Hebrews 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. FOR THE TIME - considering the long time you have been Christians. Therefore this letter was not one early written. WHICH BE THE FIRST PRINCIPLES, [ ta (G3588) stoicheia (G4747) tees (G3588) archees (G746)] - 'the rudiments of the beginning of,' etc. A Pauline phrase (Galatians 4:3;...

12._For when for the time ye ought, etc. _This reproof contains in it very sharp goads to rouse the Jews from their sloth. He says that it was unreasonable and disgraceful that they should still continue in the elements, in the first rudiments of knowledge, while they ought to have been teachers. “You ought,” he says, “to have been the instructors of others, but ye are not even disciples capable of comprehending an ordinary truth; for ye do not as yet understand the first rudiments of Christianity.” That he might, however, make them the more ashamed of themselves, he mentions the “first principles,” or the elements of the beginning of God’s words, as though he had said, You do not know the alphabet. We must, indeed, learn through life; for he alone is truly wise who owns that he is very far from perfect knowledge; but we ought still to profit so much by learning as not to continue always...

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 5:12. _FOR WHEN FOR THE TIME_] They had heard the Gospel for _many years_, and had professed to be Christians for a _long time_; on these accounts they might reasonably have been expected to be well instructed in Divine things, so as to be able to instruct others. _WHICH_ BE _THE FIRST PRINCIPLES_] Τινα τα στοιχεια. _Certain_ _first principles_ or _elements_. The word τινα is not the nominative plural, as our translators have supposed, but the accusative case, governed by διδασκειν. and therefore the literal translation of the passage is this: _Ye have need that_ one _teach_ _you a second time_ (παλιν) _certain elements of the doctrines of_ _Christ_, or _oracles of God_; i.e. the notices which the prophets gave concerning the _priesthood_ of Jesus Christ, such as

FOR WHEN FOR THE TIME - Considering the time which has elapsed since you were converted. You have been Christians long enough to he expected to understand such doctrines. This verse proves that those to whom he wrote were not recent converts. YE OUGHT TO BE TEACHERS - You ought to be able to instruct others. He does not mean to say, evidently, that they ought all to become public teachers, or preachers of the gospel, but that they ought to be able to explain to others the truths of the Christian religion. As parents they ought to be able to explain them to their children; as neighbors, to their neighbors; or as friends, to those who were inquiring the way to life. YE HAVE NEED - That is, probably, the mass of them had need. As a people, or a church, they had shown that they were ignorant of some of the very elements of the gospel....

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

FOR WHEN FOR THE TIME YE OUGHT TO BE TEACHERS,.... These Hebrews had had great advantages; they were not only descended from Abraham, and had the law of Moses, and the writings of the Old Testament, but some of them had enjoyed the ministry of Christ, and however of his apostles; and it was now about thirty years from the day of Pentecost, in which the gifts of the Holy Ghost were bestowed in such an extraordinary manner, and a large number were converted, and a church state settled among them; and therefore considering the length of time, the opportunities and advantages they had enjoyed, it might have been expected, and indeed it is what should have been, that they would have been teachers of others, some in a private, and some in a public way: from whence it may be observed, that to have time for learning, and yet make no proficiency, is an aggravation of dulness; moreover, that men o...

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,

HEBREWS 5:12 tina, {C} The Textus Receptus reads the interrogative ti,na (hence AV renders, “ye have need that one teach you again which @ti,na# be the first principles of the oracles of God”), with Bc Dc K 88 614 _Byz Lect al_. Since the earliest manuscripts are without accent marks, editors must decide on the basis of context which is the more appropriate form; here the Committee felt that the indefinite pronoun (tina,) gives a sharper antithesis to ei=nai dida,skaloi in the preceding clause....

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