For the last two weeks I’ve been preaching a message from Hebrews 5 and 6 to several different churches. Below are my notes on this passage and I hope you enjoy them! I would just add a disclaimer that they are my raw preaching notes. So not every thought is written long-form, there are several footnotes with other thoughts at the bottom, and everything is in bullet form. It this doesn’t turn you off, then I hope you are able to enjoy the study!
PJW
Press On Toward Maturity
Hebrews 5:8-6:3
Personal Note and Background
This series of verses has had an outsized impact on my own life and walk with the Lord. It was these verses that God used to spur me on to learn more, to read more, to draw closer to the Lord and to teach what I learn to others. When I read this passage several years ago I thought (rightly) that “I can’t teach anyone now”, but realized that my inability wasn’t God telling me not to teach, but rather it was Him calling me to learn and grow closer to Him in obedience in order to teach when the time presented itself.
The hallmark of this text is a warning to believers not to live their lives as introverted and covetous people. We are to be people marked by inward heart transformation and a mind renewed in the knowledge of God, which we can readily share with others.
As Moses says, this Word of God is our “very life” – surely it is worthy of our attention today.
The Text: Hebrews 5:8-6:3
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. 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. 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, [2] and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [3] And this we will do if God permits.
I want us to focus on 3 Key Points we must take away from this passage, which we will see rise up again and again in our reading today:
- God’s desire and purpose for His image bearers is that we know Him. This call is especially so for believers who have been united to Christ
- Our growth in maturity is blocked not merely by intellectual issues, but by sin and love of the world, indicating a serious heart issue
- God calls us to press on toward maturity in the strength He has given: in prayerful reading and studying of His Word, asking for and depending on God’s help for our increased spiritual growth
The Biblical Theology
What the author of Hebrews says here, is not an isolated teaching, but reflects what we see throughout the Scriptures from the immutable plans of God for his image bearers, namely that God desires for us to know Him more intimately and to repent of the sin that hinders us from doing so:
And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, [46] he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. [47] For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:45-47 ESV)[i]
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. (Psalm 145:4-6 ESV)“For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, [19] and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations. (Isaiah 66:18-19)
***Isaiah clearly has an eschatological purpose here, and I will talk later about how Paul sees God’s glory as currently mediated through the Bible (2 Cor. 3:18)
It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— (John 6:44-45)
***Jesus connects knowing God soteriologically and says it’s the results of His Spirit’s work within us
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:13-15)
***The work of learning from God the Spirit ultimately brings Him glory, and is His plan for us
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, [10] so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)
From the law, wisdom literature, the prophets, our Lord Himself, as well as the Apostle Paul, there has been a call to deepen our knowledge of the Almighty, His ways and His Son, and to lean on His Spirit’s power in order to shine that light[ii] of knowledge to all nations[iii] as well as with our own families and friends.
The Situation/Context – 5:8-10
Now as we look again to the context of today’s passage, let’s once again examine verses 8-10. The Author is expounding on some deep Christological truths – mostly pertaining to the Priesthood of Jesus – that required a foundational understanding already in place. We just need to glean a few things to understand the context…
- That Jesus, though divine, was fully man and “learned” obedience – vs. 8
- That Jesus was perfectly righteous and that righteousness enabled him to be our source for righteousness and salvation – the very fountainhead from which we would derive our right standing before a holy God – vs. 9
- That these things contributed to the fact that Jesus is a priest, not an ordinary priest, but one “after the order of Melchizedek” which is an order both eternal and personal in type. There are many OT types but Melchizedek was the only type who represented not simply the offices of Christ (Messiah, King, Shepherd etc.), but also his person (eternal, and without father or mother).
– Needless to say these great truths – these are deep truths – and they aren’t going to make a whole lot of sense to someone still stuck on the basics. One cannot understand or appreciate the need for Christ’s imputed righteousness, the importance of His being fully man, the significance of Christ’s non-Levitical (and eternal) priesthood, or the typological significance of this enigmatic character Melchizedek if one is still learning the basic truths upon which these are built.[iv]
And so he stops and levels this charge against them (read verses 11-12)
CHARGE #1 – Dull of Hearing – 5:11-12
– As we read in verses 11 and 12 its almost as if the author stops mid course as he extolls the virtues of these great truths pertaining to Christ, and has to stop and say, ‘you know, I’d go on here, but its obvious that you aren’t ready for it – even though I have “much to say” still!’ He’s stymied by the stagnation of these church members.
– They ought to be teachers but instead they need someone to still teach them the basics. They come to church every week and never apply their minds past the elementary truths. They have regressed.[v] They have become “dull of hearing.” (nōthros – “no-thross” – slow, sluggish[vi], indolent, dull, languid)
– This is not saying they ought all to be teachers in the sense we have today as one called to preach, but rather they must be able to convey their beliefs to others – this is at the heart of “making disciples” (Matt. 28).
– John Owen rightly explains that this charge against them isn’t aimed at their being slow mentally, or having a learning disability. His charge is a moral charge “you treasure not them up in your hearts, consciences, and memories, but let them slip out, and forget them” says Owen. He continues “The natural dullness of our minds in receiving spiritual things, is, it may be, included; but it is our depraved affections, casting us on a neglect of our duty, that is condemned.”
– Therefore the principle problem here is not primarily an intellectual one, nor is it a communication problem on the part of the Apostle, rather it is primarily a problem within the hearts of these Hebrews, and within our own hearts as well.
– “By nature the hearts of all people are dull and insensitive to the things of God, nor are people genuinely interesting in hearing and seeing what God has to say to them (Matt. 13:15). Mark emphasizes that the same malady afflicts the disciples. They suffered from hard hearts that resisted the revelation of God in Jesus (Mark 6:52; 8:17, 21). They failed to grasp the significance of Jesus’ teaching, and their failure cannot be attributed merely to intellectual incapacity.” – Thomas Schreiner[vii]
– In short, the sins of pride, covetousness and possibly laziness are to blame. We love the world more than we love God. We love Monday night football more than we love reading the Scripture. We love our hobbies more than our conversations with the Lord. And where we spend our time and money is an accurate reflection of where our affections truly lie.
– Matthew Henry says, “It is a sin and shame for persons that are men for their age and standing in the church to be children and babes in understanding”
– This is why James rightly says, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21 ESV)
– We must also not misunderstand and think that the “elementary truths” are not precious, that is not what the author is stating.[viii]
– The basics of the gospel are the foundation for understanding greater mysteries appertaining to the gospel, and to what the author is getting at here, namely the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in this context, His priesthood.
– Thus to be “DULL OF HEARING” is to have hearts loaded down with other matters – worldly matters, and minds that are clouded with other priorities. These are sins that block the blood flow and clot the arteries of our faith, causing our thirst for the knowledge of God to dry up.
– We need hearts whose desires are to follow hard after Christ, not spend endless years on spiritual life support!
And why is this? Because you are “unskilled in the word of righteousness”
CHARGE #2 – Unskilled in the Word of Righteousness – 5:13-14a
– Philip Hughes writes, “The author is now seeking, as it were, to wean them from the debility of the milk-stage, into which they have sunk back, and bring them on to the solid diet of the doctrine of the high priesthood of Christ, who, as their Melchizedeck, is the King of Righteousness (7:1).”
– When the author describes the “mature” the Greek word is teleios (tel-ay-oss), which has the idea of something brought to its end, completeness, it is perfect, it is fully grown, it is consummated.
– The immature are “unskilled” in the word of righteousness. They don’t know how to handle their Bible, and consequently they are not living a life in accordance with God’s will – they aren’t pressing on toward “completeness” (Phil. 3:12)[ix]
– This admonition comes in the context of learning, therefore the call is for God’s children to have discernment about sound teaching and a developed taste for the sweetness of God’s Word.
o Children have a taste for simple foods, simple drinks, and simple deserts. Adults, however, desire couscous, cappuccino, and Crème Brulee – not peanut butter, apple juice, and popsicles.
– NOW there are consequences to being “unskilled” in the Word of God. When you are lazy in your learning, you hurt the body of Christ and cause other people (and yourself) pain in at least two ways:
1. You use the Sword of the Word in an unwieldy way and lead others astray, therefore causing great pain and spreading sour milk (to use the author’s dairy term) around the church.
2. You are completely impotent as a comforter to those who are hurting, in need of wisdom, or exhortation. This means you cannot effectively correct and guide your children, encourage your wife, lead others in a Bible study, or share with those in pain. You’ve essentially benched yourself
– The “mature” have a right knowledge of God resulting in the ability to discern between good and evil in all things. This “discerning” is shorthand for living in such a way that reflects God’s work within you – it means loving others and God, and is the result of a renewed mind and transformed heart.
– Being able to discern between good and evil, then, is the fruit of a life transformed by God. It is the evidence of faith, and the outward reality of a changed heart within us.[x] And it is God’s prerogative to use the instrument of His Word and Spirit to do this.
But how is that achieved? How is it said that we obtain this discernment?
The Remedy: Discernment Attained by “Constant Practice” – 5:14b
– Here we learn how this discernment is achieved: by constant practice. This means, no doubt, that we must be continually abiding in the Word of God if we’re to grow closer to God, and live out lives transformed by God’s Spirit.
– We would do well to examine what Paul says about the nature of “renewing our minds” and the close connection between being “renewed” and the ability to “discern the will of God.”
o “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
– Therefore, the discerning Christian/growing Christian is marked by time in Scripture and prayer. We must immerse ourselves in Scripture Reading, Scripture Memorization, Scripture meditation, and prayer.[xi] We must inculcate His truths into our minds and lives.
– This means a real application of our time, energy, and even finances to learning the deep things of God. [xii]
– Let me suggest then that you do a few practical things:
o Read the Word Daily: spend time taking in several chapters of the word each day. This is more than simply one or two verses.
o Memorize Scripture:[xiii] Chuck Swindoll says, “I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. . . . No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified”
o Extended Times of Prayer: Praying for 30-60 min. greatly increases our love of time with the Lord and grows us in unexpected ways.
o Read Good Christian Authors: Many of us spend our time reading all fiction, or all one field or another. We need to be diverse in our reading, but first and foremost we need to read good Christian authors (I’m not talking TD Jakes or Joel Olsteen), slowly working our way up to deeper more mature reading. Start with the modern day Christian classics: Packer’s ‘Knowing God’, Sproul’s ‘Holiness of God’, Piper’s ‘Desiring God’, Lewis’ ‘Mere Christianity’, and Schaeffer’s ‘True Spirituality’.
– Furthermore, it is the universal witness of Scripture that calls attention to ITSELF as the instrument by which God changes us and blesses us with a closer knowledge of Him: Consider just a few examples…
o David begins the Psalms with this important exhortation, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; [2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3)
o And Paul writes in 2 Corinthians the following, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
– We behold that “glory” today by reading the Word of God. The glory of God is mediated through the written Word of God and effectively applied to our hearts by the Spirit of God. This is what transforms us by “constant practice.”
– Matthew Henry rightly states, “The word of God is food and nourishment to the life of grace: As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.”
– And yet again, we must read as much with our hearts as with our minds, applying both to the task. As C.H. Spurgeon says:
o “If you had a New Testament in Greek it would be very Greek to some of you, but it would do you as much good to look at that as it does to look at the English New Testament unless you read with understanding heart.”[xiv]
And so now you see the thrust of what we’re getting at here. We have a heart problem when it comes to learning about God and it is only through the implanted Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are changed and transformed. And that leads the Apostle to his final exhortation…
The Exhortation – 6:1-2
– “Leave” here does not mean “forsake”, for the author clarifies by stating “not laying again a foundation”, in other words you need to start building on the foundation.
– Imagine a home where the builders laid the foundation, got the plumbing and electrical set in, built the cement blocks structure and decided to take a break…for a few years! The structure is exposed to the elements until the rest of the house can be built upon it. Rain hits it. Snow sits upon it in winter…and the heat of the sun bakes it in the summer. Left as it is, water creeps into crevices and freezes, thereby expanding and cracking the cement blocks. The process repeats itself over and over, until finally decay starts to take place. So the construction crew has to come and rebuild the foundation again. What the author of Hebrews is saying is that these men and women in the church had let that foundation rot and deteriorate over and over and over. They just kept on rebuilding! The outline was already in place; they’d done it before. No problem, just replace those blocks! We need to build upon the foundation, not become so complacent in our learning that that we’re stuck in a perpetual process of groundbreaking!!!
– This is not to say that we don’t cherish the foundation, of course. For we continually point people to the foundation points of the gospel – and we too need to be continually reminded about them and revel in their glories![xv] However, we build upon this foundation in order to plumb the deeper mysteries and glories of Christ.[xvi]
– At the heart of the Spirit’s work within us is His desire for us to know Christ more. Not to move on from the Gospel, but to better understand and appreciate the profundity of it glory.
– We are called to “go on toward maturity”, to bring to fullness that which God has started within us. We do not do this in our flesh, but in cooperation with His Holy Spirit who applies the Word we read to our hearts (which I will mention more in just a minute)
– Therefore we must be continually putting ourselves in a position to learn more, to hear the Word more, to pray more. These are the meat and potatoes of the Christian life! It is in these things that “solid food” is apprehended and consumed.
Finally, the Apostle does not stop with this exhortation, but goes on to deliver a comforting reminder (read verse 3)
The Reminder: God is Sovereign – 6:3
– Along with the exhortation, the author delivers an indicative statement about the character of God. You see, God never gives commands (imperatives) without first laying the foundation for the ability to obey those commands. This ability, this foundation, is always grounded in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the power of God the Spirit working within us.
– Verse 3 reminds us that all we do, all we strive for, is done by both the permission and the power of God. He is the one who is cleansing our hearts and renewing our minds and He will give us the faith to press on, and the discernment to do His will. For as Paul says:
o “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. [2] For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. [3] For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-3a)
– Furthermore, we can rest in the fact that it is God – the all powerful – who is working within us. Yet we are exhorted to obey, and held responsible as new creations to work toward holiness. For as Paul says elsewhere:
o Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)
– Therefore we note once again that God desires for us to know Him. And it is His working in and through us that will help us do so. Yet we as Christians are responsible to seek His face, to confess our sins, to pray and ask the Lord to change the desires of our hearts and conform our will to His in order that we might be able to discern what is right and that from a changed heart and a renewed mind, we will please and honor Him.
Conclusion
And so in all of this we again see the three things I mentioned above:
- God’s desire and purpose for His image bearers is that we know Him. This call is especially so for believers who have been united to Christ
- Our growth in maturity is blocked not merely by intellectual issues, but by sin and love of the world, indicating a serious heart issue
- God calls us to press on toward maturity in the strength He has given: in prayerful reading and studying of His Word, asking for and depending on God’s help for our increased spiritual growth
My message today has been mostly aimed at those who profess the lordship of Jesus Christ and are followers and believers in His name. However, if you have been listening to this message and feel a stirring in your heart to know God, then I would implore you to seek Him while He may be found. Act on that conviction and surrender your heart to His call. We are all sinners, we have all acted against the law of God which has been emblazoned on our consciences. We know right from wrong, yet we have spurned the Lord and Creator of all that is right. All men will one day give account for their behavior during this life. Only in repentance and faith in Jesus are you able to be saved from the consequences of your sin. Jesus not only promises (and delivers) forgiveness, He promises and gives a healed heart and transformed life to those who call on Him and believe in His name. You must trust yourself, your heart and your soul and your entire life to His command. If you have come to a point where you realize the condemning nature of your sin, and the need for salvation, then I urge you to surrender and be forgiven and receive eternal life in the name of Jesus.
For those of you who have heard this message and are followers of Christ, I urge you to take this calling seriously and work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Realize that God is calling you not to a life of intellectual boredom, but to a renewed mind and transformed heart — a mind which sees terrors as joys and trials as blessings. A mind and heart that look through the gray havens of today to the eternal riches of His presence in heaven.
We can do this, as Christians, by prayerful meditation on the Word of God. By asking God to change our hearts’ desires to match that of His Son’s. By continual “hearing of the Word” and submitting your lives joyfully to its teaching. This will bring you both peace and joy and give you great strength when all else seems to fail.
None of this can be done alone, can it? That is why we have the fellowship of the church. And so I admonish you to stir up one another toward good works, toward meditation on the word, toward times of prayer together, and apart. That you will together as a congregation seek the face of the Lord with all diligence.
We will do this with His great help, and with David we say:
Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! [9] Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! [10] Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! [11] Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! [12] Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, [13] O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! (1 Chronicles 16:8-13)
[i] This is also seen in Exodus 33:11, 17 and 18. Moses is talking to God and God says, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name” (vs. 17). This follows close on the heels of verse 11 which stated, “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend…” So what we see is that God has initiated a personal relationship with Moses (keep in mind this is in the Old Testament, for those of you who think God has somehow changed and is more loving and personal now because of Jesus). Moses’ reaction is what our reaction ought to be when God changed our heart, “Please show me your glory” (vs. 18b). Moses’ reaction is “I want to know you more!” That is the proper reaction toward a God who has entered into a personal relationship with us!
[ii] (Is. 49:6, 60:3)
[iii] Matthew 5:16; Acts 13:47
[iv] Owen is right to cite 1 Corinthians 2 which says, “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—[46] not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.” (John 6:45-46). Paul then goes on to say, “ [10] these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10)
[v] Hughes makes a wonderful point that the fact that they have “become” dull of hearing means that at one point they were not dull, they have regressed. Therefore it is not a mental, or intellectual issue he’s dealing with, nor is it a communication problem with what the author is saying to them, rather it is a problem of the heart.
[vi] In the Reformation Study Bible R.C. Sproul says, “The Greek word translated “dull” reappears in 6:12 (translated as “sluggish”), suggesting that the danger of spiritual laziness is in view throughout this section.
[vii] This quote from Schreiner is from his New Testament Biblical Theology, Page 512.
[viii] These are foundational truths, as John MacArthur says, “the phrase is equivalent to the gospel of salvation by faith rather than works.
[ix] Again we see the call to Spiritual maturity, which is more than simply “intellectual sophistication” (Sproul). And while none of us will reach our “completeness” in this life, yet we agree with Paul who says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12)
[x] As Paul says, “the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” (2 Cor. 2:15-16a)
[xi] I like what Tony Reinke says on reading through the Bible in a year, “Reading the Bible from cover to cover in 2013 is a noble goal. And it’s a goal that positions us well to commune with God. Keep communion as your aim, and remember the words of Scripture are there for us to know God’s heart, to commune with the Living Christ, and to respond appropriately to his beauty and to his voice.” The thing this passage really stresses as a result of diving deep in the word of God is the ability to have discernment between what is good and what is bad (vs. 14). But there are obviously many other benefits to spending time in God’s word, which flow from a renewed mind, and a transformed heart. Here’s the link: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/why-we-read-the-bible
[xii] I don’t know where to put this, or if it really even fits in, but there is such a stark contrast between our own affections and those of the angels in Zechariah 3. Here we see that they are completely obsessed with adorning Joshua (the High Priest at the time) with the best robe etc. in order that God will be pleased. Their minds are continually thinking “how can I please God in my actions?” They are obsessed with that! So also was the Apostle Paul. When you take the entire corpus of his work, his writing, you’ll see a man so transfixed on Jesus that in order to summarize his entire mission to the Corinthians he says that he resolved to know nothing else but Christ and Him crucified. Christ permeates Paul’s writing to such an extent that it would be impossible to read around it. Paul’s entire lens of thinking was seen through the Lordship prism of Jesus. Jesus was all to him. So should it be with us – but this means we must have hearts that are desirous of this and not simply our own obsessions and hobbies. Everything must play the servant to Christ. All desires and all hobbies, all people and all family must be His second fiddle.
[xiii] Dallas Willard, professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California, wrote, “Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. That’s where you need it! How does it get in your mouth? Memorization” (“Spiritual Formation in Christ for the Whole Life and Whole Person” in Vocatio, Vol. 12, no. 2, Spring, 2001, p. 7). http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-memorize-scripture
[xiv] He says a ton of great things here. Just a few sentences later Spurgeon goes on to say, “It is the spirit, the real inner meaning, that is sucked into the soul, by which we are blessed and sanctified. We become saturated with the Word of God, like Gideon’s fleece, which was wet with the dew of heaven; and this can only come to pass by our receiving it into our minds and hearts, accepting it as God’s truth, and so far understanding it as to delight in it. We must understand it, then, or else we have not read it aright.” http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1503.htm
[xv] Peter O’Brien says it well, “the author is not suggesting that they should leave behind the gospel for some form of deeper or fuller instructions for initiates. There is no proposal here that the listeners should abandon these basic truths. Indeed, the author reminds them of some of the essential elements of the foundation by immediately listing them. His point is that they are not to lay again the basis of elementary teaching, but to make progress by building on it. The solid food they need is a development of the themes of repentance and faith, resurrection from the dead and eternal judgment’, in the light of the author’s exposition of the high priesthood of Christ.”
[xvi] In the context of Hebrews 5 the call is to understand better the mystery of the priesthood of Christ.
PJ Wenzel 