Hebrews 5:10 - Meaning and Application

Here the apostle comes back to what he had quoted in Hebrews 5:6 from Psalm 110:1-7 about Christ’s special priesthood, the order of Melchizedek. That priesthood was lasting, and so the salvation it secured would also last forever. Hebrews 7 gives a fuller account of Melchizedek. Some think the hard things Paul had to say were not mainly about Melchizedek himself, but about Christ, whom Melchizedek pictured.

Paul says he had many things to say about Christ, but they were hard to explain. That is no surprise, because there are deep mysteries in the person and work of the Redeemer. Christianity itself is the great mystery of godliness. The gospel is plain enough for faith, yet it also holds truths that are deep and wonderful.

He then gives the reason he did not speak more fully: the Hebrews were slow to hear. Some matters are difficult in themselves, and even gospel ministers may lack skill in explaining them clearly. But usually the greater problem is with the hearers. Dull listeners make gospel preaching hard. Even many who have some faith are slow to understand and slow to believe. Their minds are weak, so they do not grasp spiritual things, and their memory is weak, so they do not keep them.

Paul also shows that this weakness in them was sinful, not just natural. They had enjoyed such good teaching that they should have advanced much farther. Instead, by this time they ought to have been teachers, yet they still needed someone to teach them again the first principles of God’s words, Hebrews 5:12. God notices the time we have had and the help we have received for learning Scripture. Much is expected from those who have been given much. Anyone who understands the gospel well should be able to teach others, if not publicly, then at least in private. And no one should try to teach others unless he has grown in spiritual knowledge himself.

This was a sad disappointment. They needed to be taught again the very basics. In God’s word there are first principles, which are plain and necessary to learn. There are also deep truths, which should be studied by those who have learned the basics. Some people do not move forward at all in Christian knowledge. They even forget truths they learned long ago. Those who are not growing under the means of grace are usually losing ground. It is a shame for people who are grown in years and standing in the church to remain like children in understanding.

Paul then explains that the doctrines of the gospel must be given in different ways to different people. In the church there are babes and mature believers, Hebrews 5:12-14. In the gospel there is milk and strong food. Babes, who are not skilled in the word of righteousness, must be fed with milk. They need the simplest truths, explained in the simplest way, with careful repetition, Isaiah 28:10. Christ does not despise his little ones. He has provided food suited to them. It is good to be a babe in Christ, but not to stay in that childish state. We should always be children in malice, but in understanding we should grow into maturity.

There is strong food for those who are mature, Hebrews 5:14. The deeper truths of religion belong to those who have gone farther in Christ’s school and have well used what they learned at first. By practice, they have had their spiritual senses trained to tell good from evil, duty from sin, and truth from error. There have always been children, young men, and fathers in the Christian life. Every true Christian has received spiritual life from God and needs nourishment to keep that life alive. God’s word is that nourishment. Like newborn babies, believers should long for the pure milk of the word, so they may grow by it.

It is wise for ministers to divide God’s truth rightly and give each person what fits him, milk for babes and strong food for the mature. There are spiritual senses as well as natural ones. The soul has its own sight, appetite, and taste. Sin has dulled and damaged these, but grace restores them. By use and practice, these senses grow sharper and stronger. Then believers learn to taste what is good and true, and to feel the bitterness of what is false and evil. Reason and faith help with this, but spiritual sense also teaches people to tell what pleases God from what offends him, and what helps the soul from what harms it.