at the same time encouraging them by God’s faithfulness topersevere. At Heb 6:20 heresumes the comparison of Christ to Melchisedec.
hard to be utteredratheras Greek, “hard of interpretation to speak.”Hard for me to state intelligibly to you owing to your dulness aboutspiritual things. Hence, instead of saying many things, hewrites in comparatively few words (Heb13:22). In the “we,” Paul, as usual, includes Timothywith himself in addressing them.
ye areGreek,“ye have become dull” (the Greek, byderivation, means hard to move): this implies that once,when first “enlightened,” they were earnest and zealous,but had become dull. That the Hebrew believers ATJERUSALEM were dull inspiritual things, and legal in spirit, appears from Ac21:20-24, where James and the elders expressly say of the”thousands of Jews which believe,” that “they are allzealous of the law“; this was at Paul’s last visit toJerusalem, after which this Epistle seems to have been written (seeon Heb 5:12, on “for thetime”).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Of whom we have many things to say,…. Either of Melchizedek, or of Christ, or of his priesthood or of all of these; since the apostle does largely treat of them in the following chapters: he says many things concerning Melchizedek in the seventh chapter, and many things of Christ, and his priesthood, in those that follow; Christ is a large and inexhaustible subject in the Gospel ministry, and what a Gospel minister delights to dwell on; and it is a fund and stock from whence he is furnished with things of the greatest usefulness, and of the utmost importance:
and hard to be uttered; as were many things respecting Melchizedek, mentioned in Heb 7:3 and also concerning Christ, and his priesthood: abstruse and difficult things are to be looked into, considered, searched after, and insisted on: the whole Scripture is profitable, and the whole counsel of God is to be declared, and things hard to be explained should be attempted; this is the way to an increase of light and knowledge; though it becomes ministers to consult their own abilities, and the capacity of their hearers, that they do not go beyond them:
seeing ye are dull of hearing; this dulness of hearing is thought by some to arise from their afflictions; or from their attachment to the law of Moses; or rather from their sluggishness, indocility, and want of industry; and often times this arises from pride and prejudice, and irreverence of the word of God; and frequently from the deceitfulness of riches, and the cares of this life.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of whom ( ). Or “concerning which,” for can be either masculine or neuter (genitive). It is the likeness of Jesus as high priest to Melchizedek that the author has in mind. He is ready to discuss that but for the fear that the reader may fail to grasp his meaning, for he will run counter to the usual Jewish ideas. Hence he pauses to stir up the interest of the readers (5:11-6:20) before going on with the argument (7:1-28).
Hard of interpretation (). Late and rare verbal compound (, ), in Diodorus and Philo, here only in N.T. Hard to explain because of the strange (to Jews) line taken, but still more because of their dulness.
Dull of hearing ( ). Old adjective (papyri also), from negative and , to push, no push in the hearing, slow and sluggish in mind as well as in the ears. In N.T. only here and 6:12 (slack, sluggish). Plato calls some students (stupid).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
From this point the comparison of Christ with Melchisedec would naturally be developed; but the author digresses into a complaint of the imperfect spiritual attainment of his readers, and a remonstrance and admonition extending to the end of ch. 6.
Of whom [ ] . Rend. concerning which. Not Melchisedec, but the topic that Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, a topic to which great importance is attached. Can it be imagined that the discussion of such a topic would appeal to a Gentile audience as a reason for not relapsing into paganism?
We have many things to say [ ] . Lit. the discourse is abundant unto us. We refers to the writer himself.
Hard to be uttered [ ] . Lit. hard of interpretation to speak. The A. V. entirely misses the idea of interpretation. Rev. better, hard of interpretation. Dusermhneutov N. T. o. o LXX o Class.
Ye are dull of hearing [ ] . Rend. ye have grown dull in your hearing. For ajkoh hearing see on 2Ti 4:3. The verb implies a deterioration on the hearers’ part. Nwqroi only here and ch. 6 12. From nh not and wjqein to push. Hence slow, sluggish. 189 Mostly in later Greek, although Plato uses it much in the same sense as here. “When they have to face study they are stupid [] and cannot remember.” Theaet. 144 B. In LXX, Pro 22:29; Sir. 4 29; 11 12. Sometimes = low, mean, obscure. So in Proverbs, but in Sirach slack, slow.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Of whom we have many things to say,” (peri hou polus hemin ho logos) “Concerning whom we have much (considerable) to say,” to say of or about Melchisedec, Heb 6:20; Heb 7:1-28.
2) “And hard to be uttered,” (kai dusermeneutos legein) “And (what we have to say) is hard to interpret,” for those who knew so little about Biblical matters, though they had been professors for a long time, perhaps members of the church at Jerusalem, Heb 5:12-14; Many listen today, but do not understand when the word of God is preached and taught. This is why it must be repeated, again and again, 2Pe 3:16.
3) “Seeing ye are dull of hearing,” (epei nothroi gegonate tais akoais) “Since you all have become dull in your hearings, graspings, or comprehensions,” not dumb, but dull, slow, and hard to understand, Joh 16:12; Mat 13:14-15; Rom 8:19; 1Th 4:15. A general knowledge of the Bible, as a whole, is so important for one to understand so many of its revealed matters in context, 2Ti 2:15.
Dullness of hearing may be caused by
1. Lack of devotion,
2. carelessness about Divine matters,
3. a mind of worldliness,
4. a neglect of prayers, and
5. a lack of reading and Bible study. All these slow the pace of one’s understanding and doing the will of God. Mat 13:19; Act 17:11; Act 17:22.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
11. He therefore makes a preface by saying that he had many things to say, but that they were to prepare themselves lest these things should be said in vain. He reminds them that they were hard or difficult things; not indeed to repel them, but to stimulate them to greater attention. For as things that are easily understood render us slothful, so we become more keenly bent on hearing when anything obscure is set before us. He however states that the cause of the difficulty was not in the subject but in themselves. And indeed the Lord speaks to us so clearly and without any obscurity, that his word is rightly called our light; but its brightness become dim through our darkness. (91) This happens partly through our dullness and partly through our sloth; for though we are very dull to understand the truth of God, yet there is to be added to this vice the depravity of our affections, for we apply our minds to vanity rather than to God’s truth. We are also continually impeded either by our perverseness, or by the cares of the world, or by the lusts of our flesh. Of whom does not refer to Christ, but to Melchisedec; yet he is not referred to as a private man, but as the type of Christ, and in a manner personating him.
(91) The literal rendering is “Of whom we have many a word to say, and hardly explainable,” or hard to be explained. This hardness of explanation was however owing to their dullness of comprehension, as Calvin justly observes. “Hard to be uttered” of our version is not correct; nor is “hard to be understood” of Doddridge right. Macknight gives the true meaning, “difficult to be explained.” Beza’s is the same. The reason is added “Since dull (or sluggish) ye are become in ears,” or in hearings. To be dull in ears is to be inattentive; but to be sluggish in ears seems to mean stupidity, slowness of comprehension. The latter is evidently meant here; that is, a tardiness or slowness in understanding. To hear with the ear is in the language of Scripture to understand. (Mat 11:15; Joh 8:43; 1Co 14:2.) Hence to be sluggish in ears is to be slow or tardy in understanding the Word of God. Stuart therefore gives the sense, “Since ye are dull of apprehension.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES
Heb. 5:11. Hard to be uttered.R.V. hard of interpretation. But the difficulty was mainly due to the spiritual incapacity of those to whom the epistle was written. Dull of hearing.Not of listening, but of apprehending.
Heb. 5:12. First principles.Rudiments; lit. rudiments of the beginning. Oracles of God.Not the Old Testament Scriptures, but the truths and doctrines which God has revealed under the gospel. Need of milk.Farrar says young students or neophytes in the Rabbinic schools were called thnokoth, sucklings.
Heb. 5:13. Unskilful.Or, one who has not that skill or experience in regard to anything which is requisite to a due apprehension and consideration of it. Word of righteousnesswhich cultures, builds up, the life of righteousness. Babe.For Pauline use of this figure see Gal. 4:3; 1Co. 2:6; Eph. 4:13-14; and also 1Co. 14:20.
Heb. 5:14. Full age.R.V. full-grown men. , grown up; matured. Senses.Here, spiritual faculties; the internal senses of Christians, . The word is not found anywhere else in the New Testament. Good and evil.Not mere right and wrong, but the value or worthlessness of the forms and aspects in which the Christian truth might be presented to them by different teachers.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Heb. 5:11-14
A Hindrance to Advanced Teachers.Those under Christian instruction ought to grow stage by stage, so as to be able to receive higher and fuller teachings. They are expected to grow in grace, in everything that relates to Christian character; but also to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the mental apprehension of Divine and eternal things. It is necessary to point out that growth in Christian knowledge is in every way as important, as essential indeed, as growth in Christian grace. So often credit is claimed for keeping to first principles and Christian simplicities; it is a ground of reproach, not of credit. It is like grown men and women reading nothing but the picture-books of their childhood. The Christian teaching properly advances from the simplicities suited to the child-stage of religious life, to the philosophy and theology, and even what may be called mysticism, suited to the full-grown stage of religious life. The milk of Christian truth is good, but it is good for babes. He is a poor Christian who keeps always to his milk. He does no honour to the grace that he has received. The hindrance this writer complains of is failure to grow under Christian instructions. But it may be unfolded so as to present its various applications. The hindrance may appear as
1. Dulness of hearing, as if the ear were stopped up with other, selfish, or worldly interests.
2. Lack of receptivity for truth. There is often great readiness for religious emotions and sensations; and these almost always go with a lack of interest in truth, other than the stock ideas of some sect.
3. Inability to deal with truth. Senses not exercised to discern between good and evil. Either stubborn resistance of all truth that sounds new, or fatal readiness to take up with everything new.
4. Clinging to child-simplicities; forgetful that truth cannot be its full, best self for children, because it must be qualified and adapted to them. We think gospel simplicities are the truth; they are but the truth for children. We may be grown, yet only a child in Christ. We may be grown, and a man in Christ.
SUGGESTIVE NOTES AND SERMON SKETCHES
Heb. 5:12. The Scriptures as Oracles of God.The term oracles may give us some right views of the Holy Scriptures, but there is grave danger of its giving us wrong ideas. It certainly will if we fail to see the radical distinctions between the oracles of heathenism and paganism, and the oracles of either the Old or the New Testament religion. Our Scriptures are not like pagan oracles, and the idea of Divine inspiration which is toned by those oracular associations is altogether false and unworthy. means, doctrines, communications of God; and the association of the word oracle belongs entirely to our English translation. No precise idea answering to it is found in the Greek word. Farrar thinks that the term is not intended to apply to the Old Testament at all, but belongs only to the Christian principles and doctrines which the writer so evidently has in mind. It seems, however, from allusions in Philo and other writers, that the term oracles of God was in those days commonly employed for the Scriptures of the Old Testament. The pagan idea of oracles may be wisely contrasted with the idea of Christian teachers who used the term oracles of the Scriptures. A pagan oracle was an answer to a question submitted to some god; the answer was a precise sentence, often of an enigmatical character, which could be adapted to the event that might happen, whatever that event might be. The medium used in communicating the answer had no part (or was assumed to have no part) in shaping the answer. Often the oracle only came to a person who was in a state which permitted her taking no intelligent part in the communication she made. So uncertain was the meaning of the messages given that the word oracle has come to mean, a grand sounding utterance which nobody can be ever quite sure that he understands. It is evident that none of these ideas can be associated with our Scriptures, which are Divine revelations through legend, biography, history, incident, rite, song, proverb, and prophecy, always assuming that the thought God puts into men, but the shaping of the thought is given by the men. Men spake and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost who was in them.
Heb. 5:13. Signs of Unskilfulness in Christian Teachers.Unskilful in the word of righteousness. R.V. without experience of the word of righteousness. Two distinct ideas are suggested by these two renderings, and yet the two are so closely associated that they are really but one. The A.V. suggests inefficiency, the R.V. inexperience; but it is at once evident that the inefficiency is the natural and necessary result of the inexperience. Skill comes by practice; and this is as true of Christian teaching as of other things.
I. Skill for teaching comes by personal experience of the truth.A man can only teach what he himself has tasted and handled and felt of the word of life; and his power in teaching will depend on the measure of his tasting and handling. This especially applies to advanced truths, which can only be wisely dealt with when there is ripe experience.
II. Skill for teaching comes by practice in teaching.And that will both compel a man, and enable a man, to advance in the range of his teaching subjects. The practised teacher cannot keep in the simplicities.
III. The unskilful teacher is the man who can only keep in the lower range, who satisfies himself with the milk suitable for babes, and will not see that if he would feed grown men he must have strong meat of truth suited for them.
Heb. 5:14. Exercising the Moral Discernment.Senses exercised to discern good and evil. We speak of the moral sense. The senses of the body are taken to suggest the spiritual faculties (). We have the bodily senses, eye, ear, touch, taste, smell, as faculties and possibilities. The mother anxiously watches her new-born babe, to see if all the sense-possibilities are there. But they have to be developed by exercise, training, and discipline, into actually operative life-forces, which will take the whole body and the whole life into their control. And so with the moral sense, the recognition of distinction between good and evil. We have it as a mere possibility. Let a man have no culture of the moral sense, or let the culture be a mere accident, and you have either a useless or a dangerous man. Every force that bears on the growing child is a force unto the culture of the moral sense. Parenthood is; teacherhood is; friendship is; religion is. And there is, as in all growth, unfolding in detail, differentiation. As in nature there is development in the ear, from a simple box to the complicated human organ, so with the moral sense, through exercise there is unfolding from simple discernment of the distinction between right and wrong to sensitive recognition of the true, the good, the beautiful, as the adapted right.
Soul-food adapted to Age and Capacity.But solid food is for full-grown men. Body-life and soul-life, both depend on nourishment and food. That is the law of all life other than the life of God Himself. Angels live on angels food; souls live on appropriate souls food; and bodies live by meat and drink and air. Science tells us that bodily life, health, fatness, vigour, directly depend on the character and quantity and appropriateness of the food supplied. Given vitality, and freedom from active disease, and any bodily result that is desired can be obtained by giving flesh-forming or bone-forming or brain-making foods. But our farmers knew this experimentally long ago, though they were ignorant of scientific terms. The results which they can with certainty produce, in relation to beast or bird, can be just as certainly produced in man, so far as he is one of the animals; and medical science in modern times is in part devoted to the discovery of flesh-forming and health-nourishing foods. It is even found that a mans food must bear a direct relation, in quantity and quality, to the work which he is called to do. This was impressed upon us in a very striking way by the experience of our soldiers during the Crimean war. They were terribly exposed in the muddy trenches during that severe winter, and at first the mortality among them was frightful. But it was observed that the French soldiers, though exposed to the same toils and perils, did not suffer so much; and on inquiry the reason for the difference was found to be thisthe French officers increased the quantity and improved the character of the rations when their men had to endure unusual exposure and fatigue, whereas our officers continued the regulation ration under all the circumstances. The mortality was soon checked when food was properly adjusted to work. The health, vigour, and work of our souls life just as directly depend upon the food with which it is nourished. Would we get more work out of our souls, we must feed them better. Do we expose our souls to much peril? We must improve and increase their food. The real trouble so often is that we are under soul-fed, injudiciously soul-fed. So often our souls are really half starved; their voice is so weak; it is hardly more than a whisper; the soul-hands are so feeble that they cannot grasp Christian work. Even in the land of spiritual plenty we may fail to grow into strength. Classifications are quite unsatisfactory because they are incomplete, but still they do help to clear apprehensions. We may therefore speak of the souls life as being faith and love, and as having for its natural expressions worship and work. Then the soul-food provided must bear, in the most direct and efficient way, on these four things. Here is a sublime but most practical problem for each one of us to solve: What will nourish into the fullest health and strength my souls faith and my souls love? What will strengthen my souls brain and heart for holy worship, for prayer and praise, and my souls muscle and nerve for holy work? And as circumstances arise making greater demands on the vigour of our souls, on our faith, our devotion, our love, or our hope, we must see to it that an adequate increase of spiritual food is made. God offered to the wearied Elijah angels food a second time, as if one good meal were not enough, using this persuasion, Arise, and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And speaking of the putting-forth of miraculous and unusual spiritual energy, our Lord most impressively said, This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Here we all so sadly fail. We keep the soil so poor. We keep the plant indoors, and never let the nourishing rains fall on it. And yet we may be quite sure that there is this absolute law for all body-life and for all soul-lifeif more is to be got out of body or out of soul, more and better food must be given to them.
Lost Interest in Higher Christian Truth.Those who are addressed had lost interest in the deeper truths of Christianity, those truths which alone expressed and explained its proper nature. Their temptation was apparently towards mingling a rudimentary Christian doctrine with the teaching of the synagogue. Yielding to this, they would lose all real knowledge of the very elements of Christian truth, and with this all true knowledge of the Old Testament itself. Solid food belongs to full-grown men. If they occupied themselves with the rudiments alone, their spiritual senses could not be trained by use (or habit) in distinguishing between good and evil, truth and falsehood, in the various systems of teaching which men offered as the doctrine of Christ.W. F. Moulton, D.D.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
II.
Necessity of growth in knowledge in order to realize the hope of the priesthood. Heb. 5:11 to Heb. 6:20.
A.
Difficulty of explaining the priesthood because of the low stage of the knowledge of his readers. Heb. 5:11-14.
Text
Heb. 5:11-14
Heb. 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. Heb. 5:12 For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. Heb. 5:13 For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. Heb. 5:14 But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
Paraphrase
Heb. 5:11 Concerning Melchizedek I have much to say for the illustration of Christs priesthood, which is difficult to be explained when spoken, not on account of the darkness of the subject, but because ye are of slow apprehension in spiritual matters.
Heb. 5:12 For though ye ought to have been able to teach others, considering the time ye have professed the gospel, ye have need of one to teach you, a second time, some of the fundamental principles of the ancient oracles of God concerning the Christ; and have become such as have need of being taught the easiest doctrines, and are not capable of receiving the higher parts of knowledge.
Heb. 5:13 Now every one who uses milk only, who knows nothing but the letter of the ancient revelations, is unskilled in the doctrines of the gospel: For he is a babe in Christianity.
Heb. 5:14 But the matters concealed under the figures and prophecies of the law, which may be called strong meat, because they strengthen the mind, are fit for them who have made progress in knowledge, and who by practice have the faculties of their mind accustomed to discern both truth and falsehood.
Comment
Of whom
Of whomwho is meant?
a.
It is applied to three different persons:
1.
To Melchizedek.
2.
To Christ.
3.
To the endless priesthood.
b.
So little is known of Melchizedek, we are quick to believe that he might be referred to here.
We have many things to say
Now he is discussing Christs priesthood, so we may assume of whom refers to Christ. He is not speaking of Melchizedek except as an illustration; Christ is the main subject:
a.
He has much to say about Christ and little about Melchizedek.
b.
The many things are wonderful things.
and hard of interpretation
It is also translated, hard to be uttered:
a.
Difficulty of interpretation may lie in one of three directions: (Newell)
1.
The teachers inability.
2.
The subject, deep and difficult.
3.
The hearers.
b.
It wasnt the teacher, it wasnt the subject, so the listener was at fault.
seeing ye are become dull of hearing
The brightness of His glory could not be seen because of their dullness, their darkness.
a.
Their souls did not keep pace with the doctrines delivered.
b.
They had a love for their brethren, but they were dull of hearing.
Jesus found the Jews this way and quoted Isaiah against them. cf. Mat. 13:14-15.
For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers
Time should have been used to advantage:
a.
Newell: Over 30 years from Pentecost to the writing of Hebrews.
b.
Christians are to grow; they are not to be stunted. Teaching should be the objective of all-Christians:
a.
People who attend Bible School, worship, prayer meeting, evangelistic services, ought to get to the place where they can teach others.
b.
Most churches find it difficult to find a few teachers for their Bible School.
Ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments
Literally, teach you a second time. Kindergarten lessons sometimes must be learned in adulthood.
of the first principles of the oracles of God
The average church member cant turn to Gods word and point out the pattern for the church or its doctrine.
a.
Church people complain at hearing old messages over and over again, but they often couldnt turn to a scripture on the subject.
b.
Those who are teachers love to hear the Word taught. Of the oracles of God: what is meant?
a.
It may refer to the notices which the prophets gave of the priesthood of Christ. Psalms 110; Isaiah 53.
b.
Oracle simply means a divine utterance, and appears four times in the New Testament. (Milligan)
1.
Act. 7:38.
2.
Rom. 3:2.
3.
Heb. 5:12.
4.
1Pe. 4:11.
and are become such as have need of milk
They once were in better condition than now:
a.
When they first became Christians they were not so dull of hearing.
b.
It is a sad day when men cannot digest Gods deep treasures. As have need of milk.
a.
Milk, a metaphor, is used to indicate first principles. cf. 1Co. 3:1-2.
b.
These early principles are enumerated in Heb. 6:2-3.
and not of solid food
Deeper teachingweightier problemsheavier responsibilitiesthey could not digest:
a.
Babes are on a very weak diet.
b.
They had not grown out of the high chair age.
c.
The scaffolding of Christianity was the thing upon which they depended.
For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience
Babes can do only what they are taught, and that is very little:
a.
The Hebrews had not experienced the things that mature Christians were to experience.
b.
The walk of holiness, launching out on faith was needed, Babes have milk carried to them; adults take milk to babes.
of the word of righteousness
These have not been able to launch out into the sea of experience for Christ:
a.
Mat. 6:33.
b.
They were still in the crib.
Word of righteousness is suggestive:
a.
Mat. 5:20 : Righteousness is that which goes on beyond the right, the plain duty.
b.
It means purity of heart, attitude of mind.
he is a babe
What are the characteristics of a babe?
a.
They are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. Eph. 4:14. So is a baby.
b.
They belong to some special sect and cry, My church.
c.
They glory in men. 1Co. 1:12 : I am of Paul, Apollos.
d.
A babe sleeps instead of serving.
Our spiritual capacity suggests our spiritual age.
But solid food is for fullgrown men
Fullgrown men spiritually are needed. 1Co. 2:6; 1Co. 14:20;
Eph. 4:13.
The value of solid food is seen in Eph. 4:14.
who by reason of use have their senses exercised
Miserable is the person who fails to use his spiritual senses.
a.
By believing, praying, thanking and by being obedient, we can make full use of our spiritual faculties.
b.
The only way to exercise is by action, by using the abilities given to us.
c.
People will be spiritually impotent until they use their senses. The word for senses is an interesting word:
a.
Clark says it signifies the different sense organs as eyes, ears, tongue, palate, and nervous system in general.
b.
The soul has its sensations: love, joy, compassion, etc.
c.
The five senses of man have spiritual significance.
1.
Taste: 1Pe. 2:3; Psa. 34:8; Heb. 6:4; Mat. 5:6.
2.
Hearing: Isa. 55:3; Rev. 3:22.
3.
Sight: Psa. 119:18; Eph. 1:18.
4.
Smell: Php. 4:18.
5.
Feeling: Eph. 4:32.
Exercise is a requirement for ones spiritual development:
a.
This word exercise is a metaphor taken from the athletes or contenders in the Grecian games.
b.
These men applied all their powers that they might be ready for competition.
to discern good and evil
Those who do not exercise will see little or no harm in the pleasures of the world.
a.
So many good people get into trouble, because, I didnt see any harm in it.
b.
The iceberg is dangerous because three-fifths of it is beneath the water, unseen, with jagged edges which may tear great holes in the ship.
Sin brings a tolerance for evil, so that men do not bother to discern good and evil.
Study Questions
804.
Who is meant in the expression of whom? Heb. 5:11.
805.
Are there many things to say of Melchizedek?
806.
In what three matters may difficulty of interpretation be possible? Heb. 5:11.
807.
Is it hard to interpret of whom Christ or Melchizedek?
808.
Is it the teachers fault here?
809.
Is the subject hard to understand?
810.
In the light of this verse, where is the difficulty? Heb. 5:11.
811.
Do you understand what is hard of interpretation?
812.
Is dull of hearing an offensive accusation?
813.
What made Paul think that they were dull?
814.
Did Jesus feel that His generation was dull? Cf. Mat. 13:14-15.
815.
Reason of time would refer to what?
816.
How much time had expired between Jesus death and the writing of the Hebrew letter?
817.
Is Paul implying that all of them ought to be teachers?
818.
How many of our converts aspire to be teachers?
819.
How many become teachers?
820.
How many are even interested in learning, according to Bible School, church, prayer meeting attendance?
821.
Are elders expected to be teachers?
822.
Should a man be an elder if he has all of the other qualifications? If he cant express himself, is he fit?
823.
Need again would mean what?
824.
What are rudiments?
825.
First principles would mean what?
826.
Do people complain at hearing simple things repeated over and over again?
827.
Are the dull of hearing ones the complainers or the teachers?
828.
What do oracles of God refer to?
829.
Is oracles a common word in the New Testament? Cf. Act. 7:38; Rom. 3:2; Heb. 5:12; 1Pe. 4:11.
830.
What would the milk refer to? Cf. 1Co. 3:1-2.
831.
What does Peter say about milk? 1Pe. 2:2.
832.
What does solid food refer to?
833.
Why could they not digest it?
834.
Did they not understand Aarons priesthood?
835.
Could it refer back to the priesthood of which he wanted to say many things?
836.
Name some things that would be classed as solid food.
837.
Is there much hope of evangelizing the world with high chair Christians?
838.
What is the future of the church when folk cannot wield the sword of the spirit?
839.
What is meant by experience?
840.
What experience does the baby in Christ lack?
841.
Can a baby do more than it is taught? Is the same true of spiritual babes?
842.
Would Rom. 14:1-6 have a bearing on this subject?
843.
Do we have any clues in Hebrews as to the particular shortcomings of the people which caused this to be written? For instance, in Corinthians and Galatians special problems are named.
844.
What is meant by word of righteousness?
845.
Can you define righteousness?
846.
What could they have lacked that kept them from being righteous?
847.
Did Jesus have anything to say concerning righteousness?
848.
What does a baby do that weak Christians do?
849.
Could our spiritual capacity be an indication of our spiritual age?
850.
What do you consider solid food to be?
851.
Observe that wisdom is connected with fullgrown men. 1Co. 2:6.
852.
What comparison can be make with stature and Christ? See Eph. 4:13-14.
853.
It is said of Jesus that he increased in wisdom and stature, in favor with God and man. Luk. 2:52. What evidence do we have that He did?
854.
Could these or the lack of them prove that we have or have not attained spiritual adulthood?
855.
Do you know of anyone whom you consider to be full-grown?
856.
Should a man be an elder in the church if he is a babe?
857.
What would the senses refer to?
858.
What sensation does the spiritual person have?
859.
What can you do to exercise your senses?
860.
Are the five senses referred to in the Word? See 1Pe. 2:3; Heb. 6:4; Psa. 119:18; Eph. 1:8.
861.
Look at Eph. 4:32 for feeling.
862.
What does Php. 4:18 say concerning smell?
863.
Why should a person exercise himself?
864.
What is meant by discernment?
865.
Why is it an effort to detect evil? Isnt it obvious?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(11) Of whom.Or, of which (subject), Christ made High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Hard to be uttered.Rather, hard of interpretation, seeing ye have become sluggish in hearing. Their faculty of hearing had once been acute, and then few words and little explanation, even on such a subject as this, would have sufficed; now there has come upon them a lack of interest, and with this a want of power.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Parenthetic rebuke for dulness, and liability to apostasy, encouragement, Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:20.
11. Of whom Our author, after Pauline fashion, suspends his discourse to make a digression, and will return to the point at Heb 7:1. The passage is in Paul’s most severe and magisterial style of rebuke; almost equal to 1Co 4:18-21. He charges the Hebrews with unappreciative slowness and infantile incapacity, (10-14;) he invites them, by God’s permission, with himself, to leave the elements and go on to completeness, (Heb 6:1-3😉 warning them, (4-8,) that for those who have heretofore fallen from a high spiritual Christianity, no repentance is possible. Changing, then, to a more cheering tone, he is persuaded that they are not of that apostate class, (9-12,) and lays before them God’s oath-bound assurance that he will save the persevering believer, ending by bringing us back to where he began his admonishing digression, namely, at Melchizedek, 13-20.
Of whom Concerning whom namely, Melchizedek; but Melchizedek in his typical relations to Christ.
Hard to be uttered Rather, difficult for you to interpret when uttered.
Are Rather, have become; namely, under the influence of your aversion to the suffering Messiah. That error narrowed their views, so that the grand mysteries of the eternal priesthood were excluded. To hitch at a given error is to prevent all progress in truth and to render people dull of hearing: that is, torpid and slow in their receptive powers. The Greek word for dull seems to be compounded of , to move, with a prefix negative, and, therefore, signifies immobile, unmovable by the stirring truths of religion, and so unready to learn new truths, and to gain new Christian life and activity.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing that you are become dull of hearing.’
He stresses that he has much more to say to them, which they may find somewhat difficult to understand, simply because they have become spiritually deafened. These men who should have been teaching others are themselves not in a position to be taught.
‘Of whom (or ‘which’) we have many things to say.’ Many things to say, that is, about God’s great High Priest, or about His ministry, which he will in fact continue to say in Heb 7:1 onwards.
‘Hard of interpretation.’ Difficult to teach clearly to the spiritually immature, and difficult to be understood by them.
‘Seeing that you are become dull of hearing.’ They have lost their first spiritual understanding and eagerness to hear and have become bogged down. This may be because this group had sought to reconcile the new message with the old Judaism, using a new patch to repair an old garment (Mar 2:21), and had simply found that it was not possible, and that both were thereby spoiled.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Conclusion to Justification: Warning for Failure to Grow in Maturity Heb 5:11-14 contains the author’s concluding remarks on the literary section that emphasizes our justification through faith in Jesus Christ. Before Paul continues teaching about the office and ministry of Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest he takes a moment to rebuke the Hebrews for still being spiritual babes in Christ (Heb 5:11-14)
The Author Rebukes the Hebrews for Being Dull of Hearing – In Heb 5:11-14 Paul rebukes the Hebrews for not being more mature in their faith and lifestyle. As a father, I give my small children a lot of room to misbehave. As a boss on my job, I am much more restrictive to my employees. I expect an adult to behave differently than my children. This is what Paul is telling his readers. As we grow in the Lord, our journey becomes more narrow. We are required to walk the straight and narrow path. Jesus told Peter, “When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” (Joh 21:18) In other words, when Peter was young, he could do a lot of things that he wanted to do; but as he became old, he had to relinquish his will to others. He journey became straight and narrow. This is the way it works in our Christian life as we mature in the Lord.
Also, note that in the time when these Christians should have become mature in their Christian walk, they had also been suffering persecution.
Heb 10:32-33, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.”
In a similar statement, Jesus rebuked His disciples for failing to cast a demon out of a child (Mar 9:14-29). At this point in their training, the disciples should have been able to take authority over the demon.
Mar 9:19, “He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.”
Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:11
[215] Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies From the Greek New Testament for the English Reader, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, c1973, 1977), 103.
Heb 5:11 “seeing ye are dull of hearing” – Word Study on “dull of hearing” – Thayer says the Greek word means, “slow, sluggish, indolent, dull, languid.” He says the phrase “dull of hearing” means, “Of one who apprehends with difficulty.” That is, it is difficult for them to comprehend the things of God.
Heb 5:11 Comments – The author of Hebrews says that there is much to be said about Jesus, our great High Priest. Two points:
1. For us Hard to explain.
2. For you difficult to apprehend.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:12
Heb 5:12 “when for the time ye ought to be teachers” Comments – The author of Hebrews, believed to be Paul the apostle, selected the office of a teacher to rebuke them for their lack of maturity. In the Gospels Jesus was often call by this title, which is actually the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew/Aramaic term “rabbi.” Since this Epistle is addressed to the Jewish community of converts, it was a term, or office, that they clearly understood. James will use this same term “teacher” in his epistle to the Jews of the Diaspora in Jas 3:1.
Jas 3:1, “My brethren, be not many masters , knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”
Heb 5:12 “ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God” Comments – Although the Hebrew nation had been given much time to learn the Holy Scriptures, they were still very unlearned about the Scriptures because of man’s traditions, and therefore did not recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and they needed to be taught again. Therefore, those Jews who did accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah needed to have the fundamentals of the Scriptures explained to them again. They should have been further advanced in the understanding of the Kingdom of God and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ than their Gentile counterparts. Unfortunately, they were not.
Many scholars interpret Heb 5:12 to be a reference to Palestinian Jews who first heard and embraced the preaching of the Gospel from Jesus and the Apostles. This would mean that the author was writing primarily to the Jewish Christians in Palestine rather than to those of the Diaspora.
Just like an infant grows up on a time scale that can be measured and predicted month by month and year by year, God also puts His children on a time scale to grow up to be used by God. However, as Paul states in Heb 5:11-14 many believers remain babes, and are not qualified to walk in the gifts and callings and anointings that God has waiting for them.
Heb 5:12 “which be the first principles of the oracles of God” – Comments – The classical writers reveal that the concept of sacred mysteries being utters as divine oracles was practiced in the ancient world. Regarding the use of oracles, the ancient Greeks regarded divine oracles as a form of worship until the time of the Persian war (490-479 B.C.). [216] The temple of Apollo located at Delphi was famous in the ancient world for delivering oracles to men by those in a trance, or they interpreted dreams or patterns in nature. [217] The Greek historians Herodotus (484-425 B.C.) [218] and Plutarch (A.D. 46-100) [219] mention this place of oracles in their writings. While the Romans as a nation did not regard oracles as a religious practice, this custom continued within the Empire, but not without the contempt of the Romans. [220] This practice was later outlawed under the Roman emperor Theodosius (A.D. 379-385). [221] King Saul’s visit to the witch of Endor shows its popularity among ancient eastern cultures (1Sa 28:7-25). The damsel who prophesied over Paul and Barnabas in Philippi is an example of the proliferation of divination in the New Testament times (Act 16:16-24). The Sibylline Oracles, [222] a collection of Greek oracles compiled by Jews and Christians in the early centuries before and after Christ, reflect the widespread popularity that the Sibyl prophetesses held in ancient Greek and Roman history. Regarding the concept of “mysteries” ( ) revealed through oracles, Plutarch, writing about the Pythian priestesses who prophesied at Delphi, speaks of “interpreters of the sacred mysteries.” [223] Thus, when Paul refers to the mysteries hidden from the ages being revealed to the Church (Rom 16:25, 1Co 2:7, Eph 1:9; Eph 3:3-4; Eph 3:9; Eph 6:19, Col 1:26; Col 2:2; Col 4:3, 1Ti 3:9), or when Luke, Paul, and Peter speak of the “oracles” ( ) (G3051) of God (Act 7:38, Rom 3:2, Heb 5:12, 1Pe 4:11), they are speaking in a cultural language that the Greeks and Romans understood, where pagans frequently sought oracles through divine utterance at the temples to reveal hidden mysteries for their lives.
[216] C. H. Prichard, “Oracle,” in A Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 3, ed. James Hastings (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1901), 629.
[217] R. F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, R. K. Harrison, and Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), “Oracle.”
[218] Herodotus writes, “and he [Dorieus] asked the Spartans for a company of folks, whom he took away as colonists; he neither enquired of the oracle at Delphi in what land he should plant his settlement, nor did aught else that was customary” ( Histories 5.42) See Herodotus III, trans. A. D. Godley, in The Loeb Classical Library, eds. T. E. Page, E. Capps, and W. H. D. Rouse (London: William Heinemann, 1938), 46-47.
[219] Plutarch tells us that the Sibylline prophetesses of Delphi used poetic verses with their prophecies, saying, “for when we drew near that part of the rock which joins to the senate-house, which by common fame was the seat of the first Sibyl that came to Delphi from Helicon, where she was bred by the MusesSerapio made mention of certain verses of hers, wherein she had extolled herself as one that should never cease to prophesy even after her death” ( Wherefore the Pythian Priestess Now Ceases to Deliver Her Oracles in Verse 9) He later writes, “but I am constrained to claim your first promise, to tell me the reason wherefore now the Pythian prophetess no longer delivers her oracles in poetic numbers and measuresand also the temple of Tellus, to which the oracle appertained, and where the answers were delivered in verses and song.” ( Wherefore the Pythian Priestess Now Ceases to Deliver Her Oracles in Verse 17) See William W. Goodwin, Plutarch’s Essays and Miscellanies, vol. 3 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1911), 77, 86-87.
[220] The Roman poet Lucan (A.D. 39-65) reflects the contempt for such oracles by the Romans when he writes, “They had now come to the Temple, the only one which among the Libyan nations the uncivilized Garamantes possess. There stands Jupiter, the foreteller of destiny, as they relate; but not either brandishing the lightnings or like to ours, but Ammon with crooked horns.” ( Pharsalia 9.593-598) See H. T. Riley, The Pharsalia of Lucan (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853), 359.
[221] C. H. Prichard, “Oracle,” In A Dictionary of the Bible, ed. James Hastings (), 629.
[222] The Sibylline Oracles, trans. H. C. O. Lanchester, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol. 2, ed. R. H. Charles (electronic edition), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004).
[223] Plutarch writes, “The interpreters of the sacred mysteries acted without any regard to us, who desired them to contract their relation into as few words as might be, and to pass by the most part of the inscriptions.” ( Wherefore the Pythian Priestess Now Ceases to Deliver Her Oracles in Verse 2) See William W. Goodwin, Plutarch’s Essays and Miscellanies, vol. 3 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1911), 70.
Rom 16:25, “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,”
1Co 2:7, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”
Eph 1:9, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:”
Eph 3:3-4, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”
Eph 3:9, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:”
Eph 6:19, “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”
Col 1:26, “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”
Col 2:2, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;”
Col 4:3, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”
1Ti 3:9, “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”
Act 7:38, “This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:”
Rom 3:2, “Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.”
Heb 5:12, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”
1Pe 4:11, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
The reference to pillars and foundations of the Church in 1Ti 3:15 suggests that Paul had in mind the ancient Greek and Roman temples with their practice of divination, and that he compares this pagan scene of worship to the New Testament Church and the Holy Scriptures, which serve as its pillars and foundation.
Heb 5:12 “and are become such as have need of milk” Comments – We read a similar statement in 1Pe 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” Anyone who has ever raised children, and the apostle Peter was married and probably had raised children, knows how earnestly a child will cry for milk when it is hungry. This desire is a type and figure of how we must desire the Word of God in our lives in order that we may also grow into mature Christians. However, there are situations when a mother’s milk becomes tainted. For example, she may be on antibiotics or other medications because of surgery, or she may be eating spicy foods, so that the taste of her breast milk is changes. In some cases, the infant rejects the milk. Thus, note how Peter uses the word “sincere milk,” or “pure milk.” In the spiritual realm, there are new, baby Christians who are fed “tainted milk” from their church and lose their taste for it. Such Christians never grow and become rooted and grounded in the Word. However, if they were fed the pure, untainted milk of the Word of God, they would eagerly desire it and grow thereby.
Heb 5:12 “and not of strong meat” Comments That is, solid food.
Heb 5:12 Comments – Bad teaching results in a Christian being fed junk food. Therefore, they do not grow up to become healthy Christians. They will not be able to understand the meat of the Word of God if they have not first been fed the milk of the Word. The milk represents the foundational doctrines of the Sacred Scriptures which Paul will list in Heb 6:1-2 and is found in the teachings of Christ Jesus in the Gospels and Acts. They are referred to in Heb 5:12 as “the first principles of the oracles of God.” The meat of the Word represents the Church doctrine that Paul teaches in the nine Church epistles (Romans thru 2 Thessalonians) in which he builds upon these six foundational doctrines. The phrase “strong meat” is used in Heb 5:12 to refer to the Church doctrine built by Paul. For example, faith in the fact of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the milk of the Word of God, but faith in our identification with Christ’s resurrection is the meat of God’s Word.
Heb 5:12 Comments – Sometimes the hardest people to teach are those who have had the truth, but become dull to it. This happens when people sit in a church all of their life and adhere to a particular denominational doctrine without being willing to change.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:13
Heb 5:13 “for he is a babe” Comments – The phrase “a babe,” “babes in Christ,” or “newborn babes,” refers to the spiritual development that every child of God must go through. But what aspect of our development is this referring to? We know that we have been created as a three-part creature. We are a spirit, we live in a body and we have a soul. We know that our bodies can be full-grown as an adult while still being babes in Christ. So this phrase does not refer to our physical development. We know that our spirits are fully recreated by God by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. What God creates, He does perfectly so that our spirits were fully developed the moment we were born again; for Paul said, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power,” (Col 2:10). So, a babe in Christ is not a reference to the need for a man’s spirit or body to grow. Thus, a babe in Christ is one who is underdeveloped in the soulish realm, the realm of the mind, the will, the intellect and the emotions. This is why the author of Hebrews says that a babe needs to be taught, and why Peter says that they need to study the Word of God, which is a way of developing the mental realm by renewing the mind. Note similar verses that refer to babes in Christ:
1Co 3:1-3, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
1Co 14:20, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.”
1Pe 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Heb 5:14
Mat 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect , even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
1Co 14:20, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men .”
Eph 4:13-14, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”
How do we become mature Christians?
Php 3:10-11, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
Heb 5:8-9, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
1Pe 1:6-7, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
Heb 6:1 used the phrase “unto perfection.” We are kept by the power of God through faith (1Pe 2:2). This faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17). So, in order to mature, they need the Word of God, referred to here as “solid food.” We grow by the Word (1Pe 2:2).
Heb 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection ; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,”
1Pe 1:5, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Rom 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
1Pe 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
Heb 5:14 “by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” Word Study on “to discern” Strong says the Greek word “discern” ( ) (G1253) means, “judicial estimation.” BDAG says it means, “a distinguishing, a differentiation.” The Enhanced Strong says it is used 3 times in the New Testament, being translated in the KJV as, “discerning 1, discern 1, disputation.”
Comments – A similar Greek word (G350) is used in 1Co 2:14 to refer to “spiritual discernment.”
1Co 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned .”
Comments “by reason of use” – By use of the strong meat, which is the Word of God, our senses can be trained. They should learn to use God’s Word to discern between good and evil. This meaning is brought out in several English translations.
BBE, “But solid food is for men of full growth, even for those whose senses are trained by use to see what is good and what is evil.”
Weymouth, “Such persons are mere babes. But solid food is for adults–that is, for those who through constant practice have their spiritual faculties carefully trained to distinguish good from evil.”
“have their senses exercised” – Our senses refer to our “ability to make moral decisions.” Our senses can be trained, or exercised, to know good or evil.
1. The positive:
1Ti 4:7, “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”
2. The negative:
2Pe 2:14, “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:”
“to discern both good and evil” – By practice of applying God’s Word to our lives, our senses are trained to discern God’s will for our lives.
Scripture Reference – Note:
Rom 16:19, “For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil .”
Heb 5:13-14 Comments Growth in God’s Word is a Prerequisite to Christian Maturity – The requirement of learning to discern between good and evil precedes going on to maturity. A person must first learn to choose what is right and lay aside those things that are wrong in their Christian life before the Lord will take them into a deeper level of anointing and impartation and responsibility in the things of God. The reason God sets this strict requirement in place is explained in Heb 6:4-6, which says that if we were allowed to partake of the Word of God and the powers of the spiritual gifts while yet immature, and like many young Christians, drifted away from the Lord, there would be no more opportunities of repentance. Therefore, God has an order of spiritual growth that takes time, and it is put in place for our own good.
Illustration – A man owns a shop full of all kinds of tools, capable of being used to accomplish any task. Some tools are simple and basic to use, but others require discipline, skill and experience to accomplish the most highly skilled jobs. This man has a son. As the son grows up, the father teaches the son those basic skills. Through the years, the son learns to use the more involved tools in order to accomplish a wider range of tasks.
Several factors that affect the son’s rate of grow in the skill and use of these tools are his interest, his attitude and the time spent in practicing the use these tools. If the father had others sons, the sons would develop different levels of skills or even be skillful in one or two tools and unskillful in other tools.
God gives us everything that we need to attain life and godliness (2Pe 1:3). But we must pay attention as He teaches us to use the tools that He has available for us. We will grow at different rates according to our interest, our attitude and our time spent in exercising these skills. We will vary in levels of skill and ability and thus, we will specialize in certain areas of the Christian ministry, and not in other areas.
2Pe 1:3, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
A Reproof of Spiritual Ignorance.
v. 11. Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
v. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat.
v. 13. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the Word of Righteousness; for he is a babe.
v. 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. According to the tendency of the last passage, we might now expect a complete discussion of the high-priesthood of Christ to begin at this point. Instead, however, the sacred writer inserts here a reproof and an exhortation which is calculated to convey to his readers the necessity of giving proper heed to the doctrines included in this letter. The reason for the censure is first given: Concerning whom there is a great deal to say and difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish in your sense of hearing. The entire subject which has now been broached, that of Christ’s being a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, is a topic upon which one could write a great deal. The author intends, also, to discuss this important comparison at length, chap. 7, even though, on account of the difficulty of the subject, an explanation could not be given in an offhand manner. And the reason, in this case, is not to be found in the essential, inherent unreasonableness of the teaching, but in the fact that the readers have become sluggish in their hearing and understanding. The censure strikes the fact that the Jewish Christians to whom the letter is addressed had gone backward in knowledge, in the study, the understanding of doctrinal topics. This is the case in many a congregation or community where the Word of God has been preached for some time. There is always danger that men assume the self-satisfied, self-sufficient attitude toward instruction in spiritual matters which resents any implication as to their being in need of such teaching. Wherever this “know-it-all” attitude is assumed, a retrogression in spiritual knowledge and life is bound to follow.
This condition is pictured by the inspired writer: For, indeed, though on account of the length of time you should be teachers, you have need again of having someone to teach you the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God, and you have become as having need of milk and not of solid food. If one considered the length of time since the Gospel had first been preached in Judea, more than a generation before this, and the many opportunities which the Jewish Christians had had to become familiar with all the branches of Gospel teaching, it was by no means an unreasonable expectation that they should all have had the ability to teach others, to impart to them the wonderful truths of the Word of God, both the simple doctrines and those that required some measure of spiritual understanding. But the writer is obliged to censure his readers because it had become necessary once more to teach them the very rudiments of the Christian doctrine, the fundamental facts, whose knowledge was expected of the catechumens when being received into the Church. Then, as now, the central doctrines of Christianity constituted the basis of instruction and were expected to be mastered by the applicants for membership in the congregation. Therefore it was a disgrace, indeed, that these Jewish Christians, who should have been veterans in Christian knowledge, lacked the understanding demanded of the novices. They were, in the matter of spiritual knowledge, like infants unable to partake of solid food, dependent entirely upon milk. See 1Co 3:2. “Instead of becoming adults, able to stand on their own feet, select and digest their own food, they had fallen into spiritual dotage, and entered a second childhood, and could receive only the simplest nourishment. ” (Dods.) Mature Christians should be able to understand also the more advanced and complicated doctrines of the Christian faith, and to consider them with benefit to their faith.
The language of the sacred writer is not lacking in clearness at this point: For every one that still partakes of milk is inexperienced in the Word of Righteousness, for he is a babe. So long as a person is obliged, for want of a more thorough understanding, to rely upon the simplest exposition of the fundamental truths of Christianity as his sole diet, he is a spiritual babe and infant. He has no conception of the wonderful scope, of the manifold beauties contained in the Word of Righteousness, the Gospel, which teaches the righteousness that is accepted by God, being that righteousness of Christ which is imputed to men by God through faith. With the proper detailed study of the Word, a person will enter deeply and ever more deeply into the mysteries of God and constantly receive new nourishment for his faith.
Of this the inspired author says in conclusion: But solid food is for the mature, those who, by reason of their mental exercise, have their intellectual abilities exercised to discern good and evil. Christians that have reached some degree of spiritual maturity have done so by virtue of the habit which they have developed by constant exercise in the Word of God, the result finally being that their intellectual faculties, controlled by their faith and love in Christ, grasp the distinction between good and evil readily, between things that are beneficial and such as are harmful for their spiritual life. Their perception is so sharpened, their taste is so developed that the wholesome and the hurtful are readily discerned. Note: All Christians have the opportunity of growing in spiritual knowledge. If they actually study the Word of God day after day, if they take every thought into captivity under the obedience of Christ, then there will soon be evidence of maturity in the understanding of all the Scriptural doctrines, and a proper discrimination between the wholesome and the morbid and hurtful in doctrine and life. The censure probably applies just as sharply today as it ever did, and our humble acknowledgment of that fact may pave the way for needed improvement.
Summary
The inspired author shows that Christ has the necessary qualifications to be our High Priest, and that a perfect salvation was earned by virtue of His obedience; he inserts a sharp reproof on account of the spiritual immaturity of his readers.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Heb 5:11. Of whom That is, Melchisedec: “Of whom we have much to say, and hard to be interpreted, so as to make you comprehend it, seeing you are , remiss, careless;have little or no desire to hear, or learn, or to attend to what you hear.” See Ecclus. 9:29; Sir 11:12. Dr. Heylin reads the verse, We have many things to say upon this subject; thing, which it is difficult to render intelligible to you, because you are not in a disposition to apprehend them. The mention made of Christ’s being an high-priest after the order of Melchisedec naturally led to the sayingsomewhat concerning that person, and his order of priesthood. This the apostle intended, and accordingly he has done it, ch. 7. But before he comes to that part of his discourse, he makes a large digression, from hence to ch. Heb 6:20. At the end of which he brings in again the mention of Christ being made a high-priest after the order of Melchisedec; and thus concludeshis digression, and introduces the account that he gives of Melchisedec in the 7th chapter. The design of this digression seems to be, first, to reprove the Hebrews for their not attending to, and not better understanding, the things spoken of in the Old Testament: his reproof being brought in upon occasion of their not understanding what was spoken concerning Melchisedec, seems to fix this as the ground of the reproof, and so may serve in some measure as a key to a good part of the present discourse. This is very pertinent to the grand aim of the epistle; for a thorough acquaintance with the Old Testament would have been very useful to establish them in their adherence to Christ. Secondly, another design of this digression seems to be, to warn the Hebrews of that to which they were very prone,to doat upon the legal institutions; by reason whereof they were apt to be indifferent to Christ, and to quit their hope in him, and the profession of his religion: for this cause the sacred writer sets before them their danger in the most lively and moving terms. He however qualifies his reproof by the commendation that he gives of some of them for their past behaviour, for whichhe encourages them to expect a reward from God. But he wishes the same might be made general, and that they would all of them guard against sloth and negligence, and press after perfection; imitating the faith and patience of other good men, and particularly of Abraham; for whom they had the highest veneration, and whose example was therefore likely to have the greatest effect upon them.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
to Heb 6:20
Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:20 . The author is on the point of turning to the nearer presentation of the dignity of High Priest after the manner of Melchisedec, which pertains to Christ, and thus of His superiority over the Levitical high priests. But before he passes over to this, he complains in a digression of the low stage of Christian knowledge at which the readers are yet standing, whereas they ought long ago themselves to have been teachers of Christianity; exhorts them to strive after manhood and maturity in Christianity, and with warning admonition points out that those who have already had experience of the rich blessing of Christianity, and nevertheless apostatize from the same, let slip beyond the possibility of recall the Christian salvation; then, however, expresses his confidence that such state of things will not be the case with the readers, who have distinguished themselves, and still do distinguish themselves, by works of Christian love, and indicates that which he desires of them, namely, endurance to the end, while at the same time reminding them of the inviolability of the divine promise and the objective certainty of the Christian hope.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Heb 5:11 . ] sc . . To this total-conception, as is also recognised by Riehm ( Lehrbegr. des Hebrerbr . p. 780), is to be referred back. We have to supplement not merely (Oecumenius, Primasius, Justinian), because that would be a far too general defining of the object, inasmuch as confessedly the discourse is not first about Christ in the sequel, but everywhere throughout the epistle. But neither is to be supplied to (Peshito, Calvin [Piscator hesitates between this and the following application], Owen, Schttgen, Peirce, Semler, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Bleek, de Wette, Tholuck, Alford, Maier, al .). For even though a fact to which Bleek appeals the author, after having concluded the digression (Heb 7:1 f.), begins by characterizing this same Melchisedec, yet this description is subordinated to a higher aim, that of setting forth the high-priestly dignity of Christ; as surely also the reference of Heb 7:1 ff. to the close of the digression (Heb 6:20 ) clearly shows, since the former is represented by as only the development now begun of the main consideration: , taken up anew, Heb 6:20 . To take as a neuter , with Grotius, Cramer, Storr, Abresch, Bhme, Kuinoel, Klee, Stein, Stengel, Bisping, Delitzsch, Kurtz, and others, and to refer it to the high-priesthood of Christ after Melchisedec’s manner, according to which would thus have to be resolved into , is possible indeed, but not so natural as when it is taken as a masculine , since the discourse in that which precedes was about the definite person of Christ.
] sc . . Wrongly, because otherwise must have been added, and because a detailed development of the subject really follows afterwards; Peshito, Erasmus, Luther, and others: concerning which we should have much to speak.
] and indeed .
] belongs to . Heinrichs erroneously joins it with .
Even on account of the connectedness of the with , but also on account of the preceding , followed by no , it is inadmissible, with Jac. Cappellus, Grotius, Peirce, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Valckenaer, Kuinoel, and others, to suppose the difficulty of the exposition or rendering intelligible of the to exist on the part of the readers , and thus to interpret in the sense of 2Pe 3:16 . On the contrary, as the author has abundant material for discoursing on the subject announced, so is it also difficult for the author to render himself intelligible thereon to the readers. The ground of this difficulty which obtains for him is introduced by the clause with , which on that account is to be referred only to , not at the same time (Hofmann) to . For the rest, Storr and Bleek have already rightly remarked, that in the connecting of with the two predicates and a sort of zeugma is contained, inasmuch as is to be taken in relation to the first predicate actively , [74] in relation to the second passively . On the high-priesthood of Christ after the manner of Melchisedec, the author has much to speak ; and truly it is difficult for him to make plain to his readers the contents or subject of his discourse.
] characterizes the spiritual sluggishness or dulness of the readers not as something which was originally inherent in them, but only as something which afterwards manifested itself in connection with them. Chrysostom: , , , .
] in the N. T. only here and Heb 6:12 .
] with regard to the hearing , i.e. the spiritual faculty of comprehension. Comp. Philo, Quis rer. divin. haeres . p. 483 (with Mangey, I. p. 474): , , . The plural is used, inasmuch as the discourse is of a multitude of persons. On the dative , instead of which the accusative might have been placed, comp. Winer, Gramm. , 7 Aufl. p. 202.
[74] This is erroneously denied by Delitzsch and Alford. Even the two instances from Dionys. Halicarn., on which Delitzsch relies, plead against him.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
PART SECOND
Exaltation of Christ as the single Priestly King, the antitype of Melchisedec
_________
FIRST SECTION
TRANSITION TO THIS DISCUSSION BY MEANS OF CENSURE, WARNING, CONSOLATION, AND EXHORTATION
______
I
The readers are still deficient at the time in the right understanding of this typical relation
Heb 5:11-14.
11Of whom [concerning which] we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered 12[to be explained], seeing ye are [have become, ] dull of hearing; for when [while] for [on account of] the time ye ought to be teachers, ye [again] have need that one teach you [again om.] which be [what are] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat [solid food]. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful [inexperienced] in the Word [doctrine] of righteousness, for he is a babe; 14but strong meat [solid food] belongs to those that are of full age [the mature, ], even those [om. even those] who by reason of use [habit, ] have their senses exercised [disciplined] to discern [to distinguish] both good and evil.
[Heb 5:11. , concerning whom, referring to Christ, not Melchisedek; or, better, concerning which matter, viz.: Christs Melchisedek priesthood. , our discourse is extended and hard to be clearly expounded or set forth. ye have become, not, are. The difference is important, as marking a lapse from a better spiritual state.
Heb 5:12. , being bound, or under obligation to be=while ye ought to be , on account of the time, better than Eng. ver., viz.: for the time, which is awkward, if not obscure. , ye again have need: the clearly belongs to , not to the following . For or , viz.: of some ones teaching you the first principles, or of our teaching you what are the first principles, see exegetical notes. , is omitted by B.2 C. 17, Vulg., Copt., Orig., and by Sin.
Heb 5:13 ., inexperienced, unskilled in respect of a discourse or doctrine of righteousness, so that he is unable as a to enter into and comprehend it.
Heb 5:14. , on account of habit., disciplined, trained, exercised., organs of perception, senses., discrimination.K].
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Heb 5:11. Concerning which we have many things, etc.The is not to be referred merely to Melchisedec (Pesh., Calv., and the majority) or to Christ (c., Primas.), but to the preceding declaration that Christ is a High-Priest after the order of Melchisedec; and the is to be taken, either with Ln. as masc., or with Grot., etc., as neut. Erasm. and Luther translate, we might have, instead of have, contrary to the tenor of the following part of the Epistle. [Alford still refers to Melchisedec. But there is not the slightest ground for supposing that the author felt any difficulty in making clear any facts concerning Melchisedec, upon whom, indeed, he dwells very briefly, and without any seeming consciousness of any thing specially difficult to understand in the accounts concerning him. The difficulties regarding the person of Melchisedec, are the result of a gratuitous misapprehension of the strong statements of the writer. The really difficult topic is either Christ as High-Priest, or as Melchisedec-Priest, or, taking the pronoun as neuter, the topic of Christs Melchisedec priesthood.K.]. Luther also overlooks the , ye have become. The dulness or spiritual hardness of hearing of the readers is not designated as a natural trait, but as the result of a retrogradation which has no apology in their history and outward condition. Hence, with respect to the topic about to be treated, the author feels a difficulty in finding proper expression for the clear communication of that which, in its subject matter, is so rich and various.
Heb 5:12-14. For when, on account of the time, ye ought, etc.Instead of becoming capable of teaching, the readers have become in need of learning; and, indeed, to the extent that they have fallen back to that infantile age which requires milk, and have thus fallen into the danger of losing entirely their power of spiritual discrimination. In vv.13 and 14, the author expands the figurative mode of expression which he had employed at the close of Heb 5:12, and at the same time justifies its import. He has the readers in his eye, but the expressions are entirely general. The generality, however, affects only the form. As a matter of fact, the condition of the readers is directly included and characterized. Every one who receives his allotted food in the form of milk, that is, finds himself in the condition of a suckling, is inexperienced, not merely in Christianity (Ln.), or in the specific doctrine of justification by faith (Bl., Thol., Ebr.), or in the doctrine which leads to righteousness (Riehm, De W.), or in righteous, i.e, right-teaching discourse (Del.), so that the capacity of speaking in regard to spiritual things, according to the law and pattern of truth, would be wanting, but in the of every kind. This has its ground in the nature of a (Deu 4:39; Isa 7:16; Jon 4:11). Solid nourishment, on the contrary, corresponds to the nature and the wants of the mature, who possess organs of perception () for the distinguishing of what is wholesome and what is pernicious, and these, indeed, as disciplined . is the habitus, holding, or state acquired by exercise, in its permanent character or result, as skill, readiness, capacity. It is doubtful whether we are to accentuate or . The latter was preferred among the ancients only by c., then by Luth. and Calv.; more recently by Bhme, Bl., Ebr., Ln., Bisp., Alford, etc. But the grammatical construction does not demand this reading; rather the active construction [as of =that one teach you] apart from the doubtful reading, 1Th 4:9, is frequent also in the classics (Win. p. 303, Madvig. Synt. 14850), and the connection rather favors the other form; for the readers are not sunk to such ignorance that somebody would be required to instruct them again, like catechumens, in the very first elements of Christianity; they have rather but an imperfect and dulled apprehension, so that they do not sufficiently distinguish what are essential and incidental matters, what is fundamental, and what is secondary and derived; and they have fallen into danger of forgetting and denying the essential distinction between Christianity and Judaism.
[Alford, ingeniously enough, perhaps, but, I think, with very slight ground of probability, defends , some one, as containing a sort of subtle irony, as if the readers were ignorant of that which any one was competent to explain. Moll argues against this reading on the ground that the readers had not sunk to that degree of ignorance, that they required to be instructed over again like catechumens in the elementary principles of Christianity. Delitzsch regards the , thus accentuated, as simply feeble. This objection need not, indeed, be pressed, and this rendering gives us, perhaps, the easier construction. The other, viz., that preferred by Del., Moll, De Wette, is more difficult, but more forcible: need of [ones] teaching you what are the first principles, etc. In this case we might expect , being taught, but the harshness of the form would be a sufficient reason for the authors avoiding it, and preferring the not unallowable active. With this reading, again it is doubtful whether we are to explain as=, of what sort, which it easily may be, or whether, with Moll, we are to regard the writer as declaring that the readers have sunk into a state of incompetency to discern between capital and incidental, between fundamental and secondary truths, and thus render it simply what, which I prefer.K.].
The are not the words of the Old Testament, or of the prophets (Peirce, Steng., Dav. Schultz, etc.), but the declarations of the Christian revelation, whose fundamental elements constitute the basis of instruction, and at the same time contain its rudimentary principles. The idea of rudiments contained in , is heightened by the addition of (Calv., Ln.).
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. What in our condition as Christians we have learned of Christianity, we are not to keep for ourselves; but we are rather to be ready to communicate Christian knowledge and our evangelical experience, and to regard it as belonging to our calling, not merely to render an account of the ground of the hope which is in us, to him who demands it, but to make known the evangelical truth which aids our Christian life, and, so far as is in us, in every direction remove ignorance in spiritual things, and come to the aid of the weak.
2. Among these things to be communicated, there are found those which, on account of the variety of relation in which they stand, or on account of the depth of the thoughts which they express, are hard to be made clear, and can only with pains be brought within our apprehension. This difficulty is, in certain matters, heightened by the condition of the learners, and that even to the degree that the continuous development of the thoughts is obliged to be interrupted.
3. This state of things, however, does not exempt him who is called to make the communication from the duty of seeking in other ways points of contact by which he may promote their fellowship, and may act directly on those who may lag behind. In the place of doctrinal instruction, comes the anxious practical appeal, which awakens the conscience, discloses the inner ground of their sluggishness, and penetrates to the very roots of their spiritual life. The ethical element in teaching has its own intrinsic efficacy.
4. Among those who are left behind are found, along with those of feeble endowments and of imperfect spiritual development, also those who have gone back. These latter can all the less dispense with special moral and religious culture, in that their backslidings have reference not merely to knowledge, but even in this respect have their ground in a decline of spiritual life, and precisely for this reason generate and diffuse not merely defective views and fragmentary knowledge, but a confused conception and a perilous dimness of vision regarding even the fundamental principles of Christian truth.
5. For this reason there is needed by the teacher the gift of the discerning of spirits (1Co 12:10), wisdom even in withholding instruction, and the art of rightly dividing the word (1Ti 1:7; 2Ti 2:2). For this he must himself persevere in the practice and discipline of constant learning and prayer (Jam 1:5); that he may not only use law and Gospel seasonably and in due order, but may also understand how to furnish milk to the children and solid food to the mature (1Co 3:2).
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Failure in fidelity begets failure in our experience in spiritual life; and failure in experience produces failure in the understanding of the word of God.The important matter is, not how long one has been a Christian, but how earnest he has been in his Christian profession.Without exercise, there is not the needful progress either in Christian knowledge or in Christian life.There is but one truth for those of riper age, and for the immature; but there are different modes of communicating and of apprehending it.Inexperience in the doctrine of righteousness is the worst ignorance: a. on account of its origin; b. on account of its consequences.
Starke:In the knowledge of salvation and of Divine things, we must increase daily, each according to his capacity.The difficulty of some things in Scripture lies not in the things themselves, but properly in the hearer or reader (2Pe 3:16).Preachers must sometimes address their hearers even sternly, in order that they may be aroused in their state of ignorance, and out of their sluggishness.The peculiarity and duty of men in Christ is that they teach and advance others, not only in respect of knowledge, by words, but also in practice, by their edifying example.Oh! how many children of God continue like children under age in the very rudiments of spiritual life.Children, so soon as they are capable of learning, must be brought to the blessed knowledge of the Gospel; the more advanced they are in years, so much the more should they be advanced also in knowledge; otherwise their age becomes a reproach to them.Search, and inquire: what is still wanting to me? Thou wilt find that thou art still deficient in many things. Go on; make progress during thy life in learning and discipline, 1Th 4:1; 1Th 4:10.Since disciplined spiritual senses are demanded for the discrimination of good and evil, and these are found only with the regenerate, no unconverted man can make the true spiritual distinction between good and evil, although, according to his literal knowledge, he may speak very fluently regarding it.
Rieger:The more spiritual a thing is in its nature, with the more difficulty does it find an entrance, so long as the unspiritual and ungodly nature which has so deeply penetrated our being, still so greatly preponderates.He who does not cause every thing to take effect with himself for his strengthening and growth in the inner man, but overloads himself in many things merely with fragmentary knowledge, will at last so entangle himself that he will no longer know anything as he ought to know it.Milk itself may be gradually transformed into stronger food.The chief confusion arises from the fact that every one so easily exaggerates that which meets his fancy, and is so sluggish toward that which is fitted to introduce him into the true middle path.
Hahn:Great truths demand also a certain spiritual age and disciplined senses.If one does not correctly understand a thing, let him first seek the fault in himself, and administer proper self-rebuke.
Heubner:the riches of Christianity are inexhaustible; the progress of the learners frequently falls short of our expectation.The Bible Christianity gives various spiritual nourishment. In the contemplation of Christian knowledge there are different stages of maturity, different powers and susceptibilities. We must strive for the highest reach of Christian maturity and power.
Steinhofer:If we have trodden the paths of conversion, and, from a general knowledge, have known and apprehended the salvation of Jesus for our fainting soul, and have thus been taught to hold Jesus dearer than all things else, then it becomes preminently important for daily growth in spiritual life, for a more thorough grounding in our fellowship with Jesus, for daily food for the spirit, that we search more closely and more profoundly into the knowledge of Jesus.
Fricke:What we have apprehended in faith must be thought through, and lived through, by each one in his own way. Thus we become strong.
Footnotes:
[5]Heb 5:4.The Art. before , is to be erased after Sin. A. B. C.* D. E. K., 23, 37, 44.
[6]Heb 5:4.Instead of , we are to read, with Sin. A. B. D.*, .
[7]Heb 5:4.The Art. before , is to be expunged after Sin. A. B. C. D. E. K. L.
[8]Heb 5:9.According to Sin. A. B. C. D. E., 17, 37, the order of the words is as follows: .
[9][It seems to me (with De Wette) that a reference of the language to the sufferings and exclamations of Jesus on the cross, would here be inconsistent with the purpose of the writer. He is pointing out how our Lord had learned obedience by prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save Him from death. The obedience naturally has reference to that which was the object of His crying and supplication, and this is clearly intimated by the expression, to Him who was able to save Him from death. The natural implication of this language is, that He prayed to be saved from death. Yet the request was refused Him, and He exercised obedience in submitting resignedly to the will of His Father, and going in obedience to that will to the cross. Thus the prayer of Gethsemane: If possible, let this cup pass from me, with the accompanying submission of the whole matter to the will of His Father, and the subsequent obedience in going to the cross, are here clearly portrayed, while the strong crying, which is unmentioned in the Gospel, is here added as a natural, and we may add, almost necessary adjunct of the scene; for we could scarcely conceive those agonizing prayers and the bloody sweat, as unaccompanied by the loud outcry here mentioned; and altogether the prayer, the cry, the Sweat, are probably parts of the evangelical tradition regarding that critical scene in the life of our Lord. The death scene on the cross took place when the Son had substantially obeyed; the crisis was over, and Jesus had already accepted His destiny.K.].
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
DISCOURSE: 2288
THE SLOW PROGRESS OF MANY REPROVED
Heb 5:11-14. We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
THERE is in the Holy Scriptures a great diversity of truths suited to the various states and capacities of men. There are some so plain and simple, that he who runs may read and understand them: there are others so deep and mysterious, that persons of the strongest intellect and most extensive erudition are utterly lost in the contemplation of them. In human sciences, men of genius and penetration have a great advantage over those of a less cultivated and comprehensive mind; because the strength of their faculties enables them to prosecute their researches to a far greater extent than the others can: but in divine knowledge, it is not the most learned, but the most humble and heavenly-minded, person, that will make the greatest progress. Ignorance in divine things (especially among those who enjoy a faithful ministration of the Gospel) springs from wilful remissness, rather than from any want of capacity; and involves the offender in very deep guilt. It is on this ground that the Apostle reproves the Hebrews for their inability to receive what he had to say respecting Melchizedec and Christ. He represents their infantile state as the consequence of their own sloth, and as an occasion of considerable embarrassment to himself, since he knew not how to open to them the sublimer truths of Christianity, because they were yet so ill-instructed in its very first principles.
In explaining the drift of his address we shall,
I.
Inquire whence it is that mens progress in divine knowledge is so disproportioned to the advantages they enjoy
That many who hear the Gospel are but little profited by it, is a melancholy and undeniable fact
[That persons should continue ignorant when little else than heathen morality is set before them, cannot be wondered at. But many, who for a course of years have had Christ crucified set before them, and have from time to time been addressed with the greatest plainness and fidelity, yet are surprisingly dark in their views of the Gospel. They think they understand the plan of salvation; and yet they confound things the most distinct [Note: They mix faith and works, either uniting them as joint grounds of our salvation, or making their works a warrant to believe.], and disjoin things the most inseparable [Note: They cannot conceive how the exercises of their own free-will must, as far as they are good, be ascribed to the agency of the Holy Spirit, while, as far as they are evil, they are not to be considered as the emanations of their own wicked hearts in concurrence with the agency of Satan.]. But, when their notions are ever so clear and accurate, they still remain without any experimental acquaintance with the truths of God. They are unskilful [Note: .] in the word of righteousness. Whatever they profess to believe respecting the depravity of the heart, and a life of faith upon the Son of God, they have not an experience of it in their own souls; so that they still need as much as ever to have the first principles of the oracles of God inculcated and enforced. Considering the time that they have been learning, they ought to have been long since qualified to teach others; and yet have they need to be taught the very same things again and again. They still need as much as ever to have line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.]
The reason for this must be sought for in their own negligence
[If this want of proficiency had existed only since the days of the Apostles, we might have ascribed it to the weakness and insufficiency of the teachers: nor are we disposed entirely to exclude that as a concurrent cause of the slow progress that is made amongst us. But the same complaints which we make, were uttered by the Apostles; and the want of proficiency in their hearers is imputed to their dulness in bearing [Note: .], and slothfulness in improving what they heard. You are ready enough to hear; and perhaps, like Ezekiels hearers, are pleased with the sound of the Gospel, as you would be with some delightful music [Note: Eze 33:32.]: but are you careful to apply to yourselves what you hear? Do you examine yourselves by it? Do you labour to treasure it up in your hearts? Do you pray over it? Do you make it the subject of your conversation with your families, and of your meditations in the hours of retirement? Do you not, on the contrary, find, that, through your neglecting to harrow in the seed, the birds of the air come and take it away; or that, through the cares and pleasures of this world, it is so choked that it never grows up to perfection? Yes; this is the reason of that slow progress which people make in divine knowledge: this is the reason that persons, who would account themselves idiots if they received so little benefit from instructions in any other branch of knowledge, continue mere babes throughout their whole lives.]
Having found the reason of mens unprofitableness under the ministry of the Gospel, we proceed to,
II.
Shew the sad consequences arising from it
The misimprovement of this talent is greatly overlooked among the sins we commit, or the evils we deplore. But,
1.
It incapacitates men for receiving instructions
[Babes must have food suited to their age: if strong meat were administered to them, they could not receive it: instead of being profited by the deeper mysteries of the Gospel, or by a full exhibition of the divine life as it exists and operates in the hearts of more advanced Christians, they would very probably be injured: the display of light would be too bright for their organs; or, to use the metaphor in the text, the meat would be too strong for their digestive faculties. What a loss then is this to the persons themselves! What a loss too to many who would be greatly benefited by the stronger food, but who must have only milk presented to them, lest others, unable to partake of their repast, should be deprived of what is absolutely necessary for their subsistence!
Let this be duly considered; and it will surely prove an effectual incentive to diligence!]
2.
It imposes a restraint on their instructors
[We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered: not that the difficulty lies in expressing them: but in reducing them to the comprehension of persons who are so dull of hearing. When we speak to those who are of full age, we can enter largely into every part of the Gospel; because they, having their spiritual senses exercised by use and habit, can discern both good and evil. They have a clear perception of the things we say, just as a man has of things bitter or sweet. We need not be labouring always to prove that such or such things are bitter or sweet; because they see in an instant the true and proper quality of the things that are set before them: they understand the analogy of faith; and are prepared to follow us as far as God enables us to lead them. But, however delightful such deep researches might be, we dare not, except in a very sparing manner, prosecute them. We are forced to use the same caution as Christ did towards his hearers [Note: Joh 16:12.]; and as St. Paul did in addressing the Church at Corinth: I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual; but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it; neither yet now are ye able [Note: 1Co 3:1-2.].
And is not this a sad effect of mens dulness? Is it not an injury to us, as well as unto them? Would not our own ability in ministering be increased, if we were more at liberty to search into the deep things of God for their instruction? And would not the growth of all be more speedily advanced?
Let this then be an additional motive for diligence. When you see how extensive and lamentable are the consequences of supineness, learn, in pity to yourselves and to the whole Church of God, to press forward with increasing earnestness and zeal.]
Advice
1.
Let us improve to the uttermost the advantages we enjoy
[God notices how long, and how often, we have the means of grace afforded us; and he will call us to an account for them as talents committed to our charge. And if the Gospel we hear be not a savour of life unto life, it will be a savour of death unto death [Note: 2Co 2:16.]. The opportunities of improvement which the Jews had under the ministry of our Lord, rendered their guilt and punishment more aggravated than that of Sodom and Gomorrha [Note: Mat 11:20-24. with 12:41, 42.]. The Lord grant that such may never be the effects of our ministry on you!]
2.
Let us not be satisfied with low attainments
[It is doubless a mercy to be babes in Christ, if we be really such. But what parent in the universe, however pleased with the birth of a child, would take pleasure in it, if, instead of growing towards manhood, it always retained its infantine weakness and stature? Can God then behold with complacency such a monster in his family? Does he not expect that, from children we become young men, and from young men we advance to be fathers in his Church [Note: Joh 2:12-14.]? Let us then have our spiritual senses exercised: let us endeavour to have them matured by use and habit; let us get a nice discernment of good and evil. Let us desire the sincere milk of the word, not merely that we may be satisfied with it, but that we may grow thereby [Note: 1Pe 2:2.], and be qualified for the reception of stronger food. In malice, or any other kind of evil, be children; but in understanding be men [Note: 1Co 14:20.].]
3.
Let us make a good use of the attainments we already possess
[They who themselves need to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God, have no pretensions to set up themselves as teachers of others: and it is much to be lamented that such teachers should ever be admitted into the Church of God; or, when admitted, be suffered to retain their office. But all who are taught of God, ought to exert themselves in teaching others. We say not, that all are to become preachers of the word: but we say, that all should endeavour to instruct their friends, and their neighbours, and more especially their children and dependents [Note: Rom 15:14. Heb 3:13]. In labouring thus to do good, they would get good; and in watering others, they would themselves be watered with the dews of heaven [Note: Pro 11:25.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
XXIX
EXHORTATIONS AND SPECIAL PASSAGES
All New Testament exhortation is based on antecedent statement of doctrine. In Hebrews the whole letter is a succession of doctrines and exhortations first a doctrine, then its application. In some respects, then, is it a model in homiletics.
1. It shows the relation between dogma and morals. There can be no morals apart from dogma. To leave out dogma undermines morality.
2. Dogma, as a mere theory, is valueless. Its power lies in its application to practical life, governing thought, emotion, imagination, words, and deeds in all of life’s relations to God home, country, and the universe.
The present-day ministry has deteriorated in the power of exhortation based on vivid conceptions of great and definitive doctrines concerning God, law, sin, salvation, heaven, and hell.
The first exhortation in this letter is an exhortation to earnest attention: “Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them. For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard?” (Heb 2:1-3 ). The doctrinal basis of this exhortation is all chapter I, setting forth our Lord’s threefold sonship, by eternal subsistence, by his incarnation, by his resurrection, and his threefold superiority over the universe, over the angels, and over the prophets. The precise tendency against which this exhortation warns is to “drift away” from great truths. Any steady lateral pressure which insidiously swerves a floating object from a given direction, and causes drifting, as a prevalent wind, an ocean current or undertow, rapids in a river leading to a fall, or the suction of a whirlpool. Inherited depravity, the course of this world, the temptations of Satan, the increasing power of evil habits until they become second nature in a word, the world, the flesh, and the devil constitute the drifting power, or trend away from salvation. The danger of neglecting this exhortation is that we are carried away unwittingly until there is no escape forever. The great majority of life’s irreparable disasters are brought about by “drifting away” through “heedlessness” and “neglect.”
The element of the greatness in this salvation is deliverance of the entire man, soul and body, forever, from the guilt, defilement, love, and dominion of sin, into an eternal and most blessed state of reconciliation and companionship with God. The historical argument against any hope of escape if this salvation be neglected is that from Sinai to Christ’s advent every word of the law disposed by angels proved steadfast, and every transgression was justly punished. The historical instances of this penalty of the law and of the prophets are numerous. The applied logic of this history is as follows:
By so much as Christ is greater than angels or prophets; by so much as his revelation is more complete and the light of his gospel brighter; by so much as it is better accredited; by so much as it is final where theirs was transitional and educational by that much is its penalty surer and severer. The second exhortation (Heb 3:8 ) is against “hardening the heart.” There is a relation between “drifting” and “hardening:” “Drifting” precedes and tends toward “hardening,” which is a more dangerous state. By “hardening” is meant a blunting of the moral perceptions, a growing callousness to spiritual sensations, tending to the condition of “past feel- ing.” According to the context “an evil heart of unbelief” operating through the “deceitfulness of sin” causes hardening. This deceitfulness consists in misconstruing the grace of delay in punishment as immunity altogether, as saith the prophet: “Because sentence against an evil deed is not speedily executed, the heart of the sinner is fully set in him to do evil.”
The third exhortation is found in Heb 4:11 thus: “Let us labor therefore to enter into the rest.” The doctrinal basis of this exhortation is that as God rested from creation, commemorating it by a sabbath day, so Jesus rested after the greater work of redemption, commemorating it by appointing a new day for sabbath-keeping.
The fourth exhortation (Heb 4:14 ) is this: “To hold fast to our confession.” The doctrinal basis is the fact that Jesus, our High Priest, has entered into the heavenly holy of holies to make atonement and intercession for us.
The fifth exhortation (Heb 4:16 ) is to come boldly to the throne of grace for mercy and help in every time of need. The doctrinal basis of this exhortation is the fact that our High Priest is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, having been in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
The occasion for the sixth exhortation is that they were in a state of arrested development, remaining “babes in Christ” when they ought to have been teachers, and so not only unprepared to receive the higher grades of Christian knowledge, but they were unable to discern between good and evil because their spiritual senses had not been exercised; hence they were continually tempted to try to rub out and make a new start from the very beginning (see Heb 5:11-14 ). This reminds us of the three classes into which our Lord divided his flock: (1) Lambs, Greek: arnia , i.e., new converts; (2) Sheep, Greek probata i.e., mature Christians; (3) Little sheep, Greek (best manuscript): ” probatia ,” i.e., Christians stunted in growth (see Joh 21:15-19 ). These Hebrews were “little sheep.”
The phrase “by reason of use” is illustrated by the senses or faculties, or muscles which increase in power by use, or go into bankruptcy by disuse. Certain Chinese families, training the sense of touch for generations, can tell colors of cloth fabrics in the dark by feeling. It is said also that certain Japanese dentists, by long training of the muscles of thumb and forefinger, extract teeth, using the hand alone as forceps. Again, the prophet, referring to the second nature of long continued evil habits, says “As the Ethiopian cannot change his skin nor a leopard his spots so one accustomed to do evil cannot learn to do well.”
This sixth exhortation is to leave the first principles, not attempting the relaying of foundations, but go on to maturity, (Heb 6:1 ). The first principles of Christian oracles are the foundation of repentance and faith, the teaching of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment (Heb 6:2 ).
Repentance and faith are called a foundation because without them one can neither be a Christian nor be saved. Therefore the folly of attempting to relay this foundation, since it is never laid but once, which Paul hypothetically states thus: “For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance” (Heb 6:4-6 ).
This passage has several interpretations as follows:
1. John Bunyan held that the “enlightening,” “tasting,” and “partaking” of this passage refer to illumination and conviction by the Holy Spirit which did not eventuate in regeneration. This view the author rejects because the passage also supposes genuine repentance as well as “illumination” and “conviction,” else why say it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance? Moreover, he disconnects the force of “being made partakers of the Holy Spirit” and “tasting of the powers of the world to come.”
2. Dr. Wilkes, a Methodist preacher, as the author heard him say, held that the passage certainly taught two things: (1) A genuine Christian may lose regeneration; and (2) if he does he can never be converted again.
3. The author holds that “the enlightening,” “tasting,” and “partaking” are equivalent to regeneration, and that the passage does teach that if regeneration were once lost it could never be regained, because, having exhausted the benefits of Christ’s crucifixion in the direction of regeneration, another regeneration would call for another crucifixion, but Christ, as a sin offering, dies but once; he is offered once for all. So the passage teaches “‘Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame.” It would be an open shame to Christ if a beneficiary of his salvation should lose it and thus vitiate the certainty of the Father’s promise to him and covenant with him. But that the statement is hypothetic appears from the apostle’s added words: “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak”; “But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.” The object of the exhortation is so to influence the Christian to move on and not spend a lifetime as the foundation, for in any event this is folly.
To illustrate: Being present, as a visitor, at a Methodist meeting, I was invited to talk to some of the mourners. I approached a man who seemed to be weeping in great distress, and asked what was his trouble. His reply was, substantially: “I have been converted several times, but I always lose it.” I assured him he was mistaken on one or the other of two points either he was never genuinely converted, or he had never lost it both could not be true. He replied: “I know I was converted, and I know I lost it.” Then said I: “Why are you wasting time here; why shedding fruitless tears? If you are right on both points, then you are forever lost. You have exhausted the plan of salvation. Your only chance is for Christ to come and die again and send the Holy Spirit again, of which there is no promise, and even in that case there is no certainty for you unless he and the Holy Spirit should do more efficient work next time. I don’t desire to shake your positive, infallible knowledge that you have been regenerated and that you have lost it, but merely point out that in such case you are forever lost, just as certainly as if you were in hell now. Here, look at Heb 6:4-6 , and see that I can do you no good, and so will pass on to cases not hopeless.” “Don’t leave me,” he said, “maybe I am mistaken on one of those points.”
“Baptism” here is in the plural and there is a reference here, (1) To baptism in water (Mat 28:19 ); (2) to baptism in fire, or eternal punishment (Mat 3:10-12 ); (3) to baptism in the Holy Spirit (Act 1:5 ); (4) to baptism in suffering (Mar 10:39 ).
“The teaching of laying on of hands” refers: (1) To conferring of miraculous power by the laying on of hands of the apostles (Act 8:17 ; Act 19:6 ), which, accrediting of the apostles passed away with the apostles; (2) to the abiding requirement of laying on of hands in the ordination (1) for deacons (Act 6:6 ), (2) for evangelists (Act 13:3 ; 1Ti 4:14 ); and (3) for other preachers (1Ti 5:22 ).
From a peculiar interpretation of Heb 6:1-2 there arose a sect known as the “Six-Principle Baptists” who practiced laying hands on those who were baptized as an essential part of the form of the ordinance.
QUESTIONS
1. What the New Testament method of exhortation?
2. In what respects, then, is it a model in homiletics?
3. Wherein has the present-day ministry deteriorated?
4. What is the first exhortation in this letter, and what is its doctrinal basis?
5. What is the precise tendency against which this exhortation warns?
6. What are the causes of drifting?
7. What, in plain terms, constitute the drifting power, or trend away from salvation?
8. What is the danger of neglecting this exhortation?
9. What is your estimate of the relative proportion of life’s irreparable disasters brought about by “drifting away” through “heedlessness” and “neglect”?
10. What the element of greatness in this salvation?
11. What is the historical argument against any hope of escape if we neglect this salvation?
12. Cite historical instances of this penalty (1) of the law and (2) of the prophets.
13. What is the applied logic of this history?
14. Against what is the exhortation in Heb 3:8 ?
15. What is the relation between “drifting” and “hardening?”
16. What do you understand by “hardening?”
17. What do we find in the context as a cause of “hardening?”
18. In what does deceitfulness consist?
19. What is the exhortation relative to rest, and what its doctrinal basis?
20. What is the exhortation relative to confession, and what its doctrinal basis?
21. What is the exhortation relative to our need, and what the doctrinal basis?
22. What is the occasion of the exhortation relative to perfection?
23. Into what three classes did our Lord divide his flock, and of which class were these Hebrews?
24. Ex-pound the phrase “by reason of use.”
25. What, then, is the exhortation relative to perfection?
26. What are the first principles of Christian oracles?
27. Why are repentance and faith called a foundation?
28. What is the folly of trying to relay this foundation, and what the doctrine involved?
29. How does Paul hypothetically state this?
30. What are the several interpretations of this passage?
31. Give an incident of the use of this passage by the author.
32. What is the meaning of “baptisms” used in this passage?
33. What is the meaning of “laying on of hands?”
34. What sect of Baptists arose from a peculiar interpretation of Heb 6:1-2 , and what their construction of “laying on of hands?”
XXX
EXHORTATIONS AND SPECIAL PASSAGES (CONTINUED)
The seventh exhortation in this book is as follows: “Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, exhorting one another” (Heb 10:22-25 ). The doctrines that underlie this manifold exhortation are, (1) Christ has rent the veil hiding the holy of holies by his death, and dedicated for us a new and living way. (2) We have a great High Priest over the house of God. (3) The day of his final coming is rapidly approaching (Heb 10:19-21 ).
Here a question arises, Does “having our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22 ) refer to water baptism, and if so, what the bearing of the teaching? It is not clear that it has such reference. But if it does, it strongly supports the Baptist teaching, to wit: Our souls are cleansed by the application of Christ’s blood by the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Baptism in water only washes the body, and hence can only externally symbolize the internal cleansing. In this way Paul, internally cleansed, could arise and wash away his sins symbolically in baptism (Act 22:16 ), or as Peter puts it: “Water, even baptism, after a true likeness doth now save us, not putting away the filth of the flesh [i.e., the carnal nature] but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1Pe 3:21 ). In other words, it is a figurative salvation, and the figure or likeness is that of a resurrection (see Rom 6:4-5 ). Paul’s reason for the seventh exhortation is expressed in the famous passage (Heb 10:26-29 ), the whole of which is an explanation of the eternal, unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit, very different from the gradual, unconscious sins of “drifting” and “hardening.” Its conditions and characteristics are:
1. There has been great spiritual light and knowledge, thoroughly convincing the judgment of the truth of the gospel, and strongly impressing the mind to accept it.
2. It is a distinct and wilful rejection of the well-known light and monition of the Holy Spirit.
3. It is a culmination of sin against every person of the Trinity. (1) It is a sin against the Father in deliberately trampling under foot the Son of his love. (2) It is a sin against the Son in counting the blood of his expiation an unholy thing. (3) It is the sin against the Holy Spirit in doing despite to his grace who has furnished complete proof to the rejector’s conscience that it is God’s Son who is trampled under foot, and that the blood of his vicarious sacrifice alone can save.
4. Once committed, the soul is there and then forever lost, having never forgiveness in time or eternity, and knows that for him there is no more sacrifice for sin, and expects nothing but judgment and fiery wrath which shall devour the adversaries.
5. Let the reader particularly note that this sin cannot be committed except in an atmosphere, not merely of light and knowledge, but of spiritual light, knowledge and power, and that it is one wilful, malicious act arising from hate hating the more because of the abundance and power of the light. The eighth exhortation is, “Cast not away your boldness” (Heb 10:35 ). The exhortation is based on appeal to their remembrance of the triumphs of their past experience. They had patiently endured a great conflict of suffering just after their conversion; they had been made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions cast on them and by their sharing in the afflictions of their leaders. This is evident from the history of Paul’s labors among men. There was nothing in their present afflictions severer than those they triumphantly endured in their earlier experience.
The ninth exhortation is, “Therefore, let us also, seeing that we are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls” (Heb 12:1-3 ). The imagery here is that of a foot race, such as these people had often witnessed in the Isthmian Games at Corinth, or in the great amphitheater at Ephesus. “The race set before us” the great example upon whom the runner must fix his eye is Jesus, the author (or captain) and perfecter of our faith.
The force of the example of Jesus in Heb 12:2 is this:
He is set before us as the one perfect model or standard. A joy was set before him as a recompense of reward that when attained would make him the gladdest man in the universe. For this he voluntarily became the saddest man in the universe. Thus “the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” was “anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows;” “He saw of the travail of his soul and was satisfied.” Here we are confronted with this double question: Does the phrase, “author and perfecter of our faith,” mean that Jesus first inspires and then completes our individual faith i.e., what he begins he consummates or that he is the captain and completer of the faith in the sense that his completed victory is both cause and earnest of our own victory, as in Heb 2:10 ? The latter best accords with the import of the Greek word, archegos , used both here and in Heb 2:10 , and with the whole context.
The word “witnesses” in Heb 12:1 means martyrs whose examples should excite our emulation, and accords with the meaning and usage of the Greek word marturos , which makes them witnesses to the truth and not spectators of what other people may do. Moreover, the biblical evidence is scant, if there be any at all, that departed souls are allowed to sympathetically intervene in the struggle of those left behind. Yet, by rhetorical license, in the exercise of the imagination, a poet, orator or writer may summon the dead to appear before the living for dramatic effect. But we go far when we seek to construct doctrine on rhetorical license. What is the “besetting sin” in Heb 12:1 ? It may not be the same in all cases. It is the sin to which one most easily yields whether pride, lust, covetousness, anger, vanity, or any other.
The tenth exhortation (Heb 12:4-13 ,) is, “Regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, because (1) chastening is an evidence of sonship. (2) If we have borne arbitrary chastening from earthly parents, much more we will bear disciplinary chastening from our Heavenly Father. (3) While grievous at first, it yieldeth afterward peaceable fruit or righteousness, if rightly received.
Here come up the Creationist theory of the origin of human spirits and the Traducian theory. The Creationist theory is that the spirit of every human being born into the world is a direct creation of God, and only the body is derived from the earthly parent. The Traducian theory is that every child, in his entirety, spirit and body, is derived from his earthly parents, begotten in the likeness not only of bodily features but in spiritual state, otherwise man could not propogate his species, and every child would, in his inner nature, be born holy, not subject to inherited depravity and not needing regeneration until he became an actual transgressor hence needing only proper environment and training to grow up in holiness.
The passage in question is not decisive for either theory. God is the Father of spirits in that originally the spirit of man was not a formation from inert matter, but a special creation (see Gen 2:7 ). Thus the whole race, body and spirit, was potentially in the first man, died body and spirit in him when he fell, and after his fall he “begat children in his likeness” body and spirit.
In Heb 12:12-13 , “hands hanging down,” “palsied knees,” and “crooked paths” refer to the physical effects of spiritual depression or terror, the inner man acting on the outer. See case of Belshazzar (Dan 5:6 ), and recall cases coming under your own observation in which discouragements or despondency of the spirit enfeeble the body. Some men, morally brave, are physically timid. A famous French marshal always trembled at the beginning of battle. On one occasion his officers rallied him on his shaking legs. He answered, “If my legs only knew into what dangers I will take them today, they would shake more than they do.”
The eleventh exhortation (Heb 12:14 ff) is, “Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord.” There are two hazards attending obedience to this exhortation, against which there are special cautions, as follows: (1) The springing up of a root of bitterness to defile many. (2) The spirit of profanity, or the despising of sacred things.
In our own experience or observation, cases arise of a single root of bitterness disturbing the peace of communities and retarding the sanctification of hundreds.
Profanity here means, not so much swearing as it does a spirit of irreverence in speaking of sacred things, and, sometimes interested lost souls are completely sidetracked by the levity and foolish jestings, and the questionable anecdotes of preachers in their hours of relaxation.
The author having often, in his early ministry, witnessed the wounding and shocking of sober-minded Christians and the loss of interest in awakened sinners caused by the foolish jestings in the preacher’s tent concerning sacred things, and sometimes by obscene anecdotes, entered into a solemn covenant with Dr. Riddle, the moderator of the Waco Association, never to tell nor willingly hear a doubtful anecdote. This covenant was made while camping out one night on the prairie in the light of the stars.
The twelfth exhortation and its doctrinal basis are found in Heb 12:28-29 : “Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: for our God is a consuming fire.
I will group in classes the exhortation of Heb 13 as follows:
1. Love to brethren, strangers, and those in bonds.
2. Honor the sanctity of marriage.
3. Eschew the covetous spirit.
4. Hold in kind remembrance your leaders that have passed away.
5. Bear the reproach of Christ, even if it ostracises from worldly society.
6. Offer spiritual sacrifices of praise, confession, contribution, and prayer.
In closing this exposition there are two things worthy of note: First, The bearing of Heb 13:8 on the preceding verse, which means that preachers may come and go, but Jesus is ever the same. Second, The controversy arose over Heb 13:10 , a controversy as to what is the Christian altar. Was it the cross on which Jesus was crucified? Then how can the altar be greater than the gift on the altar, as Christ taught? Was it Christ’s divinity on which his humanity was sacrificed? This controversy was a refinement of foolishness, because the altar under consideration is not supporting the expiating sin offering of which the priests were never allowed to have a part, but the altar to which non-expiatory offerings were brought, such as meat offerings, thank offerings, tithes etc. Of these the priests and Levites might partake. The meaning is simply this that Christianity provides in its way for the support of its laborers through the voluntary offerings to Christ’s cause (see 1Co 9:13-14 ).
QUESTIONS
1. What is the exhortation in this book relative to faith, hope, and love?
2. What doctrines underlie this manifold exhortation?
3. Does “having our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22 ) refer to water baptism, and if so, what the bearing of the teaching?
4. How do you interpret Paul’s reason for this exhortation as expressed in Heb 10:26-29 , which refers to the eternal sin?
5. What is the exhortation relative to boldness, and on what is it predicated?
6. What is the exhortation relative to weights, sins, etc., what its imagery, and what its elements?
7. What is the force of the example of Jesus in Heb 12:2 ?
8. What does the phrase “author and perfector of our faith” mean?
9. What is the meaning and import of “witnesses” in Heb 12:1 ?
10. What is the “besetting sin” in Heb 12:1 ?
11. What is the exhortation relative to chastening, and what its reasons?
12. What are the theories relative to the origin of human spirits, and what the bearing of this passage on the subject?
13. What is the meaning and force of “hand hanging down,” “palsied knees,” and “crooked paths?”
14. What is the exhortation relative to peace and sanctification?
15. What two hazards attending obedience to this exhortation?
16. Do you know of a case of a single “root of bitterness” disturbing communities and hindering sanctification?
17. What is the meaning of profanity here, and what illustration of the effect of such profanity given?
18. In what did Esau’s profanity consist?
19. What is the meaning of Heb 12:17 ? So, What the exhortation relative to grace, and what its doctrinal basis?
21. Group in classes the exhortations of Heb 13 .
22. What is the bearing of Heb 13:8 on the preceding verse?
23. What controversy arose over Heb 13:10 ?
24. Why was this controversy a refinement of foolishness?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Ver. 11. Of whom we have, &c. ] The digression here begun holds on to the end of the next chapter.
Hard to be uttered ] Gr. Hard to be expounded. But difficulty doth not dishearten, but rather whet on heroic spirits to a more serious search: it doth not weaken, but waken their earnestness; not amate, but animate them.
Seeing ye are dull ] Gr. Slow paced and heavy handed, , from and , curro. Our minds are like narrow mouthed vessels. Our Saviour therefore spake as the people could hear, Mar 4:33 , like as Jacob drave as the little ones could go.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11 .] Concerning whom (i. e. Melchisedek , as Syr. (which expresses Melchisedek after the relative), Calv., a-Lap., al., Bleek, De W., Tholuck, al.: not as c., Prim., al., and Lnem., Christ , of whom such an expression as this would hardly here be used, seeing that the whole Epistle hitherto has been concerning Him: nor is neuter, as Schlichting, Grot., Storr, Kuinoel, al.: and more recently, Delitzsch ( . . . .): for the Writer returns to Melchisedek , ch. Heb 7:1 ) our discourse (that which we have to say. The plural pronoun, not with any definite reference to Timothy or other companions of the Writer, nor intended to include the readers, which is here impossible: but as in some other places of the Epistle, see reff., merely indicating the Writer himself, as so frequently in the Epistles of St. Paul) is (not, as Erasm., Luther, a-Lap., al., “ would be :” for we may safely say that in that case or would be supplied, as in the passage of Lysias cited below, and Dion. Hal. i. 23, , ) much, and difficult of interpretation to speak (the connexion of with is somewhat dubious. Who is the ? the Writer , so that it should be difficult for him to explain what he has to say to his readers, or the readers , so that it should be difficult for them to understand it for themselves? This latter alternative is taken by Grot. (“quem si eloquerer, gre intelligeretis”), Jac. Cappel., Peirce, Valcknaer, al. But surely this would be inadmissible as matter of construction, and would require or . And in consequence, some who take this view connect with , . . . . . , referring, as Wetst., to Lysias adv. Pancleon. p. 167. 25, , . But, as Bleek has noticed, there is this difference between the passages: that in ours, the adjectives are almost necessarily predicates, whereas in Lysias they are epithets: and, in consequence, here the verb must depend on . We are driven then to the other alternative, of making the Writer the subject to be supplied: so Chrys. ( , , ), and Thl. ( , , , , ), Erasm. (“sed omnia perdifficile fuerit enarrare vobis, eo quod” &c.), Schlichting (“sermo difficilis ad eloquendum sic ut facile ab audientibus percipi et intelligi queat”), al.: Bleek, De W., Lnem., al. Then the infin. follows, as ( ) , Plato, Gorg. p. 479 G , Eur. Iph. Aul. 275: , Theocr. xi. 20: and as in our phrase ‘beautiful to look upon,’ ‘hard to work upon,’ &c. Bleek (after Storr) and Lnemann have supposed that a kind of zeugma is necessary to connect with both predicates, regarding more the discourse itself and the explanation of the subject given by the Writer, , the contents of the , as thus explained. But it does not seem to me that such a supposition is needed: our , that which we have to say, is both , abundant in quantity, and , difficult to state perspicuously to you , in quality. And so also Delitzsch), since (probably renders a reason only for the , not belonging also to ) ye are become (not, “ are ,” as E. V., Luther (not De W.), al. Chrys. says well, , , , ) dull ( , a lengthened and later form of . It is found as early as Plato, Thetet. p. 144 B, but more commonly in the later writers, Aristid., Plut., Polyb., al. See Elsn. and Wetst. Bleek thinks the most probable formation of it is from the negative and , as toothless, painless, nameless, from , = ‘in-fans.’ Thus the two words mean, ‘ difficult to move :’ so , II. . 559: , Oppian, Halieut. iii. 140. And so likewise as applied to the soul, Plut. Lycurg. 51 e: . . : and to the senses, Heliodor. Heb 5:10 , . . See many more examples in Bleek and Wetst.) in your hearing (more usually the accus., as in the last citation: but frequently in the (local or referential) dative, as e. g. 1Co 14:20 , , . See examples in Winer, edn. 6, 31. 6. is used in good Greek writers of the ear , with however this distinction, that it is of the ear with reference to the act of hearing, not merely as a member of the body. Philo draws the distinction, in ref. It is related to as to : cf. Xen. Mem. i. 4. 11, . . : Herod. i. 38, : and other examples in Bleek. The plur. here denotes not only the plurality of persons addressed, but also, as in ref. Mark, the double organ of hearing in each person).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
11 6:20 .] Digression , before entering on the comparison of Christ with Melchisedek, complaining of the low state of spiritual attainment of the readers ( Heb 5:11-14 ) warning them of the necessity of progress and the peril of falling back ( Heb 6:1-8 ): but at the same time encouraging them by God’s faithfulness in bearing in mind their previous labour of love, and in His promises generally, to persevere in faith and patience to the end ( Heb 6:9-20 ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Heb 5:11-14 . Complaint of their sluggishness of mind.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Heb 5:11 . . “Of whom,” not, as Grotius ( cf. Delitzsch and von Soden) “De qu,” of which priesthood. It is simplest to refer the relative to the last word ; possible to refer it to . The former seems justified by the manner in which c. vii. resumes . No doubt the reference is not barely to Melchizedek, but to Melchizedek as type of Christ’s priesthood. Concerning Melchisedek he has much to say , not exactly equivalent to , but rather signifying “the exposition which it is incumbent on us to undertake”. [ Cf. Antigone , 748, .] The exposition is necessarily of some extent (c. vii.), although of his whole letter he finds it possible to say (Heb 13:22 ) . It is also “difficult to explain,” “hard to render intelligible.” “ininterpretabilis” (Vulg.); used of dreams in Artemidorus, (Wetstein). This difficulty, however, arises not wholly from the nature of the subject, but rather from the unpreparedness of the readers, “seeing that you are become dull of hearing”. = [see Prom. Vinct. , 62] slow, sluggish; used by Dionysius Hal., to denote , . But Plato was said to be in comparison with Aristotle. Babrius uses the word of the numbed limbs of the sick lion and of the “stupid” hopes of the wolf that heard the nurse threaten to throw the child to the wolves. “in your sense of hearing.” Both in classical and biblical Greek has three meanings, “the thing heard,” as in Joh 12:38 ; “the sense of hearing,” as in 1Co 12:17 ; and “the ear,” as in Mar 7:35 , ; cf. Plummer on Luke, p. 194. Here the ear stands for intelligent and spiritual reception of truth. , “ye are become,” and therefore were not always. It is not a natural and inherent and pardonable weakness of understanding he complains of, but a culpable incapacity resulting from past neglect of opportunities.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb 5:11-14
11Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:12 This is one literary unit. Chapter and verse divisions are not inspired and were added much later. See Contextual Insights to chapter 6.
Heb 5:11 “him” This pronoun can be either masculine or neuter. I think the neuter fits better (cf. NRSV, TEV, NJB, NIV). Therefore, it would refer to Jesus’ Melchizedekian priesthood. Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:20 is a theological parenthesis. The author will return to Melchizedek in Hebrews 7.
We” This is a literary plural, and refers to the one author.
“you have become dull of hearing” This context is unique in Hebrews in that three pronouns are used: “you” (Heb 5:11-12; Heb 6:9-12), “we” and “us” (Heb 5:11; Heb 6:1-3; Heb 6:9), and “those” (Heb 6:4-8). See contextual Insights, D. This seems to support the supposed historical reconstruction that the book of Hebrews was written to a group of believing Jews still content to worship in a synagogue setting with unbelieving Jews, never fully embracing the consequences of the gospel.
This is a perfect active indicative, which emphasizes a settled state of being. The term “dull” is used only twice in the NT, here and in Heb 6:12. The author was having difficulty explaining, not because of the subject matter, but because of the immaturity of the readers. They had become hard of hearing and lazy in spiritual matters.
Heb 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers” Although these believers had been Christians for a long period they had not matured. Length of time is not directly related to maturity. It seems they were continuing to fellowship with unbelieving Jews on the basis of non-controversial Jewish subjects (cf. Heb 6:1-2). This was possibly (1) to avoid governmental persecution and/or (2) to avoid the “great commission” commitment required of Christians.
NASB”elementary principles”
NKJV”first principles”
NRSV”the basic elements”
TEV”the first lessons”
NJB”the elements of the principles”
This term has many possible meanings (i.e., wide semantical field).
1. the basic teachings of a subject
2. the origin of a subject
3. angelic powers (cf. Gal 4:3; Gal 4:9; Col 2:8)
In this context #1 seems best. The author asserts that these immature believers need the basics of Christianity taught to them (use # 1), but in Heb 6:1, definition #2 fits best because Heb 6:1-2 relates to Jewish teaching, not uniquely Christian teachings, which they are to move beyond. The Greek word here is stoichea, while in Heb 6:1 it is arch (see Special Topic: Arch at Heb 3:14).
“oracles of God” This term is used of OT truths in Act 7:38 and Rom 3:2.
“milk. . .solid food” These are both God given and both are appropriate at certain times. However, milk is inappropriate for the mature (cf. 1Co 3:2; 1Pe 2:2).
Heb 5:13 “word of righteousness” The interpretive question is how does this phrase relate to the “good and evil” of Heb 5:14? The NJB translates the first as relating to doctrine, “the doctrine of saving justice.” The TEV translates them as parallel “right and wrong” (Heb 5:13) and “good and evil” (Heb 5:14). The first phrase deals with a problem of immaturity, while the second deals with a problem of lack of action/experience.
It is possible that this phrase is in contrast to “the elementary principles” of Heb 5:12; Heb 6:1. Thereby it would refer to the gospel as over against Jewish doctrines of Heb 6:1-2.
For a word study on righteousness see special topic at Heb 1:9.
Heb 5:14 “the mature” This term is from the same Greek root translated “perfect” in Heb 5:9. Telos means mature, fully equipped for an assigned task. See Special Topic at Heb 7:11. Jesus’ humanity is an example of faithfulness and growth to maturity (cf. Heb 5:8-9), just as the readers’ lives must be. These believing Jews had experienced some persecution (cf. Heb 12:4), but they tended to pull back (cf. “shrink back,” Heb 10:38) into the relative safety of Judaism.
“because of practice have their senses trained” This is a perfect passive participle, which speaks of repeated action that has become consolidated into a settled state of beingpractice makes perfect! The same verb is used of God’s disciples in Heb 12:11.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Of = Concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
many things. Literally much word (Greek. logos. App-121.)
hard to be uttered = difficult to explain. Greek. dusermeneutos. Only here.
seeing = since.
are = have become.
dull. Same as “slothful” (Heb 6:12). Greek. nothros. Only in these two verses. Compare Mat 13:14, Mat 13:15. Act 28:27.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11-6:20.] Digression, before entering on the comparison of Christ with Melchisedek, complaining of the low state of spiritual attainment of the readers (Heb 5:11-14) warning them of the necessity of progress and the peril of falling back (Heb 6:1-8): but at the same time encouraging them by Gods faithfulness in bearing in mind their previous labour of love, and in His promises generally, to persevere in faith and patience to the end (Heb 6:9-20).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 5:11. , of whom) , masc., comp. , who, Heb 5:7. He now enters upon that very long anticipatory or precautionary[34] preface or preparation, which consists of rebuke, admonition, exhortation, and consolation. The Rhetoricians call it the securing (Captatio) of the kindly feeling of the reader or hearer. The preparation of the heart [of the hearer by the teacher], to which the doctrine is committed, often requires greater exertion than the teaching of the doctrine itself.-) , much, i.e. too much:[35] comp. ch. Heb 13:22.-, to us) Paul includes, as usual, Timothy or others: comp. ch. Heb 6:1; Heb 6:3; Heb 6:9; Heb 6:11, Heb 2:5, Heb 13:18.-, hard to interpret) not from any fault in the writer, but in yourselves.-) a correlative to . is not redundant, speaking is opposed to writing, as ch. Heb 13:22. Hard to be uttered, harder to be written, and yet the more necessary to be written on that account.-) ch. Heb 6:12. The root implies , the negation of running[36]) verlegen to loiter on the road.-, ye have become) The state of the Jews needed to be noticed, as well in so far as it was good, as also in so far as it was bad, Heb 5:12, Heb 6:10, Heb 10:25; Heb 10:32-33, Heb 12:4-5; Heb 12:12.
[34] See Append. on .-ED.
[35] More than it would be expedient now to say.-ED.
[36] An improbable derivation. Rather akin to and .-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Heb 5:11-14
REFLECTIONS
SECTION FIVE
Heb 5:11-14 and Heb 6:1-20
ANALYSIS
In the preceding section, the Apostle has fully introduced and partially considered the priesthood of Christ, as one of the great and leading themes of the Epistle. On this point, he tells us, that he has still much to say. But there was a difficulty in the way of his doing so. The subject is in itself one of the most profound topics pertaining to the economy of redemption; and its full consideration is therefore adapted only to those who have made considerable progress in the study of Divine things. But here was the trouble: many of the Hebrew Christians, though in the school of Christ for some considerable time, were nevertheless still quite ignorant of the more sublime and difficult themes of the Gospel. They had become slothful in the study of Gods revealed will; and had now to be instructed again in even the elementary principles of the Christian Religion. And hence our author makes another digression just here from his main line of argument, and devotes this section to the giving of such admonitions, warnings, reproofs, andencouragements, as he saw were most needed under the circumstances.
I. He begins by admonishing his readers, in pretty severe terms, on account of their inertness and sl’othfulness in the study of Gods word; and their consequent incapacity to receive and understand aright the revelations which he was about to make concerning the priesthood of Christ. (Heb 5:11-14.)
1. On this subject, he tells us, that he had much to say, which was hard to be explained on account of their dullness of hearing (Heb 5:11).
2. In order to amplify and illustrate this thought, he further adds, that while, in view of the length of time that had elapsed since their conversion, they should really have become teachers of others, they had, on the contrary, become, as it were, babes in Christ; and had need to be again instructed in the rudiments of the Gospel; or as he goes on to explain it metaphorically, to be fed on the milk rather than on the solid food of the Divine word (Heb 5:12-14).
II. Having thus severely rebuked his Hebrew brethren for their neglect of Gods Word, he next exhorts them to go on from first principles even to perfection in the study of the Christian Religion, and not to be like a man who is forever laying the foundation of a house, without attempting to complete its superstructure. (Heb 6:1-3.) The elements here enumerated are (1) repentance from dead Works, (2) faith toward God, (3) the doctrine of baptisms, (4) the laying on of hands, (5) the resurrection of the dead, and (6) eternal judgments. These are not of course to be wholly neglected at any time; but they should be left behind, as we leave the alphabet and the spelling book behind when we advance to the study of the higher branches of English literature.
III. As a motive to his readers to do as requested, the Apostle now warns them of the dangers and consequences of apostasy (Heb 6:4-8).
1. It seems that in Pauls estimation there is no safety for the followers of Christ but in going on to perfection-sl’othfulness and inertness tending always to apostasy.
But from apostasy there is no deliverance (Heb 6:4-6). If a Christian through his neglect of Gods word or any other cause, allows his heart to be so far alienated from Christ, that he ceases to trust in him, and treats him as an impostor-for such a one there is no repentance. His doom is sealed; and nothing remains for him but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.
2. This, the Apostle further illustrates by a reference to husbandry. Land, he says, which has drunk in the rain which cometh often upon it, and produceth herbage meet for them on whose account it is also cultivated, partaketh of blessing from God; but bearing thorns and thistles it is rejected, and is nigh unto a curse; whose end is for burning (Heb 6:7-8).
IV. From this gloomy aspect of things, our author now turns to what is more encouraging (Heb 6:9-12).
1. He does not, he says, regard his Hebrew brethren as apostates; and he furthermore expresses the hope that they will never become such (Heb 6:9).
2. This hope is founded on the conviction that God will remember and reward their many acts of charity (Heb 6:10).
3. But Paul is anxious that they shall show the same zeal in everything else pertaining to the full assurance of hope, that they were wont to show in their works of benevolence; so that they might in fact be imitators of those who through faith and patience are now inheriting the promises (Heb 6:11-12).
V. For the purpose of encouraging his readers still further, the Apostle now refers particularly to the case of Abraham, and to the oath of God as the sure foundation of the Christians hope (Heb 6:12).
1. God, it seems, being anxious to give to Abraham a sure ground of hope, confirmed his promise to him with an oath (Heb 6:13-14).
2. Abraham relied on these two immutable things; trusted fully and confidently in the promise and oath of God; and finally, at the close of his earthly pilgrimage, he obtained the promised blessing, so far as it related to himself personally (Heb 6:15).
And just so, Paul argues, it will also be with everyone who, like Abraham, proves faithful to the end of life. For the promise and oath of God are still the ground of our hope, which, like that of Abraham, reaches within the Vail, into the Holy of holies, whither Jesus has for us entered, and where as our great High Priest he ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb 6:16-20)
The five main points and divisions of this section are, therefore, as follows:
I. Heb 5:11-14. An admonition addressed to the Hebrew Christians, on account of their inattention to the study of Gods word.
II. Heb 6:1-3. An exhortation to go on from the study of the rudiments of Christianity, to perfection in the knowledge of Christ.
III. Heb 6:4-8. Danger and fearful consequences of apostasy.
IV. Heb 6:9-12. Encouragement to greater zeal in striving after the full assurance of hope, drawn chiefly from the known justice of God and their own deeds of charity.
V. Heb 6:13-20. Further encouragement from the example of Abraham, and from the promise and oath of God made to him and all his spiritual seed.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
In the 11th verse the apostle enters upon his designed digression. And first he expresseth the occasion and reason of it, taken from the subject or matter which in this place it was necessary for him to insist upon, and the condition, with the former carriage, or rather miscarriage, of them unto whom he spake. Hence he evidenceth the necessity of his digression, which consists in such awakening admonitions as they then and we now stand in need of, when we are to be excited unto a due attendance unto spiritual and mysterious truths.
Heb 5:11. , .
, de quo, of whom. The Syriac, ; of whom, even of the same Melchisedec : which no other translation followeth. . Vulg., grandis nobis sermo. Rhem., of whom we have great speech; improperly, and unintelligibly. Arias, multus nobis sermo, we have much to say. Eras., multa nobis forent dicenda, many things should be spoken by us: intimating as if they were pretermitted; namely, what might have been spoken. Beza, multa nobis aunt dicenda, we have many things to say Syriac, , multa forent verba facienda. Translat. Polyglot., we might use many words. Tremel., multus est nobis sermo quem eloquamur; we have much discourse that we may utter or speak: properly, we have many words to be spoken. . Vulg. Lat., et interpretabilis ad dicendum. Valla corrected this translation. Erasmus first suspected that it was originally in the translation, ininterpretabilis; which, although a barbarous word, yet evidently intends the sense of the original. Hence it is rendered by the Rhemists, inexplicable to utter; which expresseth neither the Latin nor the original. The expositors who follow that translation contend, (whilst the word doth signify negatively, that cannot be interpreted; or affirmatively, that needs interpretation;) with wonderful varify, as Erasmus manifests, if the word have any signification, it is, that which is easy to be interpreted, contrary to the original. Arias, difficilis interpretatio dicere. Eras., difficilia explicatu, things hard to be explained. So Beza. Ours, hard to be uttered; difficult to be expounded in speaking. Syr., et labor ad exponendum; or, as Tremel., et occupatio ad exponendum illud; and it is hard labor to expound it, a laborious work. Of whom we have many things to say, and those difficult to be expounded. . Vulg., quoniam imbecilli facti estis; because ye are become weak, improperly. Arias, segnes, slothful. So Erasmus and Beza. Dull. Syr, , infirm, weak. . Vulg. Lat., ad audiendum, weak to hear. Arias, auribus. So Erasmus and Beza. But signifies the faculty of hearing and the act of hearing, as well as the instrument of it. Dull of hearing. [8]
[8] TRANSLATION. . implies a course of declension, which our author sufficiently brings out by his translation. Conyheare and Howson render it more emphatically, since ye have grown dull in understanding. Ed.
Heb 5:11. Concerning whom we have many things to speak, and difficult to be explained, seeing you are become slothful in hearing [or dull of hearing].
There are four things combined in this verse in the way of a summary of the discourse that is to ensue:
1. The subject whereof he would treat; concerning whom.
2. The manner how he would treat concerning it; he had many things to say.
3. The nature of those things, not so much absolutely in themselves as out of respect unto the Hebrews; they were difficult to be explained and understood.
4. The reason hereof, namely, because they were become dull in hearing. Concerning whom; that is, Melchisedec, not Christ; and so the Syriac translation expresseth it. But he intends not to treat of him absolutely, neither of his person nor his office. These were things now past, and to search curiously into them was not for the edification of the church. And the apostle had no design to trouble the minds of believers with things unnecessary or curious. And it had not been amiss if this had been well considered by them who have laden us with so many needless speculations about his person and office; and some of them directly opposite to the scope and design of the apostle. But the purpose of the apostle is, to treat of him so far and wherein he was a type of Christ, and as such is represented in the story concerning him. Hence some render , by de qua re, of which matter; that is, the similitude and conformity between Melchisedec and Christ, which was a great, necessary, and instructive truth. , we have much to say; many things to speak or treat of. But not the multitude of the things only which he had to speak, but the weight and importance also of them is intended in this expression. So the grandis sermo of the Vulgar, intends not loftiness of speech, but the weight of the things spoken of. And when the apostle comes to insist particularly on the things here intended, they appear rather to be mysterious and important than many. However, I deny not but that the apostle intimates that there were sundry, yea many things of that importance to be declared and insisted on, on this occasion.
Some translations, as we have seen, supply the words by forent, some by sunt. The former seems to have apprehended that the apostle intended wholly to forbear treating on this subject, and that because it was so deep and mysterious, that, considering their condition, it would not be profitable unto them, nor for their edification. Wherefore he lets them know, that although he could treat of many things concerning Melchisedec, and such as were necessary to be declared, yet, because of their incapacity to receive them, he would forbear. And sundry interpreters do so apprehend his mind. But this is no way consistent with his express undertaking to declare all those things unto them, Hebrews 7. Wherefore he only declares in general, that he hath many weighty mysteries to instruct them in, but would not immediately engage in that work, until he had spoken that unto them which was needful to prepare them unto a due attention. And his ensuing discourses, before he returns unto this subject again, are not reasons why he will totally intermit the handling of them, but a due admonition unto them for precedent negligences, whereby they might be excited to prepare themselves in a due manner for the receiving of what he had to declare.
The nature of the things treated of, with respect unto the capacity of the Hebrews, is nextly declared: . How variously these words are rendered we have seen before. It may be the things which Paul himself here calls , are those which Peter intends in his epistle, calling them , 2Pe 3:16, things hard to be understood; which is the same with what our apostle here intends. The phrase, , is somewhat unusual, and the sense of it not easy to be expressed to the full in our language. seems to be for , in dicendo, in the speaking or uttering of it: or, when it is spoken and uttered, it is hard to be interpreted, that is, to be understood. For the interpretation intended is not that of the apostle in speaking, but that which is made in the understanding of them that hear it. For he that hears a thing uttered, and considers it, makes the interpretation of it unto himself, as Jerome observes, Epist. ad Evagr. The apostle doth not, therefore, intimate,
1. That it would be any hard or difficult matter unto him to declare all things concerning the conformity between Melchisedec and Christ, which were necessary to be known unto the edification of the church; for what he had by revelation and inspiration (as he had all that he wrote as a part of the churchs canon, or rule of faith and obedience) was no matter of difficulty in him to find out and express. It is true, that being called to be an apostle in an especial manner, not having conversed with the Lord Christ in the flesh, he was in vision taken up into heaven, and there heard immediately from him , 2Co 12:4, unspeakable words, that were not possible (or lawful) for a man to utter. The things and manner of Christs speech unto him were accompanied with such a glory as human nature unperfected cannot bear. But these things belonged unto his own particular confirmation in his office and work, and not to the edification of the church in general. For what he received by revelation unto that end he freely and fully declared, Act 20:20; Act 20:27. Nor,
2. That his manner of the declaration of it would be obscure and hard to be understood; as some have blasphemously accused his writings of obscurity and intricacy. Nor can any pretense be taken hence against the clearness and perspicuity of the Scriptures in the declaration of divine truths and revelations. For it is of things themselves, and not of the manner of their declaration, that he speaks, as also doth Peter in the place before mentioned.
Two things, therefore, are intended by the apostle in this expression:
1. That, in what he had to speak on this subject, there were some things in their own nature sublime and mysterious. In divine revelations there are great differences in the matter of them. For the manner of their declaration in the Scripture, they thus far agree, that every thing is declared absolutely as it ought to be, with respect unto the end of the Scripture; that is, the glory of God and the edification of the church. But among the things themselves revealed there is great difference. Some of them are nearer and more exposed unto our understandings and capacities; others of them are more sublime and mysterious, and more exceed our comprehension. And such are the things intended by the apostle. Wherefore,
2. He doth not speak of these things only with respect unto their own nature, but unto our understandings, which are weak and imperfect. It is a difficult matter for us in any tolerable measure to comprehend divine mysteries, when plainly propounded unto us. But yet neither are these things spoken positively in this place with respect merely unto the understanding of them to whom they are delivered, but with respect unto a peculiar indisposition in the minds of some, hindering them in the discharge of their duty. This the apostle chargeth in particular upon these Hebrews in this verse; and then aggravation their fault, from its causes, nature, circumstances, and consequences, in those that follow to the end of this chapter and the midst of the next. And when he hath hereby prepared them to a more diligent attention, he returns to declare the things themselves which he here intends. And the Romanists do very weakly shield themselves from the force of an argument which ariseth up of its own accord against the great foundation of their superstition, from the nature of the apostles discourse in this epistle. For whereas he professedly treateth of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ in all their concerns, and in their whole use in the church of God, whence is it that he makes no mention in the least, nor gives the least intimation of their priesthood, mass, and sacrifice of it; by which alone, if you will believe them, the other things are communicated and made effectual to the church? I do not mention now what (God assisting) I shall prove afterwards, namely, that he declares those things which are utterly inconsistent with them, and destructive of them; but we only inquire at present whence it should come to pass that in this discourse, which, if the things they pretend are true, is neither complete, nor useful, nor scarcely intelligible without them, he should make no mention of them at all? This,say our Rhemists on this place, was because the mass was too great mystery for St. Paul to acquaint these Hebrews withal; and therefore he here intimates that he would not acquaint them with it, or impart the doctrine of it unto them.It seems, therefore, that the mass is a greater mystery than the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, or any thing that concerned his own personal priesthood! This seems to be a supposition of a competent boldness, wherein it is much if they should believe themselves. Besides, whereas the mass is one of the sacraments of the church, continually to be celebrated among the faithful, whence is it that the apostle should dread to speak of the nature of that unto them which they were made partakers of, and which they were exercised in every day, if it were then known, or in use in the church? They would make Christianity a very strange religion, wherein it should be a thing dangerous and unlawful to instruct men in their duty. But, as we have proved before, the things here intended by the apostle are all of them resumed and handled by him in the ensuing chapters; which makes it sufficiently evident that their mass and priesthood were none of them.
Lastly, The reason of the foregoing assertion is added, Seeing ye are slothful, slow, or dull in hearing. . This word is nowhere used in the New Testament but here and Heb 6:12, where we render it slothful. est, qui non facile potest ; one that is not easily stirred or moved, heavy, slothful, inactive, dull, opposed to him that is diligent in his business; as Pro 22:29. . is used both for the ear, the faculty of hearing, the act of hearing, and things heard. Wherefore slothful in hearing, whereby the apostle declares the fault of these Hebrews, is a metaphorical expression. You are,saith he, in hearing of the word, like slothful persons, who do no work, accomplish no endeavours, attain no good end, because of their earthly, dull, inactive constitutions and inclinations.The conditions and qualities of such persons Solomon paints to the life, Pro 12:27; Pro 18:9; Pro 19:24; Pro 21:25; Pro 22:13; Pro 24:30-34; Pro 26:13-15. He abounds in the reproof of it, as being one of the most pernicious vices that our nature is subject unto. And in the reproach that Christ will cast upon unfaithful ministers at the last day, there is nothing greater than that they were slothful,
Mat 25:26. Unto such persons, therefore, the apostle compares these Hebrews, not absolutely, but as to this one duty of hearing. The gospel, as preached, he calls , the word of hearing, Heb 4:2; the word that is communicated unto men by hearing, which they so receive, Rom 10:17; which ought to be heard and diligently attended unto. This duty the Scripture expresseth by , Act 16:14; which is diligently to hearken and attend, so as to cleave unto the things heard. A neglect hereof the apostle chargeth the Hebrews withal. You stir not up,saith he, the faculties of your souls, your minds and understandings, to conceive aright and comprehend the things that are spoken unto you; you attend not unto them according to their importance and your concernment in them; you treasure not them up in your hearts, consciences, and memories, but let them slip out, and forget them:for the apostle intends all faults and negligences that concur unto unprofitable hearing. It is not natural imbecility of mind that he blames in them; nor such weakness of understanding as they might be obnoxious unto for want of improvement by education; nor a want of learning and subtilty to search into things deep and difficult: for these, although they are all defects and hinderances in hearing, yet are they not crimes. But it is a moral negligence and inadvertency, a want of the discharge of their duty according to their ability in attending unto the means of their instruction, that he chargeth them withal. The natural dulness of our minds in receiving spiritual things is, it may be, included; but it is our depraved affections, casting us on a neglect of our duty, that is condemned. And there are sundry things wherein we are hereby instructed; as,
Obs. 1. There are revealed in the Scripture sundry deep and mysterious truths, which require a peculiar diligence in our attendance unto their declaration, that we may rightly understand them or receive them in a due manner. To evince this proposition, I shall lay down and confirm the ensuing observations:
1. There are some things or truths revealed in the Scripture which have a peculiar remark put upon them, as those which are deep and mysterious. 1Ti 3:16; Eph 5:32; 1Co 2:6-8; 1Co 15:51; Eph 3:4-5.
2. The doctrines concerning these things are not dark and obscure, but clear, evident, and perspicuous. We may safely grant that what is not clearly delivered in the Scripture is of no indispensable necessity to be known and believed. And there are reasons innumerable why God would not leave any important truth under an obscure revelation. And none pretend they are so but those who first reject the things revealed; then all things spoken of them seem dark and obscure unto them. There are two practices about these things that are equally pernicious:
(1.) A pretense of things mysterious, that are not clearly revealed. This the apostle calls a curious prying or intruding into things which we have not seen; which who so do are vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind, Col 2:18; and which he cautioneth us against, Rom 12:3. The mysteries that are clearly revealed in the Scripture, as to the doctrine of them, are sufficient to exercise the utmost of our sober inquiries and humble speculations. To create heavenly mysteries, like the pretended Areopagite, in our own imaginations, to squeeze them out of single letters, words, or expressions, like the cabbalistical Jews, into vent our own fancies for mysteries, or to cover plain and sober truths with raw and uncouth terms, that they may put on the vizard of being mysterious, is to forsake the word, and to give up ourselves to the conduct of our own imaginations.
(2.) A neglect and contempt of clear, open revelations, because the things revealed are mysterious. And as this is the foundation of the most outrageous errors that at this day infest Christian religion, as in the Socinians and others, so it is that poison which secretly influenceth many amongst ourselves to an open contempt of the most important truths of the gospel. They will not, indeed, declare them to be false; but they judge it meet that they should be let alone where they are, as things not by us to be understood.
3. The depths and mystery of the things intended lie in themselves and their own nature. They are effects of divine wisdom, yea, the greatest which ever God will either work or declare. Hence the doctrine of them is called his wisdom, 1Co 2:7; his manifold wisdom, Eph 3:10; as having put the most eminent characters of infinite wisdom upon them. We can see other things by the light of the sun better than we can see the sun itself; not because the sun is less visible and discernible in itself, but because our visive faculty is too weak to bear its resplendent light. So is it with these mysterious things: they are great, glorious, true, evident in themselves; but our understandings are weak, and unable fully to comprehend them.
4. The principal of these mysteries concern the person, offices, and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. So as to his person, it is declared by our apostle, 1Ti 3:16; as to his work and office, Php 2:7-11; and as to his grace, Eph 3:8-11. And therefore,
5. Of all things which we are to learn in the dispensation of the word, these are we with most diligence to attend unto, Php 3:8-10, as those wherein the glory of God and our own obedience are most concerned. Some suppose that we should wholly content ourselves with the plain lessons of morality, without any further diligent inquiry into these mysteries; which is at once to reject, if not the whole, yet the principal part of the gospel, and that without which what remains will not be available. Sad indeed would be the condition of the church of God, if preachers and hearers should agree in the neglect and contempt of the mysteries of the gospel. These, I say, are the things which our utmost diligence, in reading, hearing, and meditating on the word, in prayer and holy supplications for light and wisdom, that we may know them, and grow in the knowledge of them, is indispensably required of us.
Obs. 2. It is necessary for the ministers of the gospel sometimes to insist on the most abstruse and difficult truths, that are revealed for our edification.
The apostle doth not only insist upon the sacerdotal office of Christ, the nature and exercise of it in his own person, but he judgeth it necessary to explain the mystical prefiguration of it in the priesthood of Melchisedec. Why might not that have been omitted, seeing he expressly acknowledgeth that the things concerning it were hard and difficult in the sense before explained, and the doctrine which he proposed in general might be declared and taught without it? Is not this a needless curiosity, and such as tended rather to the amusing and perplexing of his disciples than their edification?
No,saith he; there may be curiosity in the manner, but there can be none in the matter, when we declare and expound only what is revealed in the Scripture. It was not in vain that the Holy Ghost recorded these things concerning the person and office of Melchisedec. The faith and obedience of the church are concerned in the due understanding of them; and therefore this explanation is not to be neglected.Wherefore, to clear and direct our duty in this matter, we may consider,
1. That it ought to be the design of every faithful minister, in the course of his ministry, to withhold nothing from those committed unto his charge that belongs unto their edification, as do all things that are written in the Scripture, but to declare unto them the whole counsel of God, so far as he himself hath attained, Act 20:20; Act 20:27. To give times and seasons unto especial truths, doctrines, expositions, is committed unto his own prudence by Him by whom he is made an overseer, to feed the church of God; but his design in general is, to keep back nothing that is profitable, as is the sense of all the Scripture, even in its most abstruse and difficult passages, 2Ti 3:16.
2. That his duty is, as much as in him lieth, to carry on his hearers unto perfection, Heb 6:1 : for the ministry itself being given to the church for the perfecting of the saints, Eph 4:12-13, or the bringing of them all unto a perfect man in Christ Jesus, every one who is faithful in that office ought to make it his design and work. And hereunto doth their growth in light and knowledge, and that of the most mysterious truths, in an especial manner belong. And whereas some, through the blessing of God on their holy diligence and endeavors, do thrive and grow in light and knowledge above others, they are not to be clogged in their progress, by being bound up always unto their lines and measures who, it may be, are retarded through their own sloth and negligence. This we shall have afterwards occasion to speak unto. But,
3. Whereas the greatest part of our congregations, it may be, frequently are such as stand in need of milk, and are not skillful as yet in the word of righteousness, it is our duty also to insist on those plainer truths which are suited unto their edification.
4. Those who are called by the state of their flocks to engage sometimes in the exposition of abstruse and mysterious passages of Scripture, may do well to observe the ensuing rules, all which may be evidently gathered from the way and manner of our apostles treating concerning Melchisedec and his office:
(1.) That their interpretations be openly and evidently conformable to the analogy of faith. To search after new opinions in, or to found new or peculiar doctrines on, abstruse and mystical passages of Scripture, is a pestilent curiosity.
(2.) That the exposition of them be necessary from present circumstances, which are principally two:
[1.] That the things contained in them do belong unto some important truth, which is plainly declared for the substance of it in other places, although from them it may receive light and illustration. Thus our apostle doth not designedly, and on set purpose for its own sake, choose out that abstruse and mysterious passage about Melchisedec; but whereas he was engaged in the declaration of the priesthood of Christ, he taketh in the consideration thereof, as that which did belong thereunto, and which would add light and argument to the truth he had in hand. And herein consists the greatest wisdom in the treating of such places, namely, when we can reduce them to that proper head and seat of doctrine in other places whereunto they do belong, which is our sure guide in their interpretation. To choose out such places for our subjects to speak on separately, and to make them the sole basis of our discourse, may have somewhat of an unwarrantable curiosity.
[2.] When they offer themselves in the course of our work or ministry, where God gives light into the sense of the Holy Ghost in them, they are not to be waived, as we would be esteemed faithful in our work
(3.) Always to remember that what is so abstrusely expressed is so on purpose, for the exercise, as of our faith, humility, and subjection of mind unto the authority of the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture, so of our diligence and dependence on him for instruction; which calls for an especial frame of spirit in the work we undertake.
(4.) That the difficulty and necessity of treating concerning such things be intimated unto them who are to be instructed, that so they may be prepared to attend with diligence, and judge with sobriety of what is delivered. So deals our apostle with the Hebrews on this occasion in this place. Under a due observation of these rules, it will be necessary sometimes for ministers of the gospel to insist on the most abstruse and difficult truths that are revealed in the Scripture, and that because their doing so is necessary unto the edification of the church.
Obs. 3. There is a glorious light and evidence in all divine truths, but by reason of our darkness and weakness, we are not always able to comprehend them. Our want of that acquaintance with them which it is our duty to have, and which is needful unto our edification, is from ourselves alone, and for the most part from our sinful neglect of what is required thereunto.
Obs. 4. Many who receive the word at first with some readiness, do yet afterwards make but slow progress either in knowledge or grace. This the apostle here chargeth on the Hebrews; which we must further afterwards consider.
Obs. 5. It is mens slothfulness in hearing that is the sole cause of their not improving the means of grace, or not thriving under the dispensation of the word; or, all our miscarriages, with respect unto the gospel, are to be resolved into our own sloth, negligence, and depraved affections. For it is not any one particular vice, fault, or miscarriage in hearing, that the apostle intendeth and reproveth; but the want in general of such an attendance to the word as to be edified thereby, proceeding from corrupt affections and neglect of duty. And whereas this is a sin of so perilous a nature as to deprive us of all benefit by the gospel, it will be necessary to give a summary account of the duty of hearing the word in a due manner, so as to discover those defects and faults which constitute this sloth that we are thus warned of. Unto hearing, therefore, as intended and enjoined in the gospel, belong all things required on our part to make the word useful, and to give it its proper effect upon our souls: Faith cometh by hearing, Rom 10:17. Whatever is required of us that we may believe and obey the word, it belongs in general to this duty of hearing; and from a neglect of any thing material thereunto we are denominated , and do contract the guilt of the vice hero reproved. Three things in this sense do concur to the duty intended:
1. What is preparatory thereunto;
2. Actual hearing, or attendance on the word preached;
3. What is afterwards required to render our hearing useful and effectual. Which I shall speak unto in one or two instances under each head:
1. We may consider what is necessary hereunto in way of preparation, that we be not slothful hearers. There is a preparation due unto the right sanctification of the name of God in any obedience in general, which I do not now intend, and I have spoken unto it elsewhere. Prayer, meditation, and a due reverence and regard to the authority and especial presence of God, with faith exercised on his promises, are necessary hereunto. These things, therefore, I here suppose, and shall only give one or two instances of what peculiarly respects the duty of hearing, peculiarly in way of preparation:
(1.) Scarce any sort of persons fall under such fatal miscarriages in this great concernment of souls, as those whose hearts are inordinately influenced by the love, business, and cares of this world; for besides that the matter of them, which, being earthly, is diametrically opposite unto that of the word, which is heavenly, doth alienate and keep the mind at a distance from the proposals and reasonings of it, there are so many secret colourable pretences whereby these things will insinuate themselves into the thoughts and affections so disposed, as that there is no contending against them where they are habitually fixed. Wherefore the Scripture doth not draw up so heavy a charge against any one cause or occasion of unprofitable hearing as it doth against these cares and love of the world. Where men are over diligent in and about these things, they do but certainly deceive themselves, if on any supposition they judge that they are not slothful in hearing. Either before, or under, or after this duty, they will discover themselves to have been predominant. Covetousness, the apostle tells us, is idolatry, Col 3:5. And the covetous hearts of men do never worship the idol of this world with so much solemnity and devotion as when they set it up in the ordinances of God, as under the preaching of the word; for then they actually erect it in the room of God himself. Nay, they do it with a contempt of God, as flattering him with their outward appearance, which he despiseth, and giving up their inward affections to their endeared idol. And this is done not only when the thoughts and affections of men are actually engaged and exercised about earthly things during the dispensation of the word, but when their minds, through a love unto them and fullness of them,, are previously indisposed unto that frame and temper which the nature of this duty doth require. Unless, therefore, these cares and businesses of the world are effectually cast out, and our hearts are duly exonerated of them, we shall be , and fall under the guilt of the sin here reproved.
(2.) Antecedent unto hearing, and in way of preparation for it, there is required in us a desire after the word that we may grow thereby, 1Pe 2:2. The end which we propose unto ourselves in hearing hath a great influence into the regulation of the whole duty. Some hear to satisfy their convictions; some, their curiosity and inquiry after notions; some, to please themselves; some, out of custom; some, for company; and many know not why, or for no end at all. It is no wonder if such persons be slothful in and unprofitable under hearing. Wherefore, in order unto a right discharge of this duty, it is required of us that we consider what is our condition or stature in Christ; how short we come of that measure in faith, knowledge, light, and love, which we ought and hope to attain unto. To supply us with this growth and increase, the preaching of the word is appointed of God as food for our souls; and we shall never receive it aright unless we desire it and long for it to this end and purpose. When we know our weakness, imbecility, and manifold defects, and come to the word to obtain supplies of strength suited unto our condition, we are in the way of thriving under it. And as for them who have not this desire and appetite, who understand not a suitableness between the word and their spiritual condition, answerable to that of food to his natural state who is hungry and desires growth and strength, they will be dull in hearing, as to all the blessed and beneficial ends of it.
(3.) It is required of us to free our minds, what lies in us, from being prepossessed with such corrupt affections as are apt to repel the word, and deny it an entrance into our hearts. Intus existens prohibet alienum; when the mind is filled with things of another nature, there is no room whereinto the seed of the word may have admission. And these things are of two sorts:
[1.] Corrupt lusts or sins indulged. The ejection of these is enjoined us, Jas 1:21, Lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, andreceive with meekness the ingrafted word.
If the one be not done, the other will not. If filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness be not cast away and thrust from us, the word will not be received, at least not with meekness. We must put away , all filthiness. , sorties, belongs first to the body, as ; doth, 1Pe 3:21. And from the there mentioned, the doing away the filth of the body by the washing of water, is this : which, as applied unto the mind, answers unto the spiritual part of baptism, in the cleansing of the soul from spiritual filth and corruption. See Isa 4:4. , and the superfluity of naughtiness. It should seem that some naughtiness may remain, only the superfluity of it must be cast away. No; but all naughtiness in the mind is as a superfluous humor in the body, which corrupts and destroys it. It is the corrupting, depraving power and efficacy of prevailing lusts in the mind which is intended; and this is to be laid apart, if we intend to receive , the ingrafted (implanted) word; that is, the word of the gospel, which was not designed of God to be written in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of our hearts, 2Co 3:3. Hence is that great promise of taking away the heart of stone, figured by the tables of stone wherein the law was written, and giving a heart of flesh, wherein the word of the gospel should be written and ingrafted. See this text further interpreted, 1Pe 2:1-2. He, therefore, that comes with his mind filled and prepossessed with noisome lusts, as they are all, will be dull and slothful in hearing, seeing his heart will be sure to wander after its idols. For mens minds, filled with their lusts, are like Ezekiels chambers of imagery, which were full of all manner of representations, pourtrayed upon the wall; which way soever they turned their eyes they had idolatrous objects to entertain them, Heb 8:10; Heb 8:12. Such pictures do the corrupt imaginations of sensual, earthly persons fill their minds withal, that every thought has an object ready for its entertainment, effectually diverting the soul from the entertainment of the ingrafted word. Without this we may receive it as a notional word, as a truth in our understandings, but we cannot receive it as an implanted word in our hearts to save our souls.
[2.] Cares and businesses of the world having prepossessed the mind, produce in it the same indisposition in hearing. God himself giveth this reason why a professing people profited not by the dispensation of the word, namely, because their hearts went after their covetousness, Eze 33:31. The prophet preached, and the people sat diligentlybefore him as his hearers; but their minds being prepossessed with the love of the world, the word was unto them as wind, and of no use. Partly it was kept out by the exercise of their minds about other things; and what was received was quickly choked, which is the proper effect of the cares of the world, Mat 13:22.
2. In the act or duty of hearing itself, there are sundry things required of them who would not incur the guilt of the crime reproved; as,
(1.) A due reverence of the word for its own sake. Spiritual reverence is our humble, religious respect of any thing upon the account of its authority and holiness. So is it due unto every thing that God hath put his name upon, and to nothing else. Whereas, therefore, God hath magnified his word above all his name, Psa 138:2, or every other ordinance whereby he reveals himself unto us, it is thereunto due in an especial manner. So is this duty expressed in the instance of 1Th 2:13 :
When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe.
The apostle commendeth their receiving of the word when preached unto them, from the manner of their attention unto it, with that respect and reverence which was due unto its relation to God; which also had a great influence unto its efficacy on them. Ye have received , verbum auditus; , word of hearing.
Because preaching and hearing were the constant way that God had appointed for the communication and receiving of the gospel, the word itself was so denominated. To despise them, therefore, is for really to despise the gospel. And this word they are said to receive , of us; that is, as instruments of its promulgation and declaration. On this account he sometimes calls it our word, and our gospel; that word and gospel of God which we have preached;as it is added, , of God; not concerning God, but whereof God is the author, and which he hath appointed to be so preached and dispensed in his own name, 2Co 5:18-19. This, therefore, they attended unto, not as the word of men, but, according to the truth, as the word of God. The opposition may be either to the original of the word, or unto the dispensation of it. If unto the original, then the sense is, Not as unto a word that was devised or invented by men;as Peter declares that in the preaching of the gospel they did not follow cunningly-devised fables, 2Pe 1:16. Yet this seems not here to be intended, though it may be included. But the opposition is unto the administrators or preachers of it; as if he had said, In your attention to the word, you did not consider it merely as dispensed by us, but ascended in your minds to Him whose word originally it is, by whom it was appointed, and in whose name it was preached unto you. And this gives us the just nature of that reverence which is required of us in hearing, namely, a humble respect unto the authority and holiness of the word, impressed upon it by Him whose word it is.
It may be objected, That this reverence is due only to the word as written, which is purely and wholly the word of God; but not unto it as preached by men, wherein there is, and must needs be, a mixture of human infirmities. Hence some have been charged with arrogancy for expressing those words of the apostles in their prayers, That the word preached by them might be received, not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God.
Ans. [1.] It is true, we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of men, 2Co 4:7. The ministry whereby the word is conveyed unto us is but a vessel; and ministers are but earthen vessels, frail, weak, brittle, and it may be sometimes defiled. But. still, in and by them the word of God is a treasure, a heavenly treasure, enriching our souls.
[2.] We may consider how far the word, as preached, is the pure word of God; and so, having his name upon it, is the object of our reverence. And,
1st. It is his originally; it proceeds from him, and not from the invention of men, as was showed before.
2dly. It is his word materially. The same things are preached that are declared in the Scripture, only they are explained and accommodated unto our understanding and use; which is needful for us.
3dly. The preaching of it is the ordinance of God, which his name is upon, in the same kind as on his word; and therein an especial reverence and respect unto the name and authority of God is due thereunto.
4thly. By virtue of this institution of God, the word preached, which is in itself only materially the word of God, becomes formally so; for it is the application of the word of God unto our souls, by virtue of his command and appointment.
Wherefore there is the same reverence due to God in the word as preached, as in the word as written; and a peculiar advantage attends it beyond reading of the word, because God hath himself ordained it for our benefit.
It may be further objected, That we find by experience that the preachers of it will sometimes immix their own infirmities, and it may be mistakes in judgment, with their preaching of the word; and this must needs abate of the regard which is proposed as our duty.
Ans. [1.] God hath been pleased to ordain that the word should be dispensed unto us by weak, sinful men like ourselves; whence it unavoidably follows that they may, and probably sometimes will, mix some of their infirmities with their work. To except, therefore, against this disposition of things, is to except against the wisdom of God, and that especial order which he hath designed unto his own glory, 2Co 4:7.
[2.] In a pipe which conveys water into a house there may be such a flaw as will sometimes give an entrance unto some dust or earth to immix itself with the water; will you therefore reject the water itself, and say, that if you may not have it just as it riseth in the fountain you will not regard it, when you live far from the fountain itself, and can have no water but such as is conveyed in pipes liable to such flaws and defects? Your business is to separate the defilement and use the water, unless you intend to perish with thirst.
[3.] That such a thing may fall out, and that it doth ever so, gives us an opportunity of exercising sundry graces, and for the performance of sundry duties, whereby it turns to our advantage. For,
1st. Here lies the proper exercise of our spiritual understanding in the gospel, whereby we are enabled to try all things, and hold fast that which is good. To this end our apostle requires that we should have senses exercised to try (or discern) both good and evil. Hereby, according to our duty, we separate the chaff from the wheat; and no small exercise of grace and spiritual light, to the great improvement of them, doth consist herein.
2dly. Tenderness towards men in the infirmities which we discern in their work, proceeding either from weakness or temptation.
3dly. The consideration hereof ought to keep us in a constant dependence on and prayer unto the Lord Christ for the communication of his Spirit unto us, to lead us, according to his promise, into all truth; which is the great reserve he hath given us in this matter. And hence follows,
(2.) An immediate subjection of soul and conscience unto whatever is delivered in the dispensation of the word. A readiness hereunto Cornelius declared when he was to hear Peter preach: Act 10:33, Now are we all here present, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God; that is, so to hear as to give up our souls in obedience unto the word, because of the authority of God, whose word it is. And when we are not in this frame we shall be unprofitable hearers; for the immediate end of our hearing is practice. And the Scripture doth so fully testify hereunto, that in sundry places it positively declares that no kind of hearing, whatever appearance of zeal or diligence it may be accompanied withal, which doth not issue in practical obedience, is in the least to be esteemed of. But I intend not at present this practice, which is in order of nature consequential unto the hearing of the word, but that practical subjection of the soul and conscience to the word which alone will make way for it. For even that practice or obedience which proceeds not from hence is faulty and corrupt, as having certainly a false foundation or a wrong end. Herein, then, lies the great wisdom of faith in hearing, namely, in delivering up the soul and conscience unto the commanding authority of God in the word, Rom 6:17. And hereunto, among other things, it is required,
[1.] That the heart hath no approved reserve for any lust or corruption, whose life it would save from the sword of the word;
[2.] That it be afraid of no duty on the account of the difficulties and dangers with which it may be attended: for where these things are, the heart will close itself against the influences of Gods authority in his word.
[3.] A diligent watchfulness against distractions and diversions, especially such as are growing to be habitual from temptations and sloth. This is much spoken unto by others, and therefore is here dismissed without further consideration. And where we are negligent in these things, or any of them, we shall be found dull in hearing.
3. There are duties also belonging hereunto which are consequential unto actual hearing; whose discharge is required to free us from the guilt of the evil reproved; as,
(1.) A due examination of what is new or doubtful in the things delivered unto us. When the gospel itself was first preached, and so was new unto them to whom it was delivered, the Bereans are commended for examining what was delivered unto them by the Scriptures which they had before received, Act 17:11. And in case of things doubtful is the command given us, to try all things, and to hold fast that which is good, 1Th 5:21; as also to try the spirits, 1Jn 4:1, or what is taught under pretense of any spiritual gift whatever. Not that any thing is spoken to encourage that cavilling humor which so abounds in some as that they will be excepting and disputing against every thing that is delivered in the dispensation of the word, if not absolutely suited to their sentiments and conceptions, or because they think they could otherwise, and it may be better, have expressed what they have heard; which kind of persons well may be reckoned amongst the worst sort of unprofitable hearers, and such as are most remote from subjecting their consciences unto the authority of God in his word, as they ought. We may therefore give some rules in this matter; as,
[1.] Some things there are which are such fundamental principles of our profession, that they ought to be so far from being exposed unto a doubting examination, that they are part of that rule whereby all other doctrines are to be tried and examined, as those also by whom they are taught, 2Jn 1:9-11. And,
[2.] Other doctrines also there are, so evidently deduced from the Scripture, and so manifest in their own light, carrying the open conviction of their truth along with them, as that they ought not at any time to be made the matter of a doubtful trial. Only what is delivered concerning them may be compared with the Scriptures, to their further illustration and confirmation.
[3.] Neither ought what is delivered by any faithful, approved minister of the gospel, whose way, and course, and doctrine, and zeal for the truth, have been known, be lightly called into question; nor, without manifest evidence of some failing or mistake, be made the matter of doubtful disputations. For whereas every man is obnoxious unto error, and some we have found, after a long course of their profession of the truth, to fall actually into such as are perilous to the souls of men, it not pernicious, it is not meet that any thing which they teach should, on just occasion, be exempt from a sober trial and examination; so whereas such ministers of the gospel as those mentioned have the word of truth committed unto them by Christ himself, and his promise of direction in the discharge of their duty, whilst they behave themselves as his stewards and dispensers of the mysteries of God, what they declare in his name is not lightly to be solicited with every needless scruple. Wherefore this duty, which in some cases and seasons is of so great importance, may in other cases and at other seasons be less necessary; yea, a pretense of it may be greatly abused to the ruin of all profitable hearing. When errors and false teachers abound, and when, by our best attendance unto the rule, we cannot avoid the hearing of them sometimes; or when things new, uncouth, or carrying an appearance of an opposition to the analogy of faith, or those doctrines of the gospel wherein we have been instructed and settled, are imposed on us; it is necessary we should stand upon our guard, and bring what is taught unto a due examination. But where there is a settled approved ministry, and the things delivered evidence in a good manner their own consonancy unto the Scripture and analogy of faith, a disposition and inclination, under pretense of trying and examining what is delivered, to except against it and dispute about it, is the bane of all profitable hearing.
(2.) Let us be sure to learn what we are learning. The apostle complains of some who are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2Ti 3:7. Of this sort are many still amongst us. And hence it is that, after they have been long under the means of instruction in sound truth and knowledge, they are ready to hearken after and greedily embrace any fancy that is contrary thereunto. The reason hereof is, because they did not learn what they were so long in learning. To learn any truth as we ought, is to learn it in its proper principles, true nature, and peculiar use; to learn it in the respect it hath unto, and the place it holds in the system of gospel truths; so to learn it as to get an experience of its usefulness and necessity unto a life of holy obedience. Unless we thus learn what we hear, in its compass and circumstances, it will not prove an ingrafted word unto us, and we shall lose the things which we seem to have wrought. Our duty herein may be reduced unto heads:
[1.] That we learn doctrinally what respect every truth hath unto Christ, the center of them all.
[2.] Practically what influence they have into our obedience and holiness,
[3.] A diligent heedfulness to retain the thing which we have heard is also required hereunto. But this hath been sufficiently spoken unto, Heb 2:1, where it is expressly enjoined us. The like also may be said concerning meditation and holy conference; whereof see Heb 3:12.
[4.] A diligent care to avoid partiality in obedience unto what we hear. All men, it is hoped, design to obey in some things, most in most things, but few in all. God blamed the priests of old that they were partial in the law,
Mal 2:9. Either they taught not men the whole law, and therein the whole of their duty, but reserved such things from them as, if known and practiced, might turn to their own disadvantage; for they had learned in those days to eat up, and so to live on, the sin of the people, Hos 4:8 : or they taught them according as they knew they would be pleased to hear, therein accepting their persons, as the words seem to import. And for this God says he would make them contemptible and base before all the people. It shall be no otherwise with them who are partial in their obedience. Such are persons who will do as much as consists in their own judgment with their interests, societies, inclinations, and the liberty they have fancied unto themselves. For we are fallen into such days wherein some professors do judge it a great freedom and liberty to be exempted from obedience unto sundry commands of Christ, and those such as they cannot but know to be so. Alas for the pride and folly of the heart of man! to serve sin, to serve vanity and unbelief, which are the things alone that keep us off from a universal compliance with all the commands of the gospel, and submission unto all the institutions of Christ, shall be accounted liberty and freedom, when it is a part of the vilest bondage in the world. What are such persons afraid of? Is it that they shall engage themselves too far in a way towards heaven, so as that they cannot retreat when they would? Is it that they shall have too many helps against their corruptions and temptations, and for the furtherance of their faith and obedience? Or is it lest they should give over themselves wholly to Christ, and not be at liberty, when a better master comes, to lay a claim to a share in him? How great is the misery of such poor souls! This is the generation of perishing professors in our days. Out of them proceed Quakers, worldlings, and at last scoffers. This is the field wherein all apostasy visibly grows. Those that are openly profane cannot apostatize or fall away. What should they fall from? Christ is pleased to secure his churches in some good measure, so as that we have not frequent instances in them of this fatal miscarriage; but from among the number of professors who will walk at large, and are partial in their obedience, we have multitudes of examples continually. Let not such persons think they shall profit under the dispensation of the word; for they will at last be found to have been slothful in hearing, and that in one of the worst instances of that sin.
Where there is a neglect of these things, which are all necessary and required unto profitable hearing, it cannot be but that men will be , and fall deservedly under the rebuke here given by the apostle unto the Hebrews, as we see multitudes to do every day. And whereas all this proceedeth from the sinful and wilful carelessness of men about their own eternal concernments, it is evident that all want of a due progress and improvement under the means of grace must be resolved into their own sloth and depraved affections.
Obs. 6. It is a grievous matter to the dispensers of the gospel, to find their hearers unapt to learn and thrive under their ministry, through their negligence and sloth. The apostle complaineth of it here as that which was a cause of sorrow and trouble unto him. And so is it unto all faithful ministers whose lot it is to have such hearers As for others, who are themselves negligent or slothful in their own work, it cannot be but that they will be regardless of the state of their flock.
Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews
Press on unto Full Growth
Heb 5:11-14; Heb 6:1-8
The teacher has to suit his pace to his scholars. How much we miss because we are such inapt pupils! Milk is food which has passed through anothers digestion. Many cannot get their spiritual nutrition direct from Gods Word, but have to live on what others have obtained and have passed on in speech or book. Seek a first-hand acquaintance with the things of God. We grow by feeding and exercise.
We must leave the first principles, as a builder leaves the foundation; he is never so much on it as when farthest above it. The third and fourth principles, Heb 5:2, are the Jewish equivalents of the first and second, Heb 5:1. Notice the r.v. marginal reading for seeing in Heb 5:6 -the while. So long as men continue to tread the love of God under foot, they cannot repent and be restored. The failure, as with unproductive soil, is not on account of a failure of heaven, but because the soil is hard and obdurate. If we are unproductive, it is due to our own hard-heartedness.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Spiritual Immaturity
Men and women who should be instruments of usefulness to others are often spiritually immature. They are like babies and small children, who must be constantly instructed in elementary principles of the faith. This is what we see in the latter part of Hebrews chapter five.
Great Loss
True believers lose much by immaturity. The apostle had many things yet to say about Christ, our great Melchisedec. There were many great treasures to be revealed, many great truths to be taught, many great mysteries to be unfolded; but it was difficult for him to plunge into the great, wonders of Christs work as our Priest before God and the great mysteries of his Person, because there were many among the Hebrew believers who were still babes in grace, dull of hearing, immature. If he gave them strong meat, he knew that they would choke on it. Therefore, before moving on to weightier matters (as he does in chapter 7), the Holy Spirit inspired him to reprove those who continue in immaturity and urge them to grow up.
Unacceptable
It is a sad fact, but a fact nonetheless, that many who have been believers for a long time and ought to be mature in the things of God remain babes (Heb 5:12). Immaturity is acceptable in children; but immature adults are an embarrassment to their families and repulsive to others. The apostle is here saying, Brethren, its time for you to grow up. Stop acting like children.
Babies require milk, first principles, abc blocks, and coloring books. Mature believers need and feed upon the strong meat of the Word. Being unstable in the Word of righteousness, spiritual babies must be spoon fed, lest they be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Heb 5:13-14). Incapable of discerning good and evil (doctrinal good and evil), such infantile men and women must be constantly given the abcs of the gospel, the first principles of divine truth.
Unprofitable
As long as a person is satisfied with such spiritual immaturity, he both robs himself of great joy and blessedness, and remains unprofitable in the kingdom of God. Babies have childish minds, behave in childish ways, are greatly affected by childish toys, and provide no real usefulness to others. If we would be useful to others, we must seek grace from our God to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
we: 1Ki 10:1, Joh 6:6, Joh 16:12, 2Pe 3:16
dull: Isa 6:10, Mat 13:15, Mar 8:17, Mar 8:18, Mar 8:21, Luk 24:25, Act 28:27
Reciprocal: Lev 11:22 – General Zec 4:13 – Knowest Mar 4:13 – Know Mar 4:33 – as Mar 7:18 – General Joh 3:12 – earthly Joh 6:60 – This Joh 8:26 – have many Joh 14:5 – we know not Act 17:20 – strange 1Co 3:2 – for 1Co 15:34 – I speak 2Ti 2:15 – rightly 2Ti 3:7 – learning Heb 6:12 – ye
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 5:11. Of whom has direct ref-erenec to Melchisdec because he was the last person named. But the apostle concluded his readers were not ready for the fine points in the comparison between this man and Christ. He drops that line of argument for the present, and will take it up again (in chapter 7) after giving them other instructions that may prepare their minds for the further study of types. Hard to be uttered means “difficult of explanation” according to Thayer’s lexicon. Dull of hearing denotes a mind that is slow in apprehending what is said.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 5:11. Of whom; that is, of Melchisedec, in his superiority to Aaron, and as the type of Christ. The other interpretations, of Christ, and of which thing, are hardly defensible grammatically; the explanation just given is grammatically preferable, and is the same in sense.
We, not the writer and Timothy, but (as elsewhere in the Epistle, Heb 2:5, Heb 6:9; Heb 6:11, and as is common in Pauls Epistles) the writer himself.
Have many things (literally, have much) to say, and hard to be uttered; rather, hard to explain to you.
Seeing (since) ye are become (having lost the quick sense of your new life, and relapsed, in part at least, into your old state) dull in your hearing (not easily made to understand).
For while ye ought, on account of the time, to be teachers, etc. Thirty years had passed since Pentecost, and some of you may have heard Christ the Lord; His apostles you have certainly heard. Churches were first formed among you, and most of you became believers years ago. Nor only a long time, but a trying time also; distress of nations, mens hearts failing them for fear, the shaking foretold by the prophet. The nature of the time (not the length only) ought to have produced serious thought, earnest inquiry, and better understanding of what was coming upon the earth. They had not only made no progress,they had retrograded.
Ye have need that one teach you what is the nature of (or, that some one teach you) the very first principles of the oracles of God. The first rendering is adopted by most commentators, ancient and modern, though the second is adopted by Bleek, Alford, and others, in neither case does it mean what are the first principles, but rather, what quality and meaning they have. The oracles of God in the plural means generally what God revealed,the Divine utterance (Act 7:38; Rom 3:2),while in the singular it meant that part where the revelation was given. The meaning here is not quite the same as in Heb 6:1 : the doctrine of Christ, though this meaning is implied. The Jews had sacrifices and ritual, a material temple, prophecies clearly foretelling the life and death of our Lord, and rudimentary Christianity; but though they had embraced the Gospel, they were failing to see what their own economy really meant, and they were in danger of going back from the Spirit to the flesh, from the reality to the type, overlooking the significance of the simplest parts of their system,the elements, as the Apostle Paul calls them also (Gal 4:3; Gal 4:9). The description here given may mean the plain doctrines of the Gospel, such as are specified in the first verse of the next chapter; but the peculiar language of this verse (elements, oracles) points rather to the significance of the elementary rites and truths of Judaism itself, the very things he goes on in later chapters to explain. Christianity is the Law unveiled, and you would understand the general principles of the new economy if you rightly understood the old; a like rebuke may be seen in Luk 24:25-27.
And are become (as in Heb 5:11) such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat (solid food). You have gone back into a second childhood, and need to understand the pictures and shadows of the ancient Law,things intended for the infant state of the Church,or, possibly, need to study again those easier parts of the Gospel which men accept at the beginning of the Divine life. The Fathers generally understood by milk and by first principles the Incarnation; but that is itself a profound mystery, and the writer has already affirmed and discussed it. The comparison of doctrines to milk and food is common in Philo, and is found in both Testaments. St. Paul uses both in 1Co 3:1-2.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Section 2. (Heb 5:11-14; Heb 6:1-20.)
The rejection of rejectors, and the confirmation of faith.
The second section is, as has been already said, a parenthesis to meet the unbelief of the Jews upon a matter so vital to Christianity and so affecting the whole system of Judaism as the replacing of the Levitical by the Melchisedec priesthood. Even to the Jewish Christians, these things were hard sayings; and it may be they had caused, in measure at least, the defection from the faith to which the apostle presently refers. The two parts of his address to them here, however, are very different, and the first part only is warning; the second is pure encouragement -two things that are never far separated in the gracious ways of God. He is the God of all encouragement; and all warnings are but, in effect, to draw us from every false ground of hope, that we may find in Him the fulness of unfailing blessing.
1. The first subsection characterizes Judaism from its divine side, only to insist the more on its essentially introductory nature. It was “the word of the beginning of Christ,” very wrongly rendered in the text of both the common and the revised versions as “first principles of the doctrine of Christ.” “The first principles of Christ” assuredly we are never called to leave. It is Judaism, which was thus only suited to the state of nonage now passed, and which they must leave to go on to the perfection, or “maturity,” of Christianity.
(1) The Hebrew Christians were, in fact, not going on; at least, many were not. For the time they had been learning, they ought to have been able to teach others; but instead of that, they still needed themselves to be taught, and taught the very elements. They still needed milk, and could not digest “solid food.” It is not “strong meat,” an expression which has been very much abused, as if it were something requiring extra spiritual power to digest it. It is simply that which is suited for people accustomed to be exercised indeed in spiritual things, and thus educated so as to discern between good and evil. How much of right knowledge lies for us in this kind of discernment! “The man has become as one of us, to discern good and evil.” To innocence we cannot go back; and though we have got into our present condition by a fall from God, He, in grace, would turn even this into blessing. The world, such as it is, is a place well fitted to produce and to cultivate such moral discernment. If it does not do this, however, it dulls and hardens the soul; and as the Word is that which God would use to form us after His mind, the not going on with it at once tends to increase in us this dullness of soul.
Judaism in some form has been that by which the enemy has sought to corrupt and oppose Christianity from the beginning; and it has, in fact, largely done so. It was a religion given of God, and owned, therefore, by Him at one time; and this can always be pleaded in its behalf by those who have never understood, or cared to understand, its true nature. The law, which God took up because it was already in man’s heart, and to work out his thought to its proper end, to show him the evil and impracticability of it, -this man pleads as God’s revelation! Did not even Christ say: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments”? He did, as He permits souls even now thus to put themselves under the law, in order that they may find by practical experience what they would not learn with God simply by His teaching. We only need to be true ourselves to realize the truth here, and that we are only bidden to put up our ladder to reach heaven with, that we may realize how far above us the stars shine down.
So when He gave “carnal ordinances,” with plenty of signs to show their incapacity (for He never left Himself without witness in this way), and that they were only fingers pointing on to that which was to come, there was always opportunity for men to say, “These are the very things themselves.” And this is the enormous evil of ritualism in all its forms today, -that it takes these Jewish forms to clothe them in the dress of Christian realities, to which they only pointed, and make that which only sanctified to the purifying of the flesh (as in the case of baptismal water) to cleanse the soul, as water never did, against the standing ordinance of God the Creator. Thus the word of God itself may be abused to seal up men in delusion, and people say, See how Scripture may mislead! But Scripture is given “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished,” and it gives no security to any other than the man of God.
(2) “The word of the beginning of Christ” is now given us in brief in the six doctrines stated, which, if they were the Christian “foundation,” would be a Christianity without Christ. The apostle says: “Not laying again a foundation,” because he has in view Jews who had accepted the Christian one, and who, if they went back to Judaism, would be laying again what they had given up. But nothing here is distinctly Christian. It is not a question as to the truth or necessity of what is spoken of, but of its being the Christian foundation. Two things come first, which are in fact fundamental: “repentance from dead works and faith in God,” but note that it does not say here, in the Lord Jesus. Two doctrines come last, which concern the future: “resurrection of the dead,” -not “resurrection from the dead,” which is the Christian truth, but simply resurrection of the dead, “and eternal judgment.” Between these two pairs we have what may be more questioned, but what goes to the heart of the matter as characterizing Judaism, -“a teaching of baptisms and of laying on of hands.” These have been claimed as Christian baptism and confirmation, (something of which Scripture knows nothing whatever) or else baptism and ordination, -almost equally strange associates as a foundation. The truth is of nearer connection with the subject before us than such things would imply. In the first place, it is not baptism, but “baptisms;” and the baptism of the Spirit would surely never be associated with the baptism of water in such a manner. Moreover, Christian baptism is always baptisma, while this is baptismos, -a difference of form which is no doubt connected with the application in each case. Baptismos is the word used for the Jewish purifications, as, plainly, in the case of “divers baptisms” (not “washings”) in the ninth chapter of this epistle, verse ten. Moreover, these are really what is referred to, or mainly referred to, here, though we must anticipate somewhat the doctrine of that chapter to make this plain.
The great failure in Judaism, as the apostle shows us there, was its failure really to purify the conscience, so as to set the soul at rest in the presence of God. In the tabernacle of old he says were offered “both gifts and sacrifices, which could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience.” Why? Because they consisted only in “meats and drinks and divers baptisms,” or purifications, “carnal ordinances,” that is, ordinances which could not in their very nature affect the condition of the soul, but the flesh only. He contrasts them then with that which does purify. “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer, purifying the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh” (here are the divers baptisms, namely of blood and of ashes, ordinances of flesh, purifying only the flesh), “how much rather shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Thus the sacrificial baptisms were evidently an important part of the Jewish service; while, in connection with these, the laying on of hands would be naturally that which in Israel identified the offerer with the victim, his sacrifice. The two things would thus go together as teaching a most fundamental point for every conscience wounded with the sharp edge of the law, and which would yet convict any earnest soul of the folly of turning back to it as a foundation. In this way, a teaching (not “doctrine”) of baptisms is significant. “Doctrine” will not do here, for that would speak rather of what the baptisms themselves would teach; while the point in this case is that what was taught was rather a ritual than a doctrine, (the blood of bulls and goats was sprinkled, the truth as to that in which the real efficacy was unpreached,) and the conscience was not purged.
And yet striking it is to see that just here, for faith indeed, under what was ceremonial, God did hide that which He would fain have the soul discover, -the true way by which the conscience could be purged. But as a ritual, on that very account, it failed altogether, because He would not have any one rest in a ritual; and indeed rest would be impossible in this way before God. Thus we can see clearly where “the word of the beginning of Christ” failed, and that it is of Judaism the apostle is speaking. In it, while sin and judgment were plain things, the remedy for sin was hid under a veil, with all the glory in Moses’ face. Faith might gather comfort, so far as it could penetrate the veil, but could not yet stand in the power of the unveiled truth itself.
The apostle goes on now to show the terrible condition of those who went back to this Jewish system out of the light and blessing of Christianity. It was vain for them to think that they could replace themselves where the saints of old had been. Judaism had passed away for God, and those who went back there would find that they had left the only ground of peace and salvation. It would be even “impossible to renew again to repentance those who, having been once enlightened, and having tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and having tasted the good word of God and the powers [or miracles] of the world to come, had fallen away.” In the Israelitish cities of refuge those who had slain another without intending murder might take refuge from the avenger of blood, and Christ Himself was the true City of Refuge for those who had been partakers in the common guilt of the nation in His death. For such He Himself had pleaded at the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;” and Peter, by the Holy Spirit, had, in view of that ignorance, preached repentance to them; but those who now went back open-eyed among His rejecters could no longer plead this. They were crucifying for themselves the Son of God afresh, and there was no city of refuge to open its doors to such. Christ could not be a refuge, as is plain, for those who rejected Him.
The warning here has been a sore perplexity to many who are as far as possible from the condition which is here contemplated. The description of these apostates, solemn as it is, does not speak of them as children of God, as justified by faith, or in any way which would imply such things as these; and the apostle, after describing them, immediately adds, as to those whom he is addressing: “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, even things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” This is the most distinct assurance that he had no thought of one who had known salvation incurring the doom of an apostate.
What he says of them is, first of all, that they had been enlightened: they could plead ignorance, therefore, no longer. Secondly, they had “tasted”; but one may taste and, after all, refuse. Thirdly, they had been “partakers.” The word does not mean, necessarily, more than external participation. It is the same word as “companions” or “fellows,” which we have had before, -“partakers,” or “companions,” of the Holy Ghost. That is, they had been brought into that in which the Spirit of God bore witness to Christ and the fruit of His work, and thus had been associated with Him in this witness. “The powers of the age to come” are miracles, the mighty works by which the consequences of sin and the destructive power of Satan will be banished from the earth in the millennial reign. Such power was already being manifested in connection with the testimony of Christ in Israel; but all this goodness of God had been, to those of whom he is speaking, like rain which brought from the ground of their hearts only thorns and briars, thus manifesting it to be worthless and nigh to cursing. Christ having been rejected, God’s last, best gift had only been found in vain.
2. The apostle goes on, however, now, as we have seen, to comfort and encourage those he is addressing. Notice, he is assured of “better things” as to them, -love to Christ’s name proved practically and continuously in ministrations to His saints. God would not be unrighteous, so as to forget these fruits of His grace. Instead of discouraging them, He would have them give diligence so that hope might be in full assurance with them, imitating those “who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Abraham, “the father of all them that believe,” the one in whom faith as the way of blessing has been openly inaugurated and proclaimed, naturally becomes here a most instructive example. God’s word was pledged to him in the fullest way, but he had to have long patience. He saw little fulfilment on earth of that which God had promised, for not elsewhere than in God Himself does faith find its true strength and support. Here, indeed, He gave all that could be desired, not His word merely, but His oath -precious and wonderful condescension to human weakness. God will give as ample security Himself as we exact from one another. While faith must be faith, and therefore only in God, yet how tender He is! How well we may trust Him!
Our hope, however, has security of another kind than verbal. It is anchored “within the veil,” in heaven itself, into which our Forerunner has entered, Jesus, “made a High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” The mention of the veil here is supposed by some to contradict the thought of a rent veil in Hebrews; but the veil is never stated to be taken away, for the veil is the flesh of Christ; and the only possibility for such a mistake is in confounding it with the veil of which the apostle speaks in the second epistle to the Corinthians, -that veil which was over the face of Moses, and which is not over the face of Christ. That veil, indeed, has been taken away; but the veil through which we enter into the Holiest has not been taken away, but a way made through it, “a new and living way,” as we shall presently more particularly see.
Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary
That is, of which priesthood of Christ, as compared with Melchizedek, we have much to say, which is not easy to make intelligible by words, to those that are ignorant and dull of understanding.
Learn hence, 1. That all Scripture truths are not equally easy to be understood, but require a peculiar diligence in our attendance upon them, that they may be understood.
Learn, 2. That it is the incapacity of hearers, through dullness and slothfulness, and want of preparatory knowledge, which makes Scripture teaching no more and no better understood. All our miscarriages under the Word, are to be resolved into our own sloth, negligence, and depraved affections; We have many things to say, but ye are dull of hearing.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
The Failure of the Hebrew Christians to Grow Spiritually
However, they had not grown in knowledge, but had shrunk and had need that someone should show them again the very fundamental elements of God’s final revelation to man. He actually said they needed to rehearse and study the ABC’s of Christianity ( Heb 5:11-12 ).
Just like babies, they had need of milk, which is the basic element of nourishment. The word “unskilled” means “without experience.” They needed to feed on the basics of the gospel, so they could grow. Teaching others the basics they had learned should have caused them to gain strength and be ready to go beyond the basics in learning. Teaching others is one means of exercising one’s knowledge. The stronger things of the gospel, or more complex, belong only to those who have exercised and grown in their spiritual bodies and are ready to receive the stronger. Such have practiced self-discipline and thereby learned to distinguish between good and evil teaching ( Heb 5:13-14 ).
Heb 6:1-3
Building on the Elementary Principles
Today, it would simply be the ordaining of one to a ministry as in Act 6:6 ; Act 13:3 ; Act 14:23 ; and 1Ti 4:14 ; 1Ti 5:22 . Of course, one must also understand the basics of the resurrection, which is a fundamental part of the gospel ( Act 2:31-32 ; Act 10:40 ; Act 13:33 ; 1Co 15:1-4 ; 1Co 15:12-23 ). Coupled with that must be a realization that all men will be raised and face judgment ( Joh 5:28-29 ; 2Co 5:10 ; Heb 9:27 ). The writer believed he and his readers would gain a knowledge of all these simpler principles. He also thought they would then go on to completeness in the faith, if God permitted them to live ( Heb 6:1-3 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Heb 5:11-14. Of whom, &c. The apostle here begins an important digression, wherein he reproves, admonishes, and exhorts the believing Hebrews; we Apostles and other ministers of the word; have many things to say And things of great importance, in order to your full illumination, and perfect acquaintance, with that Christianity which you profess; and hard to be uttered Interpreted or explained, as signifies; though not so much from the subject matter, as because ye are dull of hearing Careless as to giving attention, slothful in considering, and dull in apprehending the things of God. For when, for the time Since ye first professed Christianity; ye ought to be teachers Able to teach others less informed than yourselves; ye have need that one teach you again which be the nature of the first principles of the oracles of God Accordingly these are enumerated in the first verse of the ensuing chapter. And are become such as have need of milk The first and plainest doctrines. See on 1Co 3:2. For every one that useth milk That is, that neither desires nor can digest any thing else; (otherwise strong men use milk, but not that chiefly, much less that only;) is unskilful in the word of righteousness Makes it appear that he is unacquainted (through want of exercise and experience) with the sublimer truths of the gospel. Such are all they who desire and can digest nothing but the doctrine of justification and imputed righteousness. For he is a babe See on 1Co 14:20. The apostle compares these Hebrews to babes, not on account of their innocent simplicity and teachableness, qualities which Christ recommended to all his disciples; but on account of their weakness and ignorance; for which, considering the advantages they had so long enjoyed, they were deserving of censure. But strong meat The sublimer truths relating to a perfect acquaintance with, experience in, and the practice of, the whole gospel, chap. Heb 6:1; belongeth to them that are of full age , the perfect, or perfectly instructed: see on 1Co 2:6, where the same expression seems to be used in the same sense; even those who, by reason of use Or habit, as signifies, implying strength of spiritual understanding, arising from maturity of spiritual age; have their senses exercised Though the word , here used, properly signifies the outward senses, as the eyes, ears, &c.; yet it is evidently here put for the inward senses, the senses of the mind; to discern both good and evil Grown Christians, by exercising their spiritual faculties, become able to distinguish truth from error, in the various branches of Christian doctrines, having attained the full assurance of understanding in the mystery of God and of Christ, (Col 2:2,) as also to distinguish duty from sin, or moral and spiritual good from evil.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
ARGUMENT 4
SPIRITUAL INFANCY AND ADULTAGE.
11. It is difficult so to expound Christian perfection to the unsanctified as to enable them intelligently to apprehend it. Here the Holy Ghost certifies that these Palestinian Christians were dull of hearing. The Greek means spiritual stupidity and indifference, soul paralysis setting down on them.
12. This verse certifies that they were not simply babies, but old babies. It is believed that this letter was short time he fore the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, which took place forty years after the crucifixion of our Savior. Hence these Palestinian Christians had been converted ten to thirty years. Of course, some of them had been sanctified, but the multitude to whom He now appeals had not received this indispensable grace. This undue and unnatural prolongation of spiritual babyhood had culminated in miserable dwarfage. Babyhood is all right in its time, but if perpetuated it runs into dwarfhood and soon spiritual death supervenes. The Holy Ghost says they had need of milk instead of solid food, because old as they were they had never yet cut their teeth. This is the great trouble with the churches at the present day. They re filled up with toothless babies and dwarfs, incompetent to mastcate the beefsteak, loaf-bread, apples, pears, peaches, pomegranates and melons of full salvation. If the preacher dont reach out the suckling-bottle he will soon find himself bewildered and dumbfounded amid the crying babies and muttering, whining dwarfs. Now remember that every unsanctified soul is a babe or dwarf. You know babies have to be humored, petted, caressed and candied to keep them quiet. No wonder we have a squally time in the churches when so many pastors, presiding elders, doctors of divinity and official boards, as well as the rank and file of the membership, are babies and dwarfs. No wonder there is no harmony among them. They cant even agree in their opposition to holiness, but they divide up into all sorts of silly heresies, creeds and dogmas, scarcely any two agreeing. Not so with spiritual men and women. In our holiness meetings all creeds, nationalities, sectarianisms, and sectionalisms are completely lost sight of.
13. For every one that taketh milk is unskillful, in the word of righteousness, because he is a babe. No wonder our Savior positively forbade His own disciples to go and preach the Gospel till they received the sanctifying baptism of Pentecostal fire. They were still in spiritual babyhood. Hence their dissensions, ambition, cowardice, and doubt. All this was consumed by the Pentecostal fire, and never afterwards seen. Jesus knew that they were unskillful in the word of righteousness so long as they remained in babyhood, and consequently incompetent to expound the Scriptures. So long as the Church retained the sanctified experience pursuant to the commandment of her Lord, she was without a faction or schism. The six thousand schisms now lacerating the visible Church are all the fruits of her apostasy into spiritual babyhood and dwarfhood. An army of babies will never conquer the world. The holiness people this day have more missionaries in the heathen field, penniless and unsalaried, than all the rich sectarian churches with their millions of money. Bishop Taylor has twelve hundred, Hudson Taylor eight hundred. A. B. Simpson four hundred, and General Booth several thousand. The problem is forever settled. The sanctified people have to fulfill the commission, carry the Gospel to all nations, evangelize the world, and bring on the millennium.
14. Solid food belongs to the perfect, who have their senses thoroughly disciplined by exercise unto the discernment both of the good and the evil. You see from this Scripture that the great and glorious doctrines of Christian perfection are denominated solid food, in contradistinction to the rudimentary truths of the Gospel appertaining to the conviction of sinners and the regeneration of penitents, which are here denominated milk. Precisely as the human body has five physical senses i.e., sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch even so the human spirit has these same five senses. Though a dead man has eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and nerves, he neither sees hears, smells, tastes, nor touches. Even so the dead human spirit is incapable of sensation till quickened into life by the Holy Spirit. These spiritual senses receive vitality in regeneration, but complete recuperation from torpitude, paralysis and all sorts of spiritual ailments, disabilities and incapacities in entire sanctification. The blessed grace of full salvation matriculates you into the school of Christ, i.e., Gods gymnasium, where all your spiritual senses receive not only complete restitution, but grand, glorious and wonderful development, qualifying them for the most adroit and acute detection of every evil approach, thus effectually and triumphantly fortifying us against all the temptation superinduced b the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Greek word here means gymnasium. John Wesley had but three institutions, i.e., the class- meeting, for the conversion of penitents; the holiness band, for the sanctification of Christians; and the select societies for the, culture of the sanctified, He understood the Lords gymnasium. Oh, that his Gospel sons could only inherit his sanctifigumption! Babies are so deficient in sensical discrimination as to need constant attention to keep them from eating dirt and all sorts of filth. We see the churches full of poor spiritual babies, eating and drinking Satans poison so indiscriminately as to blot out the distinction between them and the devils people. Even preachers, in the stupidity of spiritual babyhood, use filthy, poisonous and expensive tobacco, ruining the youth by their example. We see church members decked with jewelry and arrayed in all the phantasmagoria of the worlds foolish and costly styles, fashions, jewelry, and all sorts of needless and injurious ornamentation, like babies fond of showy toys. There is but one possible remedy for this lamentable heathen disgrace and shame, which hangs like a nightmare of paralysis of the Church. It is Satans vampire sucking out her hearts blood. The remedy is plain simple, unmistakable, and positively revealed in this Scripture. It is none other than Christian perfection.
1. Therefore having left the word of the beginning of Christ, let us be carried unto perfection. The Greek word pheroo, translated go on in this verse, has no such meaning in the dictionary. It is a great pity that King James translators ever rendered it go on. In the first place, because it does not mean go on, and they had no right so to render it. In the second place, because it has helped the devil to slow down the Church to a miserable standstill and freeze preachers and people into icebergs. You must remember that King James version was made by forty-seven Episcopalians in 1611. At that time the Church was wrapped in the fogs of Romanism and superstition, just emerging out of the dark ages. In as much brighter day, John Wesley preached ten years before his soul was converted. While none of the translators had the experience of sanctification, it is very doubtful if half of them were clear in their justification. The Bible is an experimental book. Scholarship alone qualifies no man to translate nor preach it, since we only see clearly what we experience in our hearts. These translators were experimentally ignorant of sanctification. Consequently, they lamentably emasculated that doctrine in their translation. Notwithstanding all this, entire sanctification is by far the strongest and most prominent doctrine in the English Bible. Yet it is one hundred per cent. stronger in the inspired original which the Holy Ghost revealed and which I have used extensively the last twenty-five years, and from which I give you all of these expositions. Unconverted preachers take all conversion out of the Bible. Unsanctified preachers take sanctification out of it. Men in all ages have labored to bring the Bible down to their experiences, instead of seeking the grace of God to lift their experiences up to the Bible. So these translators, like the unsanctified clergy at the present day, believed in reaching it at the end of life, after long and gradual approach. They were going on. So they exhorted all of us to go on, though the Bible flatly contradicts it. The word pheroometha here used by the Holy Ghost has no meaning but to carry or to bear. It is in the present tense and imperative mood, and reads, Let us be carried to perfection, i.e., the Omnipotent Savior is standing by our side ready and anxious for the job of our perfection. We have nothing to do but give up our own ways and fall into His arms, and let Him carry us into the glorious experience of Christian perfection.
In the twinkling of an eye Jesus blood can Sanctify.
From the time of your conversion the Omnipotent Jesus has been standing by you, longing for the delicious privilege of your perfection. Led astray by false guides, telling you that you have to go on, till you die, you have grieved the Holy Spirit all these years. Therefore I pray you wait not a moment, but glorify your Omnipotent Sanctifier this moment standing by you and saying, Let us now be carried to perfection. It is a lamentable fact that men have been preaching perfection by growth ever since the Constantinian apostasy fifteen hundred years ago. You know the Epistle to Hebrews is all on Christian perfection, and the word growth does not occur in it. Away with your nonsensical twaddle. The Bible is its own expositor. How is this perfection wrought?
And the God of peace, who raised up from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of the sheep, make you perfect through the blood of the everlasting covenant. (Heb 13:20-21)
This is the key which unlocks the mystery and settles the question forever. So you see our author explains himself. This is a perfection wrought by the cleansing blood of Jesus, and not by growth nor good works, as Satan would have you believe, so you may forfeit the blessing and land in hell. The devils climateric hobby in all ages and with all souls has been procrastination. The Bible is a now book. It offers present salvation to all penitent sinners and present perfection to all consecrated Christians. Postponement and gradualism are the devils greased planks on which to slide people down to hell. There are only two spiritual attitudes mentioned by the Holy Ghost in this grand argument, and these are infancy and perfection. Hence we have a beautiful and glorious antithesis, homogenous and co-extensive. While the Spirit constantly uses natural analogies in the elucidation of His glorious. truth, pursuant to a familiar rule in rhetoric we must not press a metaphor too far. Is there not a gradualism in the natural birth? Whereas in the English Testament begotten and born both occur, corresponding with the kingdom of nature, in the inspired Greek we only have the one word gennaoo, translated begotten in some passages and born in others. This settles the fact that in the language of the Holy Ghost begotten and born are precisely synonymous. Hence the very moment the Holy Ghost begets a soul, that soul is born of God. You must not judge God like a man. The gradualism in the plan of salvation is all on the human side. When God works, a sentence is as good as a century. The effect of the gradualistic theologies preached from the pulpits is to take God out of the Church and run the people into infidelity. When you eliminate the instantaneous interventions, you eliminate God and leave the people nothing but a pitiful humanism which you falsely call Gospel. When you fail to preach to sinners the instantaneous salvation by the Holy Ghost and to Christians instantaneous and entire sanctification wrought by the Holy Ghost through the cleansing blood of Jesus, you had better evacuate the pulpit and go to hoeing potatoes. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works…. This clause reveals the indisputable fact that the second work of grace is Gods key to hold the first. So if you do not let Jesus carry you into perfection, you will grieve the Holy Ghost, backslide and fall again into the snare of the devil, so you will have all your first works to do again, i.e., get reclaimed, or make your bed in a backsliders hell.
3-8. This sentence, containing five verses, has served as an alarm bell to the backsliders of all ages. We here have conspicuously set forth the mournful alternative of Christian perfection, i.e., apostasy and damnation. Not only does the Holy Ghost positively so reveal, but He confirms it by a plain and forcible illustration deduced from the material world, just as the perfected Christian is symbolized by the fertile, well-watered field, adorned with perennial flowers and burdened with all the luxuriant fruits of human industry, while the burning waste of the tropical desert equally vividly symbolizes the appalling doom of the poor backslider, collapsed into hopeless condemnation, through his unfortunate neglect of perfection, having finally grieved away the Holy Sanctifier and made his bed in a burning hell.
9. The fire-baptized author of this wonderful epistle, so transcendently climateric on Christian perfection, winds up this smashing argument, deduced from infancy and adultage in the spiritual kingdom, by bringing in a beautiful suaviter in modo, softly and sweetly cadencing his alarming fortiter in re. But, beloved, we are persuaded concerning you, better things even appertaining to salvation, if indeed we do thus speak.
10. The encouraging phenomena among the Palestinian Christians are mentioned in this verse, especially their generous philanthropy and hospitality to the saints. You remember (Acts 2 🙂 how they even sold their possessions to support the converts of Pentecost from foreign lands and perpetuate that wonderful revival. This was doubtless somewhat facilitated by the confiscation which followed their profession of Christianity. The forfeiture of this beautiful and amiable grace of hospitality out of the Church at the present day, is among the saddest omens of the fatal apostasy into which she is everywhere plunging by the rejection of holiness.
11, 12. But we desire each one of you to manifest the same zeal unto the full assurance of hope unto perfection, in order that you may not be stupid, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and long- suffering. These verses explain themselves, i.e., that every one of us ought to press directly on after conversion, seeking perfection with the same diligence with which we sought justification, till we find it. The Methodist General Conference of 1832 substantially reiterated this wonderful Scripture in their encyclical to the entire membership, importunately pleading with them and admonishing them not to stop with justification, but press right on to sanctification, with the same zeal, energy and perseverance with which they had sought pardon. Oh, that the conferences of the present day would emulate the heroic orthodoxy of their predecessors.
13. God in His condescending mercy has certainly exhausted Omnipotence to disencumber us of doubt; since we re bound to be saved by faith, if saved at all, to interfere with our free agency would dehumanize us. Therefore, God has not only given us His Word confirmatory of the momentous problem of holiness, but has swept all possible cavil from the field by the annexation of His oath.
The oath which He sware to our father Abraham, to grant unto us being delivered out of the hand of our enemies to serve Him in holiness and righteousness in His presence all our days. (Luk 1:73; Luk 1:75)
The enemies spoken of in this Scripture are the spiritual foes, i.e., evil tempers, passions, appetites, and all the members of Adam the first, which constitute the body of inbred sin, and survive in the heart of the regenerate, till destroyed by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Rom 6:6. You see from this Scripture that the man who does not believe in the glorious possibility of entire sanctification in this life, not only accuses God of falsification but actually arraigns Him for perjury. God have mercy on him! He would certainly better never have been born.
14. This is Gods wonderful promise of blessings, paradoxically multiplied on the sanctified. The dogma of the popular pulpits that sanctification is the ultimatum of all progress is radically heretical. Instead of constituting the ultimatum. it is really the substratum of a grand and glorious Christian experience, destined to brighten, broaden. deepen and tower through this life, take new impetus when this mortal puts on immortality, accumulating fresh luster through the flight of eternal ages. Therefore, entire sanctification introduces you into a land of showers, sunshine, flowers never fading and fruits never failing, where you will grow in grace infinitely more rapidly than ever before.
15-18. The two immutable things here spoken of are, Gods Word and His oath. Well does the author say that it is impossible for God to lie. The slightest falsification would be irreconcilably incompatible with the Divine attributes. Now, in addition to His infallible Word, He has added the solemnities of His oath, culminating in the a fortiori argument, logically unanswerable.
19, 20. These two verses present a most beautiful and instructive metaphor, in which the ocean is the world; the ship, the human soul floating in it. While the ocean is racked with storms, plowed with tempests, swept by hurricanes and lashed with cyclones, a thousand perils threatening the ship. Fortunately, she has cast out her great iron anchor, whose herculean flukes have caught fast hold of the eternal strata of the massive mountain. Despite the rage of the storm, the anchor not only holds secure but draws the ship safe into her moorings. In a similar manner the soul of the Christian, floating in this wicked and perilous world, beleaguered on all sides with diabolical foes, has cast the anchor of Hope through the vail of mortality out on the heavenly shore, where it has caught fast hold of Jesus, the impregnable Rock of Ages, who will never let go the anchor, but certainly draw the soul through the vail and laud it safe amid shouts of saints and angels in the glory land.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 11
Dull of hearing; slow of understanding.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
5:11 {6} Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
(6) A digression until he comes to the beginning of the seventh chapter; Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:20 : in which he partly holds the Hebrews in the diligent consideration of those things which he has said, and partly prepares them for the understanding of those things of which he will speak.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
III. THE HIGH PRIESTLY OFFICE OF THE SON 5:11-10:39
The transition from exposition (Heb 4:15 to Heb 5:10) to exhortation (Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:20) marks the beginning of a new division in this sermon. The structure of this division is as follows. [Note: Ibid., p. 128.]
a Preliminary exhortation (Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:20)
A The priest who is like Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-28)
B The single, personal sacrifice for sins (Heb 8:1 to Heb 9:28)
C The achievement of eternal salvation (Heb 10:1-18)
a’ Concluding exhortation (Heb 10:19-39)
A major theme of Hebrews, redemptive sacrifice, now comes into prominence in this section of the text.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
1. The readers’ condition 5:11-14
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
A. The Danger of Immaturity (The Third Warning) 5:11-6:12
"Dull of hearing" (Heb 5:11) and "sluggish" (Heb 6:12, Gr. nothroi in both cases) form an inclusio that frames this pericope and sets it off as a distinct textual segment. This Greek word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The first two warnings in Hebrews were against drifting (Heb 2:1-4) and disbelief (Heb 3:7-19). All the warning passages in Hebrews involve actions in relation to the Word of God.
"It is commonly assumed on the basis of Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:3 that the community addressed had failed to mature in faith and understanding, and consequently required rudimentary instruction rather than the advanced exposition of Christ’s priesthood and sacrifice presented in Heb 7:1 to Heb 10:18. The problem with this reconstruction of the situation is that it is not supported by the detail of the text. The biblical interpretation and the presentation of christology in Heb 1:1 to Heb 5:10 presuppose advanced Christian instruction and a level of understanding that corresponds to the adult consumption of solid food and not to a diet of milk. In addition, the writer shows no inclination to review with his hearers the foundational elements of the Christian faith [Heb 6:1]. He clearly regarded the hearers as mature. He reminds them that they have ingested over a considerable period of time the instruction that qualified them to be the teachers of others (Heb 5:12). Consequently, the portrayal of them as infants who have to be nurtured with milk is not an actual description of some or all of the members of the community. It is irony, calculated to shame them and to recall them to the stance of conviction and boldness consonant with their experience (Heb 6:4-5; Heb 6:10) and hope (Heb 6:9-12). The community has deviated from its earlier course (cf. Heb 10:32-34) by becoming sluggish in understanding (Heb 5:12). Their regression to infancy must represent a quite recent development. It was apparently an attempt to sidestep their responsibility in a world that persecuted them and held them in contempt, but it threatened their integrity. The purpose of Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:12 is to preserve the community from such aberration by reminding them of what they have experienced and what they possess through the gospel . . ." [Note: Lane, p. 135. For defense of the view that Jesus is the object of faith in this passage, and not just our model and enabler of faith, see Victor (Sung-Yul) Rhee, "Christology and the Concept of Faith in Hebrews 5:11-6:20," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 43:1 (March 2000):83-96.]
"If you keep in mind that the emphasis in this section is on making spiritual progress, you will steer safely through misinterpretations that could create problems." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:294.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
"Him" refers to Melchizedek (Heb 5:10; cf. Heb 6:20 to Heb 10:18). Evidently the original readers had begun to let their minds wander as they heard the same things repeatedly. Rather than listening carefully, hearing completely, and comprehending clearly, they had become mentally and spiritually dull in their hearing. They were not slow learners but had allowed themselves to grow lazy. A spiritual callus was growing over their ears.
"Deafness or dullness in receptivity is a dangerous condition for those who have been called to radical obedience. The importance of responsible listening has been stressed repeatedly in the sermon (Heb 2:1 . . .; cf. Heb 3:7-8, Heb 3:15; Heb 4:1-2; Heb 4:7 b)." [Note: Lane, p. 136.]
"One of the first symptoms of spiritual regression, or backsliding, is a dullness toward the Bible. Sunday School class is dull, the preaching is dull, anything spiritual is dull. The problem is usually not with the Sunday School teacher or the pastor, but with the believer himself." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:294.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
CHAPTER V.
THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL.
“Of Whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for full-grown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. Wherefore let us cease to speak of the first principles of Christ, and press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.”– Heb 5:11-14; Heb 6:1-8 (R.V.).
In one of the greatest and most strange of human books the argument is sometimes said “to veil itself,” and the sustained image of a man battling with the waves betrays the writer’s hesitancy. When he has surmounted the first wave, he dreads the second. When he has escaped out of the second, he fears to take another step, lest the third wave may overwhelm him. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews has proved that Christ is Priest-King. But before he starts anew, he warns his readers that whoever will venture on must be prepared to hear a hard saying, which he himself will find difficult to interpret and few will receive. Hitherto he has only shown that whatever of lasting worth was contained in the old covenant remains and is exalted in Christ. Even this truth is an advance on the mere rudiments of Christian doctrine. But what if he attempts to prove that the covenant which God made with their fathers has waxed old and must vanish away to make room for a new and better one? For his part, he is eager to ascend to these higher truths. He has yet much to teach about Christ in the power of His heavenly life.[83] But his readers are dull of hearing and inexperienced in the word of righteousness.
The commentators are much divided and exercised on the question whether the Apostle means that the argument should advance or that his readers ought to make progress in spiritual character.[84] In a way he surely means both. What gives point to the whole section now to be considered is the connection between development of doctrine and a corresponding development of the moral nature. “For the time ye ought to be teachers.”[85] They ought to have been teachers of the elementary truths, in consequence of having discovered the higher truths for themselves, under the guidance of God’s Spirit. It ought to have been unnecessary for the Apostle to explain them. At this time the “teachers” in the Church had probably consolidated into a class formally set apart, but had not yet fallen to the second place, as compared with the “prophets,” which they occupy in the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.” A long time had elapsed since the Church of Jerusalem, with the Apostles and elders, had sat in judgment on the question submitted to their decision by such men as Peter, Barnabas, Paul, and James.[86] Since then the Hebrew Christians had degenerated, and now needed somebody–it mattered little who it might be,[87]–to teach them the alphabet[88] of Christian doctrine.
Philo had already emphasised the distinction between the child in knowledge and the man of full age and mature judgment. St. Paul had said more than once that such a distinction holds among Christians. Many are carnal; some are spiritual. In his writings the difference is not an external one, nor is the line between the two classes broad and clear. The one shades into the other. But, though we may not be able to determine where the one begins and the other ends, both are tendencies, and move in opposite directions. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the distinction resembles the old doctrine of habit taught by Aristotle. Our organs of sense are trained by use to distinguish forms and colours. In like manner, there are inner organs of the spirit,[89] which distinguish good from evil, not by mathematical demonstration, but by long-continued exercise[90] in hating evil and in loving holiness. The growth of this spiritual sense is connected by our author with the power to understand the higher doctrine. He only who discerns, by force of spirited insight, what is good and what is evil, can also understand spiritual truths. The difference between good and evil is not identical with “the word of righteousness.” But the moral elevation of character that clearly discerns the former is the condition of understanding also the latter.
“Wherefore”–that is, inasmuch as solid food is for full-grown men–“let us have done[91] with the elementary doctrines, and permit ourselves to be borne strongly onwards[92] towards full growth of spiritual character.”[93] The Apostle has just said that his readers needed some one to teach them the rudiments. We should have expected him, therefore, to take it in hand. But he reminds them that the defect lies deeper than intellectual error. The remedy is not mere teaching, but spiritual growth. Apart from moral progress there can be no revelation of new truths. Ever-recurring efforts to lay the foundation of individual piety will result only in an apprehension of what we may designate personal and subjective doctrines.
The Apostle particularises. Repentance towards God and faith in God are the initial graces.[94] For without sorrow for sin and trust in God’s mercy God’s revelation of Himself in His Son will not be deemed worthy of all acceptation. If this is so, the doctrines suitable to the initial stage of the Christian life will be–
(1) the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, and
(2) the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.
Repentance and faith accept the gospel of forgiveness, which is symbolised in baptism, and of absolution, symbolised in the laying on of hands. Again, repentance and faith realise the future life and the final award; the beginning of piety reaching forth a hand, as runners do, as if to grasp the furthest goal before it touches the intermediate points. Yet every intermediate truth, when apprehended, throws new light on the soul’s eschatology. In like manner civilization began with contemplation of the stars, long before it descended to chemical analysis, but at last it applies its chemistry to make discoveries in the stars.
This, then, is the initial stage in the Christian character,–repentance and faith; and these are the initial doctrines, baptism, absolution, resurrection, and judgment. How may they be described? They all centre in the individual believer. They have all to do with the fact of his sin. One question, and one only, presses for an answer. It is, “What must I do to be saved?” One result, and one only, flows from the salvation obtained. It is the final acquittal of the sinner at the last day. God is known only as the merciful Saviour and the holy Judge. The whole of the believer’s personal existence hovers in mid-air between two points: repentance at some moment in the past and judgment at the end of the world. Works are “dead,” and the reason why is that they have no saving power. There is here no thought of life as a complete thing or as a series of possibilities that ever spring into actuality, no thought of the individual as being part of a greater whole. The Church exists for the sake of the believer, not the believer for the sake of the Church. Even Christ Himself is nothing more to him than his Saviour, Who by an atoning death paid his debt. The Apostle would rise to higher truths concerning Christ in the power of His heavenly life. This is the truth which the story of Melchizedek will teach to such as are sufficiently advanced in spirituality to understand its meaning.
But, before he faces the rolling wave, the Apostle tells his readers why it is that, in reference to Christian doctrine, character is the necessary condition of intelligence. It is so for two reasons.
First, the word spoken by God in His Son has for its primary object, not speculation, but “righteousness.”[95] Theology is essentially a practical, not a merely theoretical, science. Its purpose is to create righteous men; that is, to produce a certain character. When produced, this lofty character is sustained by the truths of the Gospel as by a spiritual “food,” milk or strong meat. Christianity is the art of holy living, and the art is mastered only as every other art is learned: by practice or experience. But experience will suggest rules, and rules will lead to principles. The art itself creates a faculty to transform it into a science. Religion will produce a theology. The doctrine will be understood only by the possessor of that goodness to which it has itself given birth.
Second, the Apostle introduces the personal action of God into the question. Understanding of the higher truths is God’s blessing on goodness,[96] and destruction of the faculty of spiritual discernment is His way of punishing moral depravity.[97] This is the general sense and purport of an extremely difficult passage. The threatened billow is still far away. But before it rolls over us, we seem to be already submerged under the waves. Our only hope lies in the Apostle’s illustration of the earth that bears here thorns and there good grain.
Expositors go quite astray when they explain the simile as if it were intended to describe the effect on moral character of rightly or wrongly using our faculty of knowledge. The meaning is the reverse. The Apostle is showing the effect of character on our power to understand truth. Neither soil is barren. Both lands drink in the rain that often comes upon them. But the fatness of the one field brings forth thorns and thistles, and this can only mean that the man’s vigour of soul is itself an occasion of moral evil. The richness of the other land produces plants fit for use by men, who are the sole reason for its tillage.[98] This, again, must mean that, in the case of some men, God blesses that natural strength which itself is neither good nor evil, and it becomes a source of goodness. We come now to the result in each case. The soil that brings forth useful herbs has its share of the Creator’s first blessing. What the blessing consists in we are not here told, and it is not necessary to pursue this side of the illustration further. But the other soil, which gives its natural strength to the production of noxious weeds, falls under the Creator’s primal curse and is nigh unto burning. The point of the parable evidently is that God blesses the one, that God destroys the other. In both cases the Apostle recognises the Divine action, carrying into effect a Divine threat and a Divine promise.
Let us see how the simile is applied. The terrible word “impossible” might indeed have been pronounced, with some qualification, over a man who had fallen under the power of evil habits. For God sets His seal to the verdict of our moral nature. To such a man the only escape is through the strait gate of repentance. But here we have much more than the ordinary evil habits of men, such as covetousness, hypocrisy, carnal imaginations, cruelty. The Apostle is thinking throughout of God’s revelation in His Son. He refers to the righteous anger of God against those who persistently despise the Son. In the second chapter[99] he has asked how men who neglect the salvation spoken through the Lord can hope to shun God’s anger. Here, he declares the same truth in a stronger form. How shall they escape His wrath who crucify afresh the Son and put Him to an open shame? Such men God will punish by hardening their hearts, so that they cannot even repent. The initial grace becomes impossible.
The four parts of the simile and of the application correspond.
First, drinking in the rain that often comes upon the land corresponds to being once enlightened, tasting of the heavenly gift, being made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and tasting the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. The rain descends on all the land and gives it its natural richness. The question whether the Apostle speaks of converted or unconverted men is entirely beside the purpose, and may safely be relegated to the limbo of misapplied interpretations. No doubt the controversy between Calvinists and Arminians concerning final perseverance and the possibility of a fall from a state of grace is itself vastly important. But the question whether the gifts mentioned are bestowed on an unconverted man is of no importance to the right apprehension of the Apostle’s meaning. We must be forgiven for thinking he had it not in his mind. It is more to the purpose to remind ourselves that all these excellences are regarded by the Apostle as gifts of God, like the oft-descending rain, not as moral qualities in men. He mentions the one enlightenment produced by the one revelation of God in His Son. It may be compared to the opening of blind eyes or the startled waking of the soul by a great idea. To taste the heavenly gift is to make trial of the new truth. To be made partakers of the Holy Ghost is to be moved by a supernatural enlightening influence. To taste the good word of God is to discern the moral beauty of the revelation. To taste the powers of the world to come is to participate in the gifts of power which the Spirit divides to each one severally even as He will. All these things have an intellectual quality. Faith in Christ and love to God are purposely excluded. The Apostle brings together various phases of our spiritual intelligence, the gift of illumination, which we sometimes call genius, sometimes culture, sometimes insight, the faculty that ought to apprehend Christ and welcome the revelation in the Son. If these high gifts are used to scoff at the Son of God, and that with the persistence that can spring only from the pride and self-righteousness of unbelief, renewal is impossible.
Second, the negative result of not bringing forth any useful herbs corresponds to falling away.[100] God has bestowed His gift of enlightenment, but there is no response of heart and will. The soul does not lay hold, but drifts away.
Third, the positive result of bearing thorns and thistles corresponds to crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame. The gifts of God have been abused, and the contrary of what He, in His care for men, intended the earth to produce, is the result. The Divine gift of spiritual enlightenment has been itself turned into a very genius of cynical mockery. The Son of God has already been once crucified amid the awful scenes of Gethsemane and Calvary. The agony and bloody sweat, the cry of infinite loneliness on the Cross, the tender compassion of the dying Jesus, the power of His resurrection–all this is past. One bitterness yet remains. Men use God’s own gift of spiritual illumination to crucify the Son afresh. But they crucify Him only for themselves.[101] When the sneer has died away on the scoffer’s lips, nothing is left. No result has been achieved in the moral world. When Christ was crucified on Calvary, His death changed for ever the relations of God and men. When He is crucified in the reproach of His enemies, nothing has been accomplished outside the scoffer’s little world of vanity and pride.
Fourth, to be nigh unto a curse and to be given in the end to be burned corresponds to the impossibility of renewal. The illustration requires us to distinguish between “falling away” and “crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame.”[102] The land is doomed to be burned because it bears thorns and thistles. God renders men incapable of repentance, not because they have fallen away once or more than once, but because they scoff at the Son, through Whom God has spoken unto us. The terrible impossibility of renewal here threatened applies, not to apostasy (as the early Church maintained) nor to the lapsed (as the Novatianists held),[103] but to apostasy combined with a cynical, scoffing temper that persists in treading the Son of God under foot. Apostasy resembles the sin against the Son of man; cynicism in reference to the Son of man comes very near the sin against the Holy Ghost. This sin is not forgiven, because it hardens the heart and makes repentance impossible. It hardens the heart, because God is jealous of His Son’s honour, and punishes the scoffer with the utter destruction of the spiritual faculty and with absolute inability to recover it. This is not the mere force of habit. It is God’s retribution, and the Apostle mentions it here because the text of the whole Epistle is that God has spoken unto us in His Son.
But the Hebrew Christians have not come to this.[104] The Apostle is persuaded better things of them, and things that are nigh, not unto a curse, but unto ultimate salvation. Yet they are not free from the danger. If we may appropriate the language of an eminent historian, “the worship of wealth, grandeur, and dominion blinded the Jews to the form of spiritual godliness; the rejection of the Saviour and the deification of Herod were parallel manifestations of the same engrossing delusion.”[105] That the Christian Hebrews may not fall under the curse impending over their race, the Apostle urges them to press on unto full growth of character. And this he and they will do–he ranks himself among them, and ventures to make reply in their name. But He must add an “if God permit.” For there are men whom God will not permit to advance a jot higher. Because they have abused His great gift of illumination to scoff at the greater gift of the Son, they are doomed to forfeit possession of both. The only doomed man is the cynic.
FOOTNOTES:
[83] Heb 5:11.
[84] Heb 6:1.
[85] Heb 5:12.
[86] Act 15:1-41
[87] tina (Heb 5:12).
[88] stoicheia.
[89] aisthtria.
[90] gegymnasmena.
[91] aphentes (Heb 6:1).
[92] phermetha.
[93] teleiotta.
[94] themelion.
[95] Heb 5:13.
[96] Heb 6:7.
[97] Heb 6:8.
[98] di’ hous.
[99] Heb 2:3.
[100] parapesontas (Heb 6:6). Cf. pararymen (Heb 2:1).
[101] heautois.
[102] Apart from the exigencies of the illustration, the change from the aorist participle to the present participles tells in the same way. It is extremely harsh to consider anastaurauntas and paradeigmatizontas to be explanatory of parapesontas. The former must be rendered hypothetically: “They cannot be renewed after falling away if they persist in crucifying,” etc.
[103] The apostates, or deserters, were not identical with the lapsed, who fell away from fear of martyrdom. Novatian refused to restore either to Church privileges. The Church restored the latter, but not the former. Cf. Cyprian, EP 55 : ad fin.
[104] Heb 6:9.
[105] Dean Merivale, Romans under the Empire, Hebrews.