week of 07/22/11 4th recorded HighQuest Hebrews 5:5-14

The passage I read was Hebrews 5:5-14

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%205:5-14&version=NIV

The verse that most stood out to me:

¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

As I reflect:

First off, the focus of this passage isn’t in verse 5-10 to me. It’s in verse 11-14. Verse 5-10 are explained in more depth in chapter 7 of Hebrews but this portion is not the proper place for going into the depth and meat of comparing the priesthood of Aaron, Melchizedek, and Jesus. Though, it should have been, the Hebrews in Jerusalem were not ready for such an in depth discussion and first had some other things that needed discussing. Paul knew that many of these Jews who had accepted Christ as the Messiah and converted to either Messianic Jew or Christianity, were in turn reverting back to previous beliefs because of their lack of spiritual maturity to understand and discern certain things. They have become “dull” and no longer try to understand. This is a passage that is close to me but I’ll not share the reason as I’m quite sure the person it regards would not have me do so. None the less, in generalizing, I believe I can still share my reflection and have hopes that you too will chose to reflect on this passage perhaps writing down your own results.

Dependent upon what version of the Bible you read, you will note a variety of explanation in verse 11 using such phrases as “you no longer try to understand”, and , “you have become dull of hearing”. Either way, it is apparent to me that this is a state of being that the believer was not originally in. They grew into this state of lazy study from a place where perhaps they once cared more for an in depth look for the truth. I think from here to the end of the passage any and all Christians can take the message personally. We are to be teachers. Each and every Christian is called to teach those around them and sharpen each other as well as deliver the Gospel to the unsaved (which of course also requires teaching). It’s part of being a Christian. You can’t stay a baby forever. At some point we all have to stop living only for the milk of a feel good sermon and start walking with the wisdom found in the meat of the word and application to our lives. In the last verse here the NIV says “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. I looked up other versions (older) to see if there was perhaps more insight on the “training” part. The King James Version reads, “But strong meat belonged to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Interesting difference. It actually answers the question of how one trains saying, “have their senses exercised.” I know that for each physical sense we have it’s spiritual counterpart and this shows that by that spiritual counterpart’s exercise in our lives and in others, we gain the discernment of good and evil (which I believe is referring not only to the general sense of good and evil but also to the idea of correctly interpreting the word vs. inability to do so from lack of maturity). Some examples of that may be touch. The spiritual since of touch being exercised may look like being moved by a song or by someone’s predicament in life. Perhaps allowing your heart the ability to be touched by external circumstances is an exercise that builds discernment. How about the sense of hearing? The spiritual sense of hearing being exercised may look like listening not only to the words someone says or the sentence read in a book, but paying the extra attention to the unsaid for what is really meant by the said. That certainly exercises a sense to build discernment. What about sight? Have you learned to look with God’s eyes? Do you have a Biblical world view yet? When you see someone that could easily be judged by the external, have you exercised your ability to look past that at who they are to God? This builds discernment and by discernment we can have a matured understanding of good and evil.

My response to the Lord:

Father, I have a great desire to know you well. Following that desire is my desire for others to know also. I pray that you would use me to reach others be them saved and in need of correction or encouragement, or be them lost and in need of love and truth. Lord, because this is a daily journey and because there is such a weight on the message being delivered, I ask that you would help me to continue maturing and that you would guide my words as well as actions to properly reflect your child and disciple as I ought. For myself and for others, may I never become spiritually numb or dull and lazy, but rather may I be active in seeking more knowledge and wisdom form you that I may then share with the world as you have shared with me. I pray these things not as a double minded man but as a believer trusting in you with my life and praying to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.