Hebrews 5:11-14

The Failure of the Hebrew Christians to Grow Spiritually

The subject of Christ's priesthood is one so complex it is difficult to write about. A difficulty which was complicated by the dullness of the readers' understanding. Vine says "dull" carries with it the idea of slowness or sluggishness, which suggests, to us, a lack of use. By reason of their being Christians and having had many opportunities to learn, they ought to have been able to tell others the good news of Jesus and answer questions regarding their great hope of heaven (1 Peter 3:15). "To be a teacher meant to the ancient mind that one was able to think and act maturely" (Lightfoot, p. 112).

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 (Hebrews 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 (Hebrews 5:13-14).

Hebrews 6:1-3

Building on the Elementary Principles

The writer wanted his readers to go on to a complete knowledge of the gospel. To do so, they would have to leave those simpler principles behind to build upon. They needed to go on to the construction of the superstructure of their spiritual beings. They had already repented of their past (Acts 2:38; Luke 13:3-5). They had exhibited the necessary faith in God (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:17; John 20:30-31). They also already knew of the "doctrine of baptisms." Fudge says, "The word here translated baptisms is that commonly applied to the various washings of the Old Testament (See Hebrews 9:10; Mark 7:4.) The doctrine of baptisms would therefore seem to involve explanations regarding the difference between Jewish washings on the one hand and the gospel baptism in the name of Jesus the Messiah on the other" (p.61; compare Leviticus 16:4; Leviticus 16:24; Leviticus 14:8-9; Leviticus 6:27-28; Exodus 30:18-21; Numbers 8:6-7). It is possible some of the readers had actually experienced the laying on of hands. It was used by the apostles to give the gifts of the Spirit (Acts 8:17; Acts 8:19; Acts 19:6).

Today, it would simply be the ordaining of one to a ministry as in Acts 6:6; Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23; and 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Timothy 5:22. Of course, one must also understand the basics of the resurrection, which is a fundamental part of the gospel (Acts 2:31-32; Acts 10:40; Acts 13:33; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:12-23). Coupled with that must be a realization that all men will be raised and face judgment (John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 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 (Hebrews 6:1-3).