Day 702: Hebrews 5- From Milk To Maturity

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
    today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
    after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Warning Against Apostasy11 About this we have much to say, and it is 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 basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
 
Meditation
There are various reasons sociologists and scientist hypothesize for why humans are the only mammals that drink milk beyond infancy. There is only one reason Christians continue needing spiritual milk beyond infancy: Immature faith. Peter tells Christians to crave spiritual milk to “grow up into our salvation” (1 Peter 2:2-3). Hebrews wants to cure delayed spiritual development, not “growing up” into our salvation at all!
 
The author states clearly what he has implied to this point, namely Christians were “dull of hearing” (11). They had not “paid close attention to the message they heard” (2:1) or “considered Jesus” (3:1). Like with the wilderness generation, they had “hardened their hearts” (3:8), “not believed” (3:12), “disobeyed” (4:11), and therefore had not “entered God’s rest” (4:1). The difficult diagnosis is now given a cure: Christians need someone to teach the basics of Scripture and doctrine (12).
 
This section of the letter concludes an introduction to “Melchizedek” as the author finishes the foundation of his argument for Jesus being a greater High Priest (1-10). These key themes (through chapter 10) offer a helpful diagnosis for our hearts by compelling the question: Do you understand the purpose of the High Priest in the Old Testament? If not, what does this reveal about your maturity of understanding God’s word and the doctrines therein?
 
Growing in spiritual maturity is not simply studying more. We must apply God’s word to all of life, “constant practice” of distinguishing “good from evil” (14). Growing in maturity is being grounded in God’s grace and growing in God’s Word to walk in God’s ways in all of life.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Are you delayed in spiritual development? Do you need to move from milk to maturity?
 
-Where in your life are you not responding to God’s grace with studying God’s word and being shaped by God’s authority so you can more faithfully and fruitfully live for God’s glory in all of life?
 
-The grace of God is the ground from which we “grow up” into our salvation. How does God’s unconditional love and forgiveness through the finished work of Christ fertilize your faith to trust His word for all of life?
 
Key verses
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.