Hebrews 5:11-14: Need of Milk
2022-11-11
Hebrews 5:11
There is a lot to say about this former priest and king, Melchisedec, as discussed in the previous section. The apostle will continue the discussion later in the epistle. However, Paul offered an “intermission” of sorts to remind his recipients of how far these Hebrews could have been in the faith. He showed them instead of how elementary their faith was, and how they do not even seem interested in the deep truths of Jesus Christ, the Word of God.
The phrase “dull of hearing” is used elsewhere in the Scriptures. Surely, they would have seen themselves as fulfilling Scripture in a negative way when the author used this phrase. The Jewish people were called “dull of hearing” two other times in the New Testament.
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:14-15)
Acts 28:27 makes the same reference, and it is pointing to the Isaiah 6:9-10, but not an exact quote. Consider Isaiah 6:8-13. Isaiah was told to keep preaching, even if most people did not understand. There was a remnant that would hear and understand. However, he was not to stop preaching until all the people were carried away. At that point, there would be no more new people who would understand.
The implication was the same here. This was written on the eve of Jerusalem’s destruction. The Jewish people were not responding to the faith like they should be. They should have remembered this instance and took heed.
Our culture is at that point. There is a lot of “dull of hearing” in western culture. They have heard the Gospel. Some of them may have even been saved. But what we see around us is a lethargic Christianity that lacks Biblical knowledge, does not pray, does not serve, does not care, and knows Jesus as much less than He is.
Hebrews 5:12
With the number of instructions these folks received, they could have been teachers. How long does it take to become a teacher? In our culture, you need a university degree, certification, and experience (“student teaching”). University instructors usually have a doctoral or terminal degree to qualify to instruct at that level. Teachers of the law in the New Testament had various levels of instruction as well (“doctors of the law”). In whatever culture you find yourself, teachers are a respected profession that have mastered certain material to teach others from what they have learned. Sometimes, the word for teacher is translated “master.” Elders of the church are “apt to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24).
The recipients of this letter had a lot of instruction... so much so that they should be able to instruct others. However, we see people that are fumbling over the fundamentals. Someone still had to tell them that Jesus is the Savior and superior to angels and Old Testament figures. More such fundamentals are referenced in the next chapter.
They are lacking the “first principles of the oracles of God.” The word for “oracle” is used three other times in the New Testament. These would be utterances of God, or something that God would say. We read, “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” (1 Peter 4:11).
The Law was referred to as oracles. “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” (Acts 7:38). Again, we read, “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:1-2).
In the Old Testament, the oracle referred to the Holy Place. “For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day” (2 Chronicles 5:8-9). This was because this is where the LORD came to meet with His people.
The Gospel and the teachings of our Lord were called oracles just like the Law and the Holy Place.
The author used a metaphor; they “have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” The next verses explain.
Hebrews 5:13-14
The baby drinks his mother’s milk because that is all he can eat. He is not developed enough. He needs to consume enough milk, and when he has developed enough, he can then eat other foods, because he can then process them.
If you are still digesting the fundamentals of the faith, you are not ready to proceed to further developments of those fundamentals. He is inexperienced and unskilled. He needs to get skilled. He also needs a lot of assistance in learning. He does not practice what he is learning.
When you are in elementary school, you do not go off and get a job in the real world. You are only learning fundamentals that are building up to a place when you can go out into the world, have a trade, and be productive.
The strong meat is for those who have grown up. His stomach can handle more food and diverse kinds.
He has learned the fundamentals and applies them to his life. He lives the truth. He has gained some experience and skills in applying the word. He needs less assistance in learning; he has learned to teach himself.
When you have finished your education, you can move on to work in the real world. You do not forget or move past those fundamentals but rather apply them and use them to build on that knowledge, both in an intellectual and practical sense.
Those of full age “have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” You can apply the Word so you can discern how to follow the LORD. You are ready to minster to others and teach those what you have learned.
This metaphor is used elsewhere. Consider 1 Corinthians 3:1-4. Here, the Corinthians were creating factions over which teaching to follow: Paul versus Apollos or others. They did not “have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” They needed elementary instruction. They were still relying on fleshly knowledge rather than being led of the Spirit.
Again, we read, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-3). These Christians scattered throughout the world were apparently still fairly new, and they needed to still learn the fundamentals. The Word of God is both milk and strong meat; it has something for everyone. It causes everyone to grow.