Hebrews 7:1–10

¹ For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” ³ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. ⁴ Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. ⁵ And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; ⁶ but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. ⁸ Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. ⁹ Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Preamble: The mention of Melchizedek in the previous verse (Hebrews 6:20) begins again the Word of God's exposition of his priestly position and service, to now show the superiority of it to Aaron's. And so the Lord Jesus Christ as now the One and Only High Priest of God has been called according to it, and not according to the temporal priesthood that came through Aaron. And so in this section we are shown the marked distinctions between Melchizedek's priesthood and Aaron's. 

Commentary
Vs. 1 "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,"

Unlike Aaron, Melchizedek bore two titles and served in two capacities. The first one mentioned is that of being king, specifically king of Salem, which means king of peace. Now Salem geographically corresponds with Jerusalem, and so in Melchizedek we clearly see the precursor for the Lord Jesus Christ's own Kingship, and thus His fulfilling this aspect of that office and service for God, and for us all who believe in Him. Now the second aspect of Melchizedek is that he alone in the days of Abraham was called the priest of the Most High God. This is very important because in being called according to the order of Melchizedek and not Aaron, the Lord Jesus Christ likewise is now the One and only High Priest before God, therefore we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ do not trace our spiritual beginnings to Aaron and Moses, but to Abraham who first believed God (consider Gal 3:5-9, 15-18, 19-25, 26-29 etc.), who was alone blessed by Melchizedek, which then set the stage for the Spiritual descendancy that followed, which we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ all belong too (1 Peter 2:9-10). And so when Melchizedek met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings (that is those kings who had first assailed and taken prisoner Abraham's nephew Lot and the people who dwelt with them (see Gen. 14, vs. 18-20), this Melchizedek, king of Salem, being priest of the Most High God, after Abraham had secured the victory then met Abraham and blessed him alone. Now the nature of this blessing will not be discussed here for the Word of God is not focusing on that, but rather on the importance of the position and person of Melchizedek (as a precursor to Christ) and thus Abraham's response to him as priest of God Most High. 

Vs. 2 ² to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 

Abraham then upon this meeting then gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils from the war. Now this is very significant because by doing so Abraham was acknowledging that Melchizedek was indeed priest of God Most High, and thus far greater than himself. And so imagine if you will that this great man Abraham (the father of the faith) whom God alone had called, by receiving and honoring Melchizedek's person and position did so as his willing subjection to God through God's priest Melchizedek, because his position as priest of God Most High was the precursor for Christ's. Therefore if Abraham received and honored God's priest Melchizedek who blessed him, how much more should we now likewise receive and be in subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ as God's High Priest alone. For the parallels between Melchizedek and the Lord Jesus Christ are so clear and are being shown us all by the Word of God so that no one in anyway would dare lesson Jesus Christ's Person or High Priesthood by seeking to return themselves (or others) to the Law and Aaron's. For again Melchizedek is the precursor of all that God intended to do through the Lord Jesus Christ's own Priesthood. For God's blessing on His people does not come upon us through Aaron and Moses and the Levitical priesthood that came through them, but only through the Lord Jesus Christ's. And so here it is also stated that Melchizedek was first called "king of righteousness" as well as "king of peace", two titles that could never be attributed to Aaron or his descendants and their priesthood, because Aaron was never called by God a king, nor did his person or his service as priest ever bring about a righteous standing with God, or peace with God, for anyone. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has done this for everyone who believes in Him crucified and risen from the dead for all their sins and transgressions, and thus now is subject to Him as God's One and only High Priest who is Lord of all.

Vs. 3 "without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually."

And so this Melchizedek as the precursor of all that God was going to do through His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ, also had to be without a father, and without mother, (that is genealogical parents), having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and thus being made like the Son of God (in regards to these things) remains a priest continually. Now this eternal aspect of Melchizedek's person and priesthood is the critical point being made here, because both Aaron's person and priesthood, and all the priest's, and specifically all the high priests who came through him, were all temporary, they began on earth, and thus their service ends on earth (Rev. 20:6). And so theirs is not the everlasting priesthood for God, theirs was the service that the Law required until the Seed should come through whom all of God's promises and provisions for us all who believe in Him would come to fruition.

Vs. 4  ⁴ Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 

The significance of Abraham giving Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils should not then be lost on any of us, because Abraham here being called the patriarch (of our faith) in doing so was pointing us all through the person and service of Melchizedek to the Person and Priesthood of Christ, whom we are all to honor and be in subjection too (John 5:22-23).

Vs. 5-6 ⁵ And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; ⁶ but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

And so now an analogy is being drawn between the sons of Levi who received the priesthood from God, and thus were commanded to receive tithes according to the Law from their brethren, who also came through the loins of Abraham, and so all of these who were commanded to receive tithes from the people under the Law first all paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham (vs. 9), and thus themselves are likewise subordinate to God's Priest Melchizedek, just as Abraham was, though that is not the whole point here, for though they all came through Abraham who himself paid tithes to Melchizedek, who again did not come from the tribe of Levi, or even through Abraham, but by God. Therefore since Abraham their (and our) father acknowledged and received and honored Melchizedek as being exceedingly greater then himself, received and honored him in anticipation of Christ fulfilling this service for him and for all. How much more then should Abraham's descendants do likewise and be in subjection to God  as Abraham was by receiving and honoring His High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ who was also sent to them. And so whether one is of Aaron or Levi or one of the other tribes of Israel is irrelevant, because Abraham their father in submitting himself to God through Melchizedek set the stage for all of his descendants (whether biological or Spiritual) to follow. Therefore if you believe in God then be in subjection to God as Abraham the Patriarch was by honoring and obeying God's High Priest who is not now Melchizedek, but the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Vs. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 

Abraham being the lessor of these two great persons; Melchizedek and himself; is blessed by the better, something which Melchizedek did when he came out to meet Abraham after the slaughter of the kings (vs. 1). Again the point is that if Abraham who preceded Moses and Aaron, and thus is the patriarch to whom God gave the promises, in reverence received God's priest Melchizedek who was sent to bless him, how much more should his own descendants hold God's Son and Abraham's and our own High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ in reverence and thus be in subjection to Him. For Christ Jesus the Lord was sent as God's King and High Priest to bless and keep everyone who repents and believes in Him. 

Vs. 8 ⁸ Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 

Here on earth mortal men receives tithes, the reference being to sons of Aaron, the priests appointed by God to administer the Law. And so their service was earthly, temporary, they only officiated while they lived and while the Law was governing, while Melchizedek's service did not begin on earth, nor does it end on earth, and thus it is a marvelous model for the Lord Jesus Christ's own High Priesthood which was foretold through it. And thus through Melchizedek's unending service we have the witness that he still lives, and thus if he still lives, so too does the Lord Jesus Christ as our High Priest before God (Heb. 4:14-16). For Melchizedek's service was not pointing to himself, but to Christ Himself.

Vs. 9-10 ⁹ Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Not only did Abraham pay tithes to Melchizedek, but so too did Levi, for as the Word of God makes clear here, when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, Levi his descendant also did because he was still in the loins of his father Abraham when Melchizedek met him. And so again the point is that Melchizedek's person and position is not only greater than Abraham's but it also preceded and excelled all that came through Aaron, because it was a precursor to Christ's. The next section of Scripture then will bring this truth to bear with even more compelling reasoning's so stay tuned.   

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 6:13-20

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. ¹⁷ Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, ¹⁸ that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. ¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰ where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Commentary
Vs. 13-15 ¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Carrying on from the exhortation that we should imitate the faith and patience of those who inherit God's promises, the Word of God now gives us the example of Abraham, the father of our faith, a man chosen by God, who believed God, and thus went onto obey God in offering up Issac, and so God promised him saying, "“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, (vs. 14-15, citing Gen. 22:16-17). Therefore though Abraham believed God he was not immediately rewarded with God's promise, he had to patiently endure many trials and tribulations before God's promise unfolded to him; some of which he saw in his own lifetime, some of which came much later too and through his own descendants, and now as God's Promise finds it's fulfillment In Christ, Abraham now observing from heaven is seeing the the innumerable multitudes who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ likewise fulfilling God's Word spoken to him, by having God's longstanding Promise and blessing coming to fruition in our own lives as well, in that we too have become apart of God's chosen people in fulfillment of His promise spoken to Abraham (1 Peter 2:9-10). And so the point that is being made is that trust in God's Promise spoken through His Word is the most assured place to have ones trust and hope, because what God promises He always fulfills. Therefore if you have not yet placed all your faith, hope and trust in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ for your own redemption from sin and death please do so now, because God's Promise in John 3:16 was given by Him for you. 

Vs. 16-18 ¹⁶ For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. ¹⁷ Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, ¹⁸ that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

If mortal men swear oaths by something or someone greater then themselves as a confirmation of their own words, and thus their word is believed and trusted, how much more should we trust God's Word (vs. 16). Because God in determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, also confirmed it by an oath, not that His own Word needs any such confirmation, but rather He wanted to show us all who are and will be the heirs of His promise the immutability of His counsel, that is the unchangeable nature of it (vs. 17). Therefore when God swore His Promise He also confirmed it by an oath. Now this He did, not that He needed to confirm His own Word, but rather He did this so that all of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to whom His Promise of becoming His people is given, and thus of having His eternal salvation is for, would have strong consolation in His Person, in His Word, and thus in His Promise. For it is impossible for God to lie, therefore we who believe have strong consolation in God's Person, Promise, Counsel and Word, because having fled to Him for refuge from the wrath to come we now have everlasting salvation through His Son, and thus we have now laid hold of all of God's Promises which are all bound up in Jesus Christ alone. 

Vs. 19-20  ¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰ where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Therefore this hope of (eternal life by faith In the Lord Christ) we have as an anchor of our souls, for it is sure and it is steadfast, and it enters the Presence behind the veil; a reference to the holy Presence and sacred place of God, which the high priest once a year entered to make atonement and intercession for the people of God. And so just as this was once performed on earth in anticipation of God's Promises fulfillment, now this hope given us through God's Word's fulfillment In the Lord Jesus Christ likewise has now entered the Presence of God behind the veil in heaven, where Jesus the forerunner of us all who believe in Him has entered for us. Therefore in becoming the High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus has not only made the everlasting atonement for us all who believe in Him, but He has also established an everlasting and unchanging Priesthood of which He alone officiates in the Presence of God on our behalf (Heb. 4:14-16). 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 6:9-12

⁹ But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Commentary

Vs. 9 "But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner."

The Word of God's tone now changes from a dire warning to a tone of much encouragement, because all that was previous stated was not an indictment of us who believe, but rather those who don't. Therefore He say's, "...we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner." 

Vs. 10 "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."  

Therefore God is active in preserving our faith in His Son (1 Sam. 2:9; Psalm 31:23; 37:28; 97:10 etc.). For He is not unjust, for He both remembers and rewards all that we do in our love and labor for His Name. And so all that we have done and do in love towards His people (i.e. ministering to the saints), God remembers and repays, just as He remembers and will repay all that is done in ministering to those who cannot minister to you (Luke 14:12-14; also consider Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:23-25, vs. 24 where we will be rewarded for our faithful service to others as done unto Christ). 

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

In light of such things everyone should be even more encouraged in their faith and labors of love, and thus show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end that saints of old did, because being sluggish in ones faith, love, and life is not the way of Jesus Christ, and neither anyone of us who truly believe in Him. Therefore let us all imitate the lives, faith, and patience of those who have inherited the promises, and will inherit the promises.

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 6:1-8

¹ Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. ⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; ⁸ but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

It's important to note that what is being stated here is not abandoning the teachings of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. For these things are the foundations of a sound faith, and so forsaking them is not what is being stated here. What is being stated is that their should a progression in our faith and lives, and thus a moving on from the essentials of the faith and onto maturity. There is no need then to debate whether people are commanded to repent and believe, or be baptized upon their salvation, or of the validity of the laying on of hands, or of the ressurection of the dead and eternal judgment. These things have all been verified by the Life, Death and Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:11-16). Maturity then for us who believe is not found by us endlessly reiterating and or debating these to and amongst ourselves. Rather Spirit maturity requires our faith, and thus our living by faith in God through Christ, by which we must grow in both grace and truth if we are to attain to maturity (John 1:17; Gal 1:6-8; 2 Peter 3:18 etc.). 

Vs. 3 "And this we will do if God permits."

The thought here is that no one; whether an individual believer, or an assembly of believers grows apart from God. We are all dependent upon Him for our growth and our maturing. Yet God does not hinder our growth (only we do that) when we refuse to obey Him not only as the Author, but also the Perfecter of our faith (Heb 10:14). Lets us then work with Him in His grand designs to bring us all to maturity by our obeying the Biblical teachings of His Spirit gifted leaders, just as they rightly use His Word to instruct us and deliver us from every false way (consider Eph. 4:11-16). 

Vs. 4-6 ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

The sin of apostasy is what is being warned about here, a sin of which there is no repentance from. Not that the original recipients of this epistle had done so, (for if they had there would be no need to write to them), but rather to warn them against the peril of not progressing in ones faith. Now there are several things to note about this, first is that these individuals were once enlightened, they had heard the Good News about God's salvation by God's grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and so they were enlightened, not only about their own sinful condition, but more importantly about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Crucifixion death and Resurrection from the dead which is the only remedy for them and for all. And so God's promise went out to them, just as it goes to all, offering and bringing new and everlasting life to everyone who repents and believes in Christ. And yet with their being enlightened this did equate with their salvation. For one can hear the Gospel and yet not receive it's promise of remission of sins and everlasting by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so though they were enlightened, they did not take the next step and make a positive move towards a definitive faith and trust in God through the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Gospel always demands a response from us, and not to respond is only to waste an opportunity for ones own redemption. For it also says that they tasted the heavenly gift, that is they found themselves in a situation or circumstance where the glory of God's salvation was clearly shown them, they thus tasted the heavenly gift, yet they did not partake of the heavenly gift, for Jesus Christ Himself clearly warns us all that, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you" (see John 6:53-59). Therefore you cannot have just a little bit of the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot accept and receive only those aspects of His Person or His teachings that you find agreeable or believable. Your must eat and feed on all of Him, or you will have none of Him. And so going to church, or an evangelist rally, and partaking in all of the praise and worship and Spirit born activity, and thus to become a partaker of the Holy Spirit and His work in and amongst God's people is not the same as being born again by the Holy Spirit which is a definitive work of God who does this and seals everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ for the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14). Therefore where there is a resistance in an individuals heart to receive the Lord Jesus Christ completely and unconditionally there He will not go (for the antithesis of that see Jesus' Promise in Rev. 3:20). And so though these people had all kinds of exposure to God's Son Person and His salvation and His working in and through His people, and thus they tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come (vs. 5), and yet it did not equate with their believing and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as their own. They may have gone to Bible studies and joined small groups etc. but at some point in their hearts they stalled out and instead of growing in faith until they came to a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ upon which the Holy Spirit would have entered them and thus begun His work of sanctifying them, they only gave up their pursuit of Him, and instead of believing in Him for eternal life they only fell away from Him, and thus all that God had done and planted in their hearts and lives in the hopes of redeeming them has been lost forever, since they themselves made in their hearts at some point a definitive rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ's Person. Therefore they cannot be renewed to repentance, since they would then crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame (vs. 6). Therefore there is no redemption for anyone who does so. This passage then is a dire warning for us all to heed because God will not endure anyone who does so (consider John 3:35-36).

Vs. 7-8 ⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; ⁸ but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

Now these verses metaphorically represent the life of the individual who has fallen away from Christ and thus whose unregenerate life now only bears the fruits of sin and death, and thus there is contained with them a warning about bearing the good fruits that God desires in all of our lives, because just as the earth is watered and nurtured by God so are we, and if we do not bear the good fruits of repentance in our own lives (Matt 3:8-10; Acts 26:20), then we too may be cursed and rejected and ultimately burned. For there is a ressurection of the just and the unjust and so the responsibility always lies with us to bring our faith and lives inline with God's (John 5:24-30). 
Therefore I urge you to take the Word of God deeply into heart and Person and life and let the Lord Jesus Christ deeply transform you. Because that is where everything Christian and life giving begins, with Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior indwelling you, for then you will have all of fruits of the Spirit of God within you, the love, the joy, the peace, the patience, the kindness, the goodness, the faithfulness, the self control all which makes for living a fruitful and satisfying and purpose filled life. Therefore don't delay receive the Lord Jesus Christ today!

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Hebrews 5:12-14

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.

Commentary 
Vs. 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." 

Continuing on from the rebuke of their being dull of hearing (see Heb 5:11) the Word of God now makes an appeal to their false sense of being mature in the faith. For not unlike today, there are always some who need to move beyond the essentials of the faith and move onto maturity. And so though they should have been teachers, both in terms of their knowledge and understanding, and even their lives, and thus they should have been well established in the faith. Instead they were still found to be in need of the first principles of the oracles of God, and thus like infants they were still needing and feeding on milk and not solid food. And so somewhere along the way they stalled in their faith, and instead of moving onto maturity they lost sight of the Way. Maybe they returned to Jewish legalism (Rom 10:3-4), or maybe they continued to emphasize Spiritual gifts and giftedness rather than moving onto love (1 Cor 13). Whatever it was, it was bad enough for the Word of God to need to rebuke their inattentiveness to His Word and His wanting to lead them onto maturity. And so before we go on we all need to examine ourselves and make sure that what we think is being mature really is! Because nothing stifles growth and maturity and unity more than clinging to and exalting those things that are meant to lead us into maturity, and not into their own exaltation and servitude. 

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

For everyone (from the Pastor to the new born child of God) who partakes only of milk (a metaphor for beginning things of our faith, more on this in chapter 6) is only unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Notice it is God's Word that is the standard of righteousness by which we discern both good and evil. And so like the machinist who calibrates his very precise measuring tools against a known and unchanging standard, so must we calibrate our faith and beliefs and lives by the Word of God, which is the unchanging and unalterable standard of God. For it is the only true standard and measure for us who believe of what is righteous and holy and just conduct in the sight of God and what is not. And so being well versed in God's Word, both in belief and practice, is how we learn and discern God's will for us and for all. 

Vs. 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."

Therefore solid food belongs to those who are mature, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Spiritual discernment then is both a gift of the Spirit of God as well something that comes to us by our putting the Word of God in practice. Maturity then is linked to our obeying the Word of God and it's truths, as God by His Spirit reveals these things to us. For by doing so we not only mature in the faith, but we will also grow in our abilities to discern between good and evil. Something that is desperately needed as this world undoes all that is Godly and true and righteous and sound so as too leave no other standard then their own degenerating values for people to measure their lives and conduct by, and so rather than following that pathway of sin which leads to death (Rom 3:23), turn by faith too the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior not only for the remission of all your sins, but also for the regeneration, and thus transformation of your person and life! For it is Jesus Christ and Him alone who can and will bring you into a living and eternal relationship with God the Father Himself the moment you believe! Therefore be reconciled to God today, open your heart and mind and receive Jesus Christ so that you will have remission of all your sins and everlasting life united with God through Christ forever (Rev 3:20). 

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.