Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 5:13
For every one that useth milk [is] unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
13. that useth milk ] The meaning is “who feeds on milk.”
unskilful ] “Inexperienced.”
for he is a babe ] This is a frequent metaphor in St Paul, who also contrasts “babes” ( npioi) with the mature ( teleioi), Gal 4:3; 1Co 2:6; Eph 4:13-14. We are only to be “babes” in wickedness (1Co 14:20).
the word of righteousness ] i.e. the Scriptures, and especially the Gospel (see 2Ti 3:16; Rom 1:17, “ therein is the righteousness of God revealed”).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For every one that useth milk – Referring to the food of children. The apostle has in view here those Christians who resemble children in this respect, that they are not capable of receiving the stronger food adapted to those of mature age.
Is unskilful – Inexperienced; who has not skill to perform anything. The word is properly applied to one who has not experience or skill, or who is ignorant. Here it does not mean that they were not true Christians – but that they had not the experience or skill requisite to enable them to understand the higher mysteries of the Christian religion.
In the word of righteousness – The doctrine respecting the way in which men become righteous, or the way of salvation by the Redeemer; see the notes on Rom 1:17.
For He is a babe – That is, in religious matters. He understands the great system only as a child may. It is common to speak of babes in knowledge, as denoting a state of ignorance.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. For every one that useth milk] It is very likely that the apostle, by using this term, refers to the doctrines of the law, which were only the rudiments of religion, and were intended to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
The word of righteousness] . The doctrine of justification. I believe this to be the apostle’s meaning. He that uses milk-rests in the ceremonies and observances of the law, is unskilful in the doctrine of justification; for this requires faith in the sacrificial death of the promised Messiah.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Spirit proves these Hebrews such infants by describing the state of them, and of their contrary, and tacitly applying it to them under a metaphor or allegory started by him before.
For every one that useth milk; for, saith he, every one of you who take in nothing but the elements and weakest kind of doctrines, and can bear no other, have not digested the first principles of the oracles of God.
Is unskilful in the word of righteousness; are , not truly knowing, not proving nor experiencing, never exercised or practised in, the word of righteousness, the gospel doctrine, which is in itself an eternal certain truth, the revelation of the righteousness of God to faith, Rom 1:16,17, and the instrumental conveyer of it to faith; a perfect rule of righteousness, making Christians conform exactly to the mind and will of God, and so reaching the state of strong and perfect ones, Col 1:25-29.
For he is a babe; he is but a new-born Christian, a child in Christs school, one that cannot be experienced in the perfections of Gods word, because he is weak in knowledge, ignorant and unconstant like an infant, 1Co 14:20; compare Eph 4:14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. usethGreek,“partaketh,” that is, taketh as his portion. Evenstrong men partake of milk, but do not make milk their chief, muchless their sole, diet.
the word of righteousnesstheGospel wherein “the righteousness of God is revealed from faithto faith” (Ro 1:17), andwhich is called “the ministration of righteousness” (2Co3:9). This includes the doctrine of justification andsanctification: the first principles, as well as theperfection, of the doctrine of Christ: the nature of theoffices and person of Christ as the true Melchisedec, that is, “Kingof righteousness” (compare Mt3:15).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For everyone that useth milk,…. And sits down contented with the first principles of the Gospel, such as are easily taken in and digested; or makes use of the ceremonial law, as a schoolmaster to teach him the Gospel:
is unskilful in the word of righteousness; the Gospel, which is a doctrine of righteousness; not of works of righteousness done by men, and of justification by them, or of a man’s own righteousness; but of the pure, perfect, and everlasting righteousness of Christ: and it is called so, because it is the means of stripping a man of his own righteousness; and of revealing the righteousness of Christ unto him; and of working faith in him to lay hold upon it; and of discovering the agreement there is between the righteousness of Christ, and the justice of God; and of teaching men to live soberly, righteously, and godly: and such are unskilful in it, who either have no knowledge of the doctrine of justification; of the matter of it, Christ’s righteousness; of the form of it, by imputation; and of the date of it, before faith: or have a very confused notion of it, joining their own works with Christ’s righteousness, for justification, as many judaizing professors did; or who, if they have a notional knowledge of it, have no practical concern in it; do not believe with the heart unto righteousness; have not the experience, sweetness, and power of this doctrine upon them; and do not live lives agreeable to it:
for he is a babe. This word is used sometimes by way of commendation, and is expressive of some good characters of the saints; such as harmlessness and inoffensiveness, humility, and meekness, a desire after the sincere milk of the word, freedom from rancour and malice, hypocrisy and guile; but here it is used by way of reproach, and denotes levity and inconstancy, ignorance and non-proficiency, want of digestion of strong meat, and incapacity to take care of themselves, as standing in need of tutors and governors.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Without experience (). Old adjective (alpha privative and , trial). Inexperienced. The babe (, old word, negative and , word like Latin infans, infant, not able to talk), not able to chew if one uses only milk and is without teeth. Perhaps moral truth is meant by “word of righteousness” (cf. Heb 1:2; Heb 2:3 for the word spoken by Christ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Useth [] . Rend. partakes of. See on ch. Heb 1:9; Heb 2:14; Heb 3:1, 14. Unskilful [] . N. T. o. Rend. unskilled or inexperienced.
In the word of righteousness [ ] . The phrase N. T. o. The genitive dikaiosunhv of righteousness is combined in N. T. with way, God, gift, instruments, servants, law, ministration, fruit and fruits, ministers, hope, breastplate, crown, king, preacher. It is a mistake to attempt to give the phrase here a concrete meaning. It signifies simply a word of normally right character. It is not = the Christian revelation, which would require the article. Probably, however, in the foreground of the writer’s thought was the word spoken by the Son (ch. 1 2); the salvation which at first was spoken by the Lord (ch. 2 3). 191 A babe [] . See on Rom 2:20; 1Co 3:1; Eph 4:14.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For everyone that useth milk,” (pas gar ho metechon galaktos) “For the one who continually, progressively, is partaking of milk (only),” just drinks from the bottle only, limits himself to milk for his food; This is the pious person who claims to be interested in lost souls only, not realizing that the saving of a life of daily obedient service and great church truths are also important to the glory of God in the church, Eph 3:21; Eph 5:17-19; Heb 6:1-3.
2) “Is unskillful in the word of righteousness,” (apeiros logou dikaiosunes) “is or exists (as long as he does it) without experience, unskillful (in a knowledge) of the word of righteousness,” and a capacity to even honor God as he should, 1Pe 3:15. To be ready to meet heresy to witness for Jesus Christ concerning separated and holy living and church service and stewardship that honors God, one must study earnestly, 2Ti 2:15; Joh 5:39; 2Ti 3:15-16.
3) “For he is a babe,” (nepios gar estin) “Because he is, exists as, a spiritual infant, Rom 15:1. A willing dumbbell, an unlearned person, in matters of Divine righteousness, by rebellious, obstinate, selfish and covetous choice, he remains. There be so many who have been saved for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years who lived willingly and selfishly as Bible “dumbbells,” in almost total ignorance of the Holy Bible and its message, as a whole, which is meat to those who will study prayerfully, daily, and seeking from it more than just a few drops of milk, Heb 4:12; Psa 119:105; Psa 119:130.
Infants that refuse all food but milk never mature physically or mentally, emotionally as responsible people. The same is true concerning children of God. Each overgrown babe that takes milk only in manhood years becomes an obstacle, a burden to the family or church, Let Christian growth and maturity be the goal of each of us, 1Co 13:11; 1Co 14:20; Eph 4:14-15; Take milk of the word as a babe, but don’t stay on it forever, 1Pe 2:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. For every one who uses milk, or, who partakes of milk, etc. He means those who from tenderness or weakness as yet refuse solid doctrine; for otherwise he who is grown up is not averse to milk. But he reproves here an infancy in understanding, such as constrains God even to prattle with us. He then says, that babes are not fit to receive the word of righteousness, understanding by righteousness the perfection of which he will presently speak. (93) For the Apostle does not here, as I think, refer to the question, how we are justified before God, but takes the word in a simpler sense, as denoting that completeness of knowledge which leads to perfection, which office Paul ascribes to the Gospel in his epistle to the Col 1:28; as though he had said, that those who indulge themselves in their ignorance preclude themselves from a real knowledge of Christ, and that the doctrine of the Gospel is unfruitful in them, because they never reach the goal, nor come even near it.
(93) This is the view of Grotius and others, but some regard “the word of righteousness” as a paraphrasis for the Gospel; and Stuart renders it, “the word of salvation.” Dr. Owen says that the Gospel is called “the word of righteousness,” because it reveals the righteousness of God, Rom 1:17. It may also be so called, because it reveals and contains the truth, the full truth, partly revealed previously. The word “righteousness” has this meaning both in the Old and New Testaments. See Psa 3:4; Isa 45:19; and Mat 21:23, 2Co 11:15. “The ministers of righteousness” in the last text are opposed to false ministers. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) The change of expression from having need of milk to partaking of milk (that is, making it the solo food) is significant. 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 apparently was 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. The connection between this verse and the last may probably be, Ye have come to need milk, formaking it by choice your sole foodye stand self-confessed as babes.
Unskilful.Rather, without experience. The word of righteousness evidently must signify complete, properly-developed Christian teaching. The only question is, Why is this particular designation chosen? In the Epistle to the Romans such a description would be natural (see especially Rom. 1:17; Rom. 9:31); but righteousness is not the direct and manifest subject of this Epistle. Still, the expressions of which the writer makes use in Heb. 10:38; Heb. 11:7, together with the general similarity between his teaching and St. Pauls, go very far towards explaining his choice of this special expression as descriptive of the religion of Christ. In like manner another phrase, law of liberty, is characteristic of St. James.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Every one that useth milk The milk, or first principles, are indicated by specimens, in Heb 6:1-2.
Is a babe Spiritually ignorant and weak.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘For every one who partakes of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.’
Being those who are partaking of milk and not meat demonstrates that they are without experience of the ‘word of righteousness’. ‘The word of righteousness’ is probably intended to cover all aspects of righteousness as it pertains to God and His people. For God’s purpose is that His people be both accounted righteous and made righteous. Both are in the end part of one process, part of the righteousness of God. Those who but drink milk have no experience of the teachings concerning the righteousness of Christ as it applies to His people, both as imputed and imparted. They know nothing of justification, sanctification and growth in righteousness, of the deeper significance of the cross as a provider of righteousness and crucifier of the flesh, and thus no knowledge of the High Priesthood of Christ. They only know about the very basics of such things as sin and repentance, and general faith towards God, and outward ceremonies, and general resurrection and judgment (Heb 6:1-2). And this demonstrates that they are still totally dependent babes at the breast. Compare Eph 4:13-16; 1Co 3:1-3.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Heb 5:13. In the word of righteousness: Every one who is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, is here called a babe: the thing intended is, that whosoever is ignorant of the righteousness of God without the law, which is witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Christ Jesus, unto all and upon all that believe, is only fit to be begun with, and to be taught the first elements of the oracles of God. This is sometimes called the righteousness of God. Rom 3:22 sometimes the righteousness which is of faith, Rom 9:30. The word of righteousness means, the doctrine of our being treated as righteous, in consequence of our faith in Christ. See Rom 3:24. 2Co 5:19. It is called the righteousness of God, as it is the method that he has taken wherein to treat mankind; and as faith is the thing required as a means of his grace, it is the righteousness of faith, or by faith: and it is called absolutely the word of righteousness, as it is the great principle of the gospel of Christ.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 5:13-14 . Establishing of the , Heb 5:12 . Sense: for it is universally characteristic of him who (in a spiritual respect) has need of milk, that he is, because not of ripe age, still inexperienced in the ; and this is just your case. Solid food, on the other hand, is proper only for the ; , however, ye are not yet . In connection with this acceptation of the words, there is no occasion for finding anything out of place in the in relation to that which precedes, and either, with Storr, making it co-ordinate with the , Heb 5:12 , and referring it back like this to Heb 5:11 , which on account of the figure Heb 5:13-14 , retained from Heb 5:12 , is already seen to be inadmissible, or for saying, with Bleek and Bisping, that the progress of thought would come out more naturally if the author had written: .
] he who (in a spiritual respect) partakes of milk, i.e. only in this possesses his nourishment, is not in a position to take in solid food. Bengel: Lacte etiam robusti vescuntur, sed non lacte praecipue, nedum lacte solo. Itaque notantur hoc loco ii, qui nil denique nisi lac aut capiunt aut petunt.
] sc . , he is still inexperienced in the word of righteousness . Expositors have almost without exception been guided by the presupposition (as also Bleek, de Wette, Tholuck, Kurtz still are) that is only a varying form of expression for the same idea as is expressed, Heb 5:12 ; Heb 5:14 , by , or, Heb 6:1 , by . has then either been taken as equivalent to or , and the higher, more perfect type of doctrine found indicated in the expression. So Schlichting (“sermo justitiae videtur positus pro sermone justo, h. e. perfecto ac solido”), Grotius (“Hic dixit pro et genitivus est pro adjective”), Abresch (“doctrina vel institutio justa, h. e. perfecta, plena, omnia complectens, quae ad perspicuam distinctamque pertineant doctrinae Christianae intelligentiam”), Schulz (“that true [rightly so called] higher doctrine”), Kuinoel, Bisping, Kurtz, and many others. Or has been more correctly regarded as genitive of the object. In the latter case is taken either, as Michaelis, ad Peirc. , with an appeal to the Hebrew , in the sense of , [75] as the doctrine of the essence of the matter itself, in opposition to the typical figures thereof; or is understood specially, as by Oecumenius, of the , or, as by Carpzov, of the: “doctrina de sacerdotio Jesu Christi Melchisedeciano, quae dicitur propterea, quia Melchisedecus, vi nominis, vertitur, Heb 7:2 , eaque appellatio ad Christum sacerdotem applicatur, cujus fuit , Mat 3:15 ;” or the words are made to refer, as by Primasius, Zeger, Bengel, de Wette, and others, to intellectual and moral perfection in general , as also already Chrysostom, who explains the expression by (and after him Theophylact), leaves us the choice of understanding the (according to Mat 5:20 ), or . But the fundamental presupposition, out of which all these interpretations have sprung, is an erroneous one. For the emphasis falls not upon , but upon the , on that account preposed. Not for a non-possession of the , but only for a want of experience in the same, only for an insufficient, schoolboy’s knowledge of it, does the author blame the readers. The in itself, therefore, stands as indifferently related to the notion of the or as to the notion of the , to which Ebrard reckons it. Only by the more or less exhaustive imparting of its subject-matter does it become the one or the other. For the word of righteousness is nothing more than a periphrasis of Christianity or the gospel, inasmuch as just the righteousness availing with God [76] is the central-point of its contents. Quite analogous to this mode of designation is the Pauline characterization of the gospel office of teaching by , 2Co 3:9 , and of the teachers of Christianity by , 2Co 11:15 ; on which account also it is unnecessary, for the justification of the expression chosen, with Bleek, Bisping, and Maier, to assume an allusion to the exposition of the name Melchisedec, , given Heb 7:2 .
] for he is still a babe , a novice in Christianity. Setting forth of the naturalness of the .
[75] Delitzsch, too, with an allusion to the use of , , , takes as a synonym of ; but will then have the genitive looked upon not as expressing the contents, but as a defining of the quality of , and will interpret of the faculty of speech. Thus, then, is taken to mean: “the faculty of speaking in accordance with righteousness,” i.e. the “discourse on spiritual things which is guided in strict accord with the norm of the true, and harmoniously combines all the factors of the case, proportionately regarded, without leaving one of them out of sight;” and in ver. 13 is supposed to be contained the following “most rigid connection of ideas:” “he who must still receive milk is still ignorant of rightly-constituted, i.e. right-teaching or orthodox, discourse; for he is a child only beginning to lisp, and not yet capable of speech.” This strange view, based upon the incomprehensible grounds, that “since (from and ) denotes one incapable of speech, an infant, there is a presumption in favour of in having the signification of faculty of speech, and this signification is here the more probable in regard to the occurring in the antithetic parallel clause, inasmuch as , in the sense of language, is met with countless times in Philo along with the or the , of which the organs are known as ,” bears its refutation upon the face of it. It is not at all suitable to the connection, as Riehm (Lehrbegr. des Hebrerbr. p. 734) and Alford have already observed; since according to this there is no question as to the faculty for speaking on spiritual subjects, but only as to the faculty for understanding the same. As “discourse” will Hofmann also have interpreted, in that he fully subtilizes the notion lying in , and finds indicated by the total expression only “correct discourse.” For, according to him, the words ver. 13 are used in their most literal sense, and allude to the fact that he who is still fed with milk at the maternal breast is as yet no judge of correct discourse!
[76] Of the righteousness availing with God (comp. also Heb 11:7 ), have Beza, Jac. Cappellus, Peirce, Storr, Klee, Tholuck, Bleek, Stein, Ebrard, Bloomfield, and others already rightly interpreted . In the above exposition, Alford, Riehm ( Lehrbegr. des Hebrerbr . p. 733), and Woerner have concurred; save that, according to Riehm, by virtue of an over-refined distinction, the gospel is not called the word of righteousness “because the righteousness availing with God is the central-point of its contents,” but “because it leads to righteousness; because, by its proclamation to man, the possibility is created and the opportunity is afforded of entering into a condition of the rightness of his relation to God, inasmuch, namely, as he assumes a believing attitude towards the word proclaimed.” But why should the author, familiar as he was with Paul’s manner of teaching, and attaching his own doctrinal presentation thereto, albeit with independence of character, have shrunk from recognising, as the central theme of the gospel, “the righteousness which avails with God,” since even this was only a general notion, which did not exclude a peculiar conception and treatment, where it was a question of the development of details, and insistance thereon?
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Ver. 13. In the word of righteousness ] That is, in the more solid doctrine of the gospel concerning Christ, who is our righteousness.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Heb 5:13 . . “For every one who partakes of milk [as his sole diet] is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.” The reference of is somewhat obscure. It seems intended to substantiate the last clause of Heb 5:12 : “Ye cannot receive solid food, for you have no experience of the word of righteousness”. But he softens the statement by generalising it. Every one that lives on milk is necessarily unacquainted with the higher teaching, which is now . having no experience of, ignorant; as , Empedocles in Fairbanks, Phil. of Greece , p. 202. , Babrius, lxix. 2; . , Antiphon, Jebb, p. 8. , with teaching of righteous conduct the suckling has nothing to do; he cannot act for himself, but can merely live and grow; he cannot discern good and evil, and must take what is given him. Righteousness is not within the suckling’s horizon. He cannot as yet be taught it; still less can he be a teacher of it (Heb 5:12 ) , for he cannot even speak [ – = infans], he is an infant. The infant can neither understand nor impart teaching regarding a life of which he has no experience, and whose language he does not know. Indirectly, this involves that the higher instruction the writer wished to deliver was important because of its bearing on conduct. [Other interpretations abound. Chrysostom and Theophylact understand the reference to be either to the Christian life or to Christ Himself and the knowledge of His person. Others, as Beza, Lnemann, and many others, take it as “a periphrasis for Christianity or the Gospel, inasmuch as the righteousness which avails with God is precisely the contents of the Gospel”. Riehm also thinks that the Gospel is meant, “because it leads to righteousness”. Westcott understands it of the “teaching which deals at once with the one source of righteousness in Christ, and the means by which man is enabled to be made partaker of it”. The view of Carpzov, and also that of Bleek, is governed by the connection of Melchizedek with righteousness in Heb 7:2 .]
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
useth = partaketh of. Greek. metecho. See Heb 2:14; Heb 7:13 (pertaineth to) and 1Co 9:10.
unskilful = inexperienced of. Greek. apeiros. Only here.
word. Greek. logos, as Heb 5:11.
righteousness. Greek. dikaiosune. App-191.
babe. Greek. nepios. App-108.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Heb 5:13. , he that partakes) Even strong men feed on milk, but not on milk chiefly, much less on milk alone. Therefore they are intended m this passage, who, in short, either take or seek nothing but milk.-, unskilful) not expert, without strength and practice.- , in the word of righteousness) from : comp. , discernment, in the following verse. For , righteousness, is such perfection ( Jos 24:14, LXX.) as after having put away evil from it, attains to the just (proper) degree of good: (Heb 5:14), exercised, is in consonance with it; comp. Heb 12:11, where in like manner exercise and righteousness are joined. Such a word of righteousness is the doctrine of Christ in the New Testament. Righteousness of faith and of life is understood, and each on either side, according as circumstances have arisen.-, a babe) The antithesis is , of them that are perfect: comp. Eph 4:13-14.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
is unskilful: Gr. hath no experience
the word: Psa 119:123, Rom 1:17, Rom 1:18, Rom 10:5, Rom 10:6, 2Co 3:9, 2Ti 3:16
he: Isa 28:9, Mat 11:25, Mar 10:15, Rom 2:20, 1Co 13:11, 1Co 14:20, Eph 4:14, 1Pe 2:2
Reciprocal: Jdg 11:3 – Tob 2Ki 5:19 – he said 1Ti 3:6 – novice Heb 5:12 – as have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 5:13. Unskilful is defined “inexperienced” by Thayer’s lexicon. This does not mean that the lack of experience is due to their babyhood, but it is the other way around. They were still babes because they had not launched out after further activities or experiences, such as a normal babe will do.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 5:13-14 give the reason why the further teaching is hard to explain.
For every one who useth milk (takes it as his ordinary food, and can digest nothing else) is unskilled (literally, inexperienced) in the word of righteousness; not in the Gospel as the true and righteous word (Grotius, Brown, and others); not in rightly ordered speech (Delitzsch); not quite the word of righteousness, as Melchisedec is king of righteousness, as if there were a play upon the words (Bleek); but rather, that message, that Gospel of which righteousness, imputed and imparted, in its double form of justification and holiness, is the central truth. The man who fails to see the spiritual significance of the law, or, having once seen it, goes back to his old condition of imperfect vision, neither knows the burden of human guilt and the consequent need of Divine atonement, nor the necessity of true holiness.
For he is a babe (an infant), and takes the same place among spiritual seers as an infant takes in the perception of worldly interests.
Heb 5:14. But solid food belongs to the full grown, to the spiritually mature (so the word often means in Greek writers). It is the same word in Heb 6:1 (let us go on unto perfection). Then follows the description of them.
Even those who by reason of (by virtue of, not by means of) use (their long use, their habit) have their senses (properly their organs of sense, i.e the inner organs of the soul) exercised (by spiritual gymnastics; only it is healthy work also, and not play; comp. 1Ti 4:7, and Heb 12:11) to discern (literally, with the view to discriminate between) good and evil. To discern what is good and noble and what is bad and mischievous. The child is easily imposed upon: he may be induced to take even poison if it is sweetened .to his taste; but a man has learnt by the discrimination which practice gives to make a distinction between things which differ, to refuse the evil and choose the good, the very discrimination in which children fail (Deu 1:39; Isa 7:16).
To have time for learning, time which is rich in lessons, and make no progress, is itself retrogression. Growth is the condition of all healthy life, physical, mental, spiritual. Not to grow in grace is to become dull and feeble; it is to retain in the system what ought to be replaced by new or added knowledge or feeling. It makes men specially susceptible to disease, and is the sure precursor of decay. The apostolic guard against apostasy is here and elsewhere to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2Pe 3:18).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle here speaks of the difference of doctrines under the metaphor of meats: From whence we may gather,
1. That the Word of God, in the dispensation of it, is food provided for the souls of men.
2. That the Word, as food, will not profit the soul until it be eaten, and digested: It is not food prepared, but food received, that nourishes. When manna was gathered and eaten, it nourished the Israelites: But when gathered and laid by, it putrified and bred worms.
Lord! What pains do some take to gather manna, to hear the Word, but alas! it lies by them, and is of no use.
Learn, 3. That as the gospel is the word of righteousness, so God requires and expects that all those who live under the dispensation of the gospel should be skillful in the word of righteousness. The gospel is a word of righteousness; it is so declaratively, as the severity of God against sin is hereby more fully revealed, and as the righteousness which God requireth, approveth, and accepteth for our justification, is therein declared; and the righteousness which God requireth in us, and expecteth from us, is hereby discovered also; and as it is the great instrument of working holiness in us, and making us inherently righteous, so it is the word of righteousness efficiently as well as declaratively; our justification is wrought in us thereby, Joh 17:17.
Learn, 4. That the spiritual senses of believers, well exercised in the word of righteousness, are the best and most undeceiving helps in judging of what is good or evil, what is true or false, that is proposed to them: Such, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
5:13 For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the {l} word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
(l) In the word that teaches righteousness.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Immature babies consume only milk. They cannot chew and assimilate solid food because they are immature. Comparing milk and solid food was very common in Greek ethical philosophy. [Note: Moffatt, pp. 70-71.] Thus the readers would have had no question about the writer’s meaning. Similarly immature Christians take in only the basics of the gospel because they cannot receive and assimilate the more advanced aspects of the faith. They cannot do this because they have not tried repeatedly (practiced) to understand and apply these more advanced truths. This is a picture of Christians who have been content to know and practice only the most elementary lessons of their faith. They are too lazy to do what is necessary to grow. Of course, even mature adults continue to need milk, which is pre-digested food, but they can also eat solid food.