Hebrews 5:11

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. Here he digresses to complain of the low attainments of the Palestinian Christians, and to warn them of the danger of falling from light once enjoyed; at the same time encouraging them by God's faithfulness to persevere. At Hebrews 6:20 he resumes the comparison of Christ to Melchisedek. HARD TO BE UTTERED, [ dusermeeneutos (G1421)] - 'hard of interpretation to speak.' Hard for me to state intelligibly to you, owing to your dulness about spiritual things. Hence, instead of saying many things, he writes in comparatively few words (Hebrews 13:22). In the "we," Paul, as usual, includes T...

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...

11-14 Dull hearers make the preaching of the gospel difficult, and even those who have some faith may be dull hearers, and slow to believe. Much is looked for from those to whom much is given. To be unskilful, denotes want of experience in the things of the gospel. Christian experience is a spiritual sense, taste, or relish of the goodness, sweetness, and excellence of the truths of the gospel. And no tongue can express the satisfaction which the soul receives, from a sense of Divine goodness, grace, and love to it in Christ....

Verse Hebrews 5:11. _OF WHOM WE HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY_] The words περι ου, 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

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...

EXPOSITION THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. The purpose of the first part of this chapter (Hebrews 5:1) is to corroborate the position arrived at in the conclusion of Hebrews 4:1., viz. that we _have _in Christ a true High Priest sufficient for all our needs. This is done by analyzing the conception of a high priest, and observing that Christ in all respects fulfils it. And thus the full exposition of Christ's heavenly priesthood above that of Aaron is prepared for. But this full exposition is still not entered on till after an exhortation (beginning at Hebrews 5:11), longer and more earnest than any former one, called for by the slownes

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 Chapter s: 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 Hebrews 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 declare

Hebrews 5:1. _For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:_ The high priest of old was «taken from among men.» Aaron was chosen, and then his son; an angel might have been sent to perform Aaron's duty, but it was not so. And, glory be to our blessed Lord and Master, he is «One chosen out of the people,» «taken from among men.» Hebrews 5:2. _Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity._ Christ was not compassed with sinful infirmity, but he was compassed with sorrowful infirmity. His were true infirmities or weaknesses; there was no evil about him, but still he had the infirmity of misery,

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. What the High Priest is and represents (Hebrews 5:1)_ 2. The fulfillment in Christ made High Priest (Hebrews 5:5) 3. The spiritual condition of the Hebrew-Christians (Hebrews 5:11) Hebrews 5:1 In developing the priesthood of Christ and showing how it excels the earthly priesthood and is more glorious than the priesthood of Judaism, the principles of priesthood of the levitical system are first stated. Upon this follows the comparison of the priesthood of Christ with that of Aaron. The transcendent priesthood of Christ is thus established by this contrast. These opening verses have nothing to

AT HOME WITH MAN AND GOD (Hebrews 5:1-10)...