Hebrews 5:11-14

11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

of whom (v.11) — Jesus Christ in His Melchizedekian priesthood

have become (v.11) = are become — at a point in the past they grasped the truth (Hebrews 6:4 — enlightened)

dull (v.11) = lazy, sluggish — same as “slothful” (Hebrews 6:12) — lit. “no push”

hard to explain (v.11) — not because of the subject but because of the audience

They should have been teachers, but they still needed to be taught.

by this time (v.12) — by reason of the time — considering how long they’d been receiving instruction

again (v.12) — refers to “need” (not to “teach”)

first principles (v.12) — elementary truths, rudimentary ideas

oracles (v.12) — utterances of revelation — see Acts 7:38; Romans 3:2

milk (v.13) — Adults drink milk, but it is not their exclusive diet as it is with babies

unskilled (v.13) = inexperienced

babe (v.13) = immature — in contrast with mature

by reason of use (v.14) — habitual practice

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