The text of the New Testament letter of Hebrews doesn’t reveal the name of its author. Traditionally, the letter has been attributed to the apostle Paul, and whilst there are some writing style similarities there are also differences. One is that the letter is not written with the same passion, urgency and volatility that is apparent in other letters of Paul, such as 1 Corinthians and Galatians, where the apostle gets pretty steamed up at times. Just have a read. The truth is no one can be sure of who is the author. Me? I reckon it is Paul. I’ll give you one clue as to why in a moment ...
The letter to the Hebrews seems to have been much more considered and carefully composed than other pastoral epistles that were often fired off to counter urgent local church crises. The letter to the Hebrews lacks this spontaneity and is regarded by a host of Greek scholars as a grammatical and theological masterpiece. Hmmm, that seems to fit Paul, but that’s not my clue!
The letter was written late in 63 AD, (well before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD), to the Jewish believers gathered in there. But ten years earlier (in 53-54 AD) Paul had written his first letter to the Gentile church at Corinth. It wasn’t a nice letter – there was plenty of rebuke and plenty of instruction. There needed to be. One thing Paul said to the Corinthians was this …
1 Corinthians 3:1-2 (NIV)
“Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit [i.e “spirituals”] but as people who are still worldly [fleshly] —mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”
Those listening to the first four messages in the new sermon series, “Living a Powerful Spiritual Life”, know what Paul was getting at here. The Corinthians were as born again as any believer, but they were still “soulish” - that combination of body and soul that initiates thoughts and behaviours – and not “spiritual”. That is, though born again, they had not matured to become powerful spiritual people (one of the main aims of God’s salvation). They were not operating out of their regenerated (sanctified) spirit with thoughts and behaviours initiated from there to govern the soul. No, they were still eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and doing what they thought and felt was best. It wasn’t – not according to the apostle. That was soulishness – and the proof was in their lack of discernment and sexual immorality. It was rife. But hey, they were born again … yet, still spiritual babies. Being born again does not prevent soulishness – that’s always a choice.
Now the clue I promised …
Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV)
“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
Anyone who lives on milk can never mature spiritually. Not only that they a not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. What is this teaching about righteousness? In its most basic form teaching about righteousness is about understanding the work of the cross of Christ which atones for our sin AND makes us righteous with the righteousness of Christ. That is, just as Christ’s tripartite nature of spirit-soul-body was perfect and sinless and could know, without error or lack of clarity, the mind of the Father, so we, once regenerated of spirit and made righteous, grow from born again infancy to become mighty men and women of God – spiritually mature. Like Christ, who could says,
John 5:19 (NIV)
"Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
This is how it needs to be with us, too – ones made righteous by the blood of Christ!
Romans 8:10 (NIV)
“But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.”
Because of righteousness! Because of spirit-soul-body’s righteous reinstatement, or restoration. But reinstatement does not automatically deliver full righteous functionality. No! The Jewish Christians in Jerusalem – well-acquainted with the Scriptures, more than any Gentile – still did not understand this even though they were born again, too. Their righteousness was still tied to the law, but the law was only God’s containment measure to prevent soulishness from getting worse and worse, which was why the Day of Atonement each year was so critical, as well!
And so, the writer of the letter points this out. He emphasises that staying on milk will not advance their spiritual life of the born again in any way. He urges them to take solid food, and with the constant feeding on solid food they train their newly acquired righteousness (i.e. restored spirit-soul-body order) unto a highly developed, highly functioning level of spiritual being – incredible spiritual sensitivity and crystal clear, accurate spiritual intuition. Why? So that we can know the Father deeply like Jesus did … and do only what we see Him doing. When we can do what we see the Father doing, He confirms His will and purposes with astounding spiritual anointing, power and authority in all that we do! Want proof? Here it is …
Mark 16:20 (NIV)
“Then the disciples [not just apostles] went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.”
This is the life of Christ in us! Awesome!
Selah!
You are so precious in His sight.
Ps Milton