Hebrews 5:11-6:3 — Got Milk?

READ THIS: Hebrews 5:11-6:3

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

Verse 11 is referring back to the discussion on Jesus being our High Priest, but the author(s) stopped talking about it because he/she/they didn't think further explanation would be helpful. You can explain something excellently, but it's useless if the person you're explaining it to isn't trying to understand. Have you ever asked someone to repeat something, and then you immediately start texting as they repeat themselves...and then you don't know what they said AGAIN?! You're not actually trying to understand them. You're trying to text. I've been there, and oddly enough the person talking to me usually gives up and moves on to something else. 

Another problem with further explanation sometimes is if someone starts talking about something too advanced to be understood at all. My brother once tried to explain multiplication to me before I even understood what adding was. I couldn't even try to understand. That's another problem that happens that the author(s) reference here as well, instead using a metaphor about milk and solid food. A baby doesn't have the tools (teeth) to eat solid food, so they start with milk. But, eventually, they should graduate to solid food, just like I one day graduated to multiplication. Once a Christian understand the basic facts about Jesus and who He is, then he/she can move on to more complicated stuff. 

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Do you feel like you understand the basics of Christianity? What would you say the basics are?

 

2. What keeps you from understanding some of the more complicated things about Christianity?

TRY THIS:

Sometimes something else that keeps us from understanding something is that we're embarrassed. We feel like we've gotten in too deep to ask a dumb question. So, fight back against that lack of understanding! Text a trusted friend or even comment below with a "dumb question" you've been too scared to ask about Christianity/Jesus!

SONG OF THE WEEK:

 

Listen to this song and reflect on who Jesus is!