ACC ~ Hebrews 5 v11 - 13

FIRST PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S WORD. THEODORET OF CYR: To those still lacking perfect faith the heralds of the truth propose only things to do with the humanity. This is the way followed by blessed Peter in addressing Jews. He accommodated his teaching to the limitations of the listeners, saying, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God,” and so on in keeping with this theme. The divinely inspired Paul in proposing the message to the Athenians called Christ the Lord not God but a man. INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 5.

MILK FOR SIMPLE-MINDED FOLK. ORIGEN: For we do everything in our power to see that our gathering consists of intelligent people, and we dare to bring forward in common discourse at the time of our gathering our most noble and divine beliefs when we have an intelligent audience. But we conceal and pass over the more profound truths whenever we see that the meeting consists of simple-minded folk who are in need of that teaching which is figuratively called milk. AGAINST CELSUS 3.52.

OUR LABORS ARE ALL FOR YOUR PROFIT. CHRYSOSTOM: I am afraid that this might fitly be said to you also, that “though by this time you ought to be teachers,” you do not hold fast to the rank of learners. Ever hearing the same things on the same subjects, you remain still in the same condition as if you heard no one. If any person should question you, no one will be able to answer, except a very few who may soon be counted. This is no trifling loss. For oftentimes, when the teacher wishes to go on further to touch on higher and more mysterious themes, the want of attention in those who are being taught prevents it. If a boy, though hearing continually the basic elements, does not master them, a grammar master will continually din the same things into the boy and will not leave off teaching until the boy has learned them accurately, for it is great folly to lead him on to other things without having put the first well into him. So too in the church, if, while we constantly say the same things, you learn nothing more, we shall never cease saying the same things.

For if our preaching were a matter of display and ambition, it would have been right to jump from one subject to another and change about continually, taking no thought for you but only for your applauses. But since we have not devoted our zeal to this, but our labors are all for your profit, we shall not cease discoursing to you on the same subjects, till you succeed in learning them. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 9.1.

CRUCIFIXION OF OUR FLESH. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: “Every one who lives on milk” as food … whose hope of salvation is in the promises of the earthly law, is “unskilled in the word of righteousness,” that is, in the crucifixion of our flesh, by which the righteousness of God is proclaimed. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 5.

Heb