Teachers tend to worry when children don’t make progress in the classroom, and will put in extra support to ensure that they don’t fall behind. But as learners in Christ’s school, do we notice when we fail to grow? What extra steps do pastors take when they notice members of the congregation getting stuck at the first principles of the doctrines of Christ? It’s not as if the gospel is a shallow subject or the Bible something superficial. In the following updated extract, Westminster Assembly member William Gouge discusses the criticism made in the letter to the Hebrews, which mentions learning about Christ, the believer’s high priest, “of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God …” (Hebrews 5:10–12).

The revelations of Scripture are profound

The previous chapters of Hebrews have been discussing the doctrine of Christ’s priesthood, which contains many profound mysteries. Christ’s priesthood is the main ground of our salvation. Most of the profoundest points of our Christian religion must be known in order to attain the knowledge of this, including the distinction between Father and Son, the distinction between the two natures of Christ (and how in both natures He was our priest — God, for works of authority and dignity; man, for works of service and suffering), as well as the union of those two natures in one person (because the perfection of all the things which Christ did as our priest did consisted in this).

It can be no wonder that so many heresies have started up in all ages about the priesthood of Christ. Most of the heresies of the Roman Church, especially those that are most fundamental, are about Christ’s priesthood. For there are two parts to Christ’s priesthood — the offering of His sacrifice, and His continual intercession — and most of their capital heresies are against these two. These include, for example, the sacrifice of the mass (which they say is a true, real, propitiatory sacrifice for the living and dead), their sacrificing priests, their doctrines of merit, of supererogation, of intercession of saints and angels, and most of their errors about the sacraments.

From this, we can see how necessary it is to be well instructed in the priesthood of Christ. Ministers should be stirred up to study and to preach Christ’s priesthood, as well as other doctrines. The people also should be stirred up to attend to it patiently and diligently.

We should be keen to understand

The Greek word translated “dull” properly signifies slow, or slothful.

They who are ready, willing, and forward to hearken to a thing are said to be “swift to hear.” Contrarily, they who are negligent and careless are said to be “slow in their ears,” or “slow in hearing.” By this we see that their lack of knowledge is through their own fault, as the dullness of understanding, which people bring on themselves by their own slothfulness, makes the mysteries of the Word to be more difficult than otherwise they would be.

This is what prompted Christ to reprove His disciples for not understanding what He spoke (Matt. 15:16, 16:9; Luke 24:25; John 3:10), and the apostles spoke similarly (1 Cor. 3:1; 2 Pet. 3:16). Those who do not understand the Word, and the mysteries it contains, should be humbled by this, for it shows that they have been slothful and careless about exercising themselves in God’s Word, and so made themselves dull in hearing, dull in understanding. Let them therefore lay the blame, not on God’s Word, but on themselves. Take away dullness from people’s understanding, and Scripture will be much easier than it appears to many!

The phrase, “hard to be uttered,” shows that hearers’ dullness keeps ministers from a full and clear expression of the mysteries of the Word. They don’t know how to speak to their hearers (1 Cor. 3:1). This forces them to pass over various mysteries, or to express them in simplistic terms, which suit dull capacities but are not very appropriate for divine mysteries. This in turn further exacerbates people’s dullness.

Preaching should have the effect of instructing people

This phrase, “for the time,” implies that these Hebrews had had the gospel preached to them for many years. By preaching they had been called into the Christian church, and made scholars in Christ’s school, and given Christ’s ministers to be their instructors, and the holy Scriptures for their books.

Our proficiency ought to correspond to how long we have continued sitting under the ministry of God’s Word. Christ reproves Philip for failing in this. “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?” (John 14:9). It aggravated the sin of the Israelites that they had been tutored in the wilderness for forty years, “Yet,” Moses says, “the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day” (Deut. 29:4). Jeremiah similarly complained that for 23 years in a row he had spoken to them the word of the Lord, but they had not hearkened (Jer. 25:3).

The continuance of the means of knowledge among us is a great aggravation of our people’s ignorance; for who among us have not been born and brought up under the light of the gospel? Are there any now who were born before Queen Elizabeth’s days? [Elizabeth I began to reign in 1558.] But from the beginning of her days till these days of ours [the 1650s], the gospel has been preached in this land. The truth of God’s Word has all this time been publicly preached and strongly maintained. A shame, therefore, it is for people to be dull in hearing the mysteries of the Word. Believers have a responsibility to learn thoroughly.

Believers should assist each other to grow

Seeing the Hebrews had enjoyed the continuance of the means, they should have attained to a measure of knowledge which would have enabled them to instruct others. The word translated “teachers” signifies someone who has learned in such a way as to be able and fit to teach others. Sometimes it is used for one who has an office of teaching (Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:28); sometimes for one who has ability to teach (Rom. 2:20). The second sense is how we take it here (as it does not follow that all who are able to instruct others should take on the ministerial teaching office: all who have the office of teacher must have the ability of teachers, but all who have the ability need not have the office).

The word translated “ye ought” signifies a bounden duty. It was fitting for them, and it was their duty, to make use of the means of knowledge that had been so long afforded to them in this way. In this respect the apostle requires aged women to be teachers of good things (Tit. 2:4). So Aquila and Priscilla instructed Apollos (Acts 18:26).

By such proficiency, both God, His Word, and His ministers are much honoured. Indeed, in this way the church may be much increased, and they themselves made able to do much good to others, and to themselves. What then should we think of those who do all they can to keep people from knowledge, and to nuzzle them up in ignorance?

This may be a spur to such as think they have gone great lengths, if they have so much as attained to some fundamental principles. Are they fit to be teachers? Where is the fullness of knowledge (Col. 1:9), and abounding in knowledge (2 Cor. 8:7), which is required of Christians?

If it is the duty of ordinary Christians to be able to instruct others, how much more is it the duty of ministers, heads of families, parents, and those who have responsibility for others? What a shame it is for them to be unable to be teachers!

It becomes us therefore to give the more earnest heed to the things we hear (Heb. 2:1), so that we may profit the more by them, and still more and more grow in knowledge, till we come to be able teachers.

Pastors should be patient teachers

This phrase, “ye have need,” is brought in as a reason why the apostle has forborne to handle deep points — they had need of other kind of instructions.

People are to be instructed according to their need. “Ye are not able to bear such and such doctrines,” Paul said (1 Cor. 3:2); “I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now,” Christ said to His disciples (John 16:12). It is expressly said that He spoke the word to them “as they were able to bear it” (Mark 4:33). Christ would not press on His disciples the austere discipline of much fasting, while they were but novices. He declares the equity of this in two familiar comparisons, one taken from putting a piece of new cloth into an old garment; the other, from putting new wine into old bottles, which He says no one will do (Matt. 9:14–15, etc.).

It is therefore a special point of wisdom in those who have responsibility for others, to observe carefully what they have need of. It’s as if Paul said, “At your first entrance into Christ’s school, you were ignorant of its mysteries, and needed to be instructed in the first principles of Christian religion. But notwithstanding the long time that you have enjoyed such great means of knowledge, you remain the same as you were in the beginning. So it is needful that we begin from scratch all over again!”

Where need requires it, the same things are to be taught again, and again. “To write the same things, is for you safe,” says the apostle (Phil. 3:1). The prophet agrees. “Precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line” (Isa. 28:10). This is how we deal with our friends. If we observe that by reason of weakness they need to be fed with the same kind of sustenance as they ate in their childhood, we will give them the same again. Should we not be equally wise for people’s souls as for their bodies?

Believers should strive to move beyond the basics

What the Hebrews needed to be taught again is called “the first principles of the oracles of God.” All the arts have their distinct principles, which learners are first taught. So Christians have their principles, in which those who desire knowledge of the Christian religion are first instructed.

To show what kind of principles he means, the apostle adds, “of the oracles of God.” He means the principles which God makes known in His Word. For example, the laws which Moses declared from God are called “oracles” (Acts 7:38), as are the precepts committed to the Jews (Rom. 3:2), and in general the whole Word of God (1 Pet.4:11).

In particular, these are called “the principles of the doctrine of Christ,” (Heb. 6:1).

In this case, to be ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, is a great shame (2 Tim. 3:7). God Himself is much dishonoured by this, and His Word and ministers disgraced. This is of direct concern to those who have been church members and hearers of God’s Word for a very long time. Adversaries are ready to open their mouths in criticism against them, to blaspheme the name of God (Rom. 2:21). They are also easily made a prey to every seducer (Eph. 4:14). Take heed therefore how you hear.

FURTHER READING

AUTHOR MENU