Hebrews 5:11

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Of whom.—Or, of which (subject), “Christ made High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

Hard to be uttered.—Rather, hard of interpretation, seeing ye have become sluggish in hearing. Their faculty of “hearing” had once been acute, and then few words and little explanation, even on such a subject as this, would have sufficed; now there has come upon them a lack of interest, and with this a want of power.

Benson Commentary

Hebrews 5:11-14. Of whom, &c. — The apostle here begins an important digression, wherein he reproves, admonishes, and exhorts the believing Hebrews; we — Apostles and other ministers of the word; have many things to say — And things of great importance, in order to your full illumination, and perfect acquaintance, with that Christianity which you profess; and hard to be uttered — Interpreted or explained, as δυσερμηνευτος signifies; though not so much from the subject matter, as because ye are dull of hearing — Careless as to giving attention, slothful in considering, and dull in apprehending the things of God. For when, for the time — Since ye first professed Christianity; ye ought to be teachers — Able to teach others less informed than yourselves; ye have need that one teach you again which be the nature of the first principles of the oracles of God — Accordingly these are enumerated in the first verse of the ensuing chapter. And are become such as have need of milk — The first and plainest doctrines. See on 1 Corinthians 3:2. For every one that useth milk — That is, that neither desires nor can digest any thing else; (otherwise strong men use milk, but not that chiefly, much less that only;) is unskilful in the word of righteousness — Makes it appear that he is unacquainted (through want of exercise and experience) with the sublimer truths of the gospel. Such are all they who desire and can digest nothing but the doctrine of justification and imputed righteousness. For he is a babe — See on 1 Corinthians 14:20. The apostle compares these Hebrews to babes, not on account of their innocent simplicity and teachableness, qualities which Christ recommended to all his disciples; but on account of their weakness and ignorance; for which, considering the advantages they had so long enjoyed, they were deserving of censure. But strong meat — The sublimer truths relating to a perfect acquaintance with, experience in, and the practice of, the whole gospel, chap. Hebrews 6:1; belongeth to them that are of full age — Τελειων, the perfect, or perfectly instructed: see on 1 Corinthians 2:6, where the same expression seems to be used in the same sense; even those who, by reason of use — Or habit, as εξιν signifies, implying strength of spiritual understanding, arising from maturity of spiritual age; have their senses exercised — Though the word αισθητηρια, here used, properly signifies the outward senses, as the eyes, ears, &c.; yet it is evidently here put for the inward senses, the senses of the mind; to discern both good and evil — Grown Christians, by exercising their spiritual faculties, become able to distinguish truth from error, in the various branches of Christian doctrines, having attained the full assurance of understanding in the mystery of God and of Christ, (Colossians 2:2,) as also to distinguish duty from sin, or moral and spiritual good from evil.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:11-14 Dull hearers make the preaching of the gospel difficult, and even those who have some faith may be dull hearers, and slow to believe. Much is looked for from those to whom much is given. To be unskilful, denotes want of experience in the things of the gospel. Christian experience is a spiritual sense, taste, or relish of the goodness, sweetness, and excellence of the truths of the gospel. And no tongue can express the satisfaction which the soul receives, from a sense of Divine goodness, grace, and love to it in Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of whom we have many things to say - There are many things which seem strange in regard to him; many things which are hard to be understood. Paul knew that what be had to say of this man as a type of the Redeemer would excite wonder, and that many might be disposed to call it in question. He knew that in order to be understood, what he was about to say required a familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures, and a strong and elevated faith. A young convert; one who had just commenced the Christian life, could hardly expect to be able to understand it. The same thing is true now. One of the first questions which a young convert often asks, is, Who was Melchizedek? And one of the things which most uniformly perplex those who begin to study the Bible, is, the statement which is made about this remarkable man.

Hard to be uttered - Rather, hard to be "interpreted," or "explained." So the Greek word means.

Seeing ye are dull of hearing - That is, when they ought to have been acquainted with the higher truths of religion, they had shown that they received them slowly, and were dull of apprehension. On what particular "fact" Paul grounded this charge respecting them is unknown; nor could we know, unless we were better acquainted with the persons to whom he wrote, and their circumstances, than we now are. But he had doubtless in his eye some fact which showed that they were slow to understand the great principles of the gospel.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. Here he digresses to complain of the low spiritual attainments of the Palestinian Christians and to warn them of the danger of falling from light once enjoyed; at the same time encouraging them by God's faithfulness to persevere. At Heb 6:20 he resumes the comparison of Christ to Melchisedec.

hard to be uttered—rather as Greek, "hard of interpretation to speak." Hard for me to state intelligibly to you owing to your dulness about spiritual things. Hence, instead of saying many things, he writes in comparatively few words (Heb 13:22). In the "we," Paul, as usual, includes Timothy with himself in addressing them.

ye are—Greek, "ye have become dull" (the Greek, by derivation, means hard to move): this implies that once, when first "enlightened," they were earnest and zealous, but had become dull. That the Hebrew believers AT Jerusalem were dull in spiritual things, and legal in spirit, appears from Ac 21:20-24, where James and the elders expressly say of the "thousands of Jews which believe," that "they are all zealous of the law"; this was at Paul's last visit to Jerusalem, after which this Epistle seems to have been written (see on [2551]Heb 5:12, on "for the time").

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The Spirit here digresseth from discoursing further of the priesthood of Christ, that he may fit these Hebrews to apprehend and improve it when he shall return to it, Hebrews 5:7. He beginneth with a reproof, which takes up the remainder of the chapter, and enters on it artificially from the doctrine delivered of Christ’s priesthood, insinuating the difficulty of its reception by them.

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered: ou, of whom, some would make to refer to Melchisedec, but by what followeth in this and Hebrews 5:7, it can be spoken of none but of Christ the truth of that type, who was made a High Priest after that order. And of him the apostle was filled by the Spirit with the matter, as Elihu speaks, Job 32:18. Much he had to say of this mystery, which was most excellent and weighty, and which a few words could not express; for it was dusermhneutov, not unutterable in itself, or difficult for him to open and interpret, but for them to understand.

Seeing ye are dull of hearing; because the ears of their mind were not created nor proportioned to it: they were babes and children in understanding; the difficulty was in themselves, not in the word or mystery; their intellective faculty was slow to discern, perceive, and judge of this doctrine, and their hearts were averse to it, being so conceited concerning the Levitical priesthood: such were the apostles at the first, John 16:12.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Of whom we have many things to say,.... Either of Melchizedek, or of Christ, or of his priesthood or of all of these; since the apostle does largely treat of them in the following chapters: he says many things concerning Melchizedek in the seventh chapter, and many things of Christ, and his priesthood, in those that follow; Christ is a large and inexhaustible subject in the Gospel ministry, and what a Gospel minister delights to dwell on; and it is a fund and stock from whence he is furnished with things of the greatest usefulness, and of the utmost importance:

and hard to be uttered; as were many things respecting Melchizedek, mentioned in Hebrews 7:3 and also concerning Christ, and his priesthood: abstruse and difficult things are to be looked into, considered, searched after, and insisted on: the whole Scripture is profitable, and the whole counsel of God is to be declared, and things hard to be explained should be attempted; this is the way to an increase of light and knowledge; though it becomes ministers to consult their own abilities, and the capacity of their hearers, that they do not go beyond them:

seeing ye are dull of hearing; this dulness of hearing is thought by some to arise from their afflictions; or from their attachment to the law of Moses; or rather from their sluggishness, indocility, and want of industry; and often times this arises from pride and prejudice, and irreverence of the word of God; and frequently from the deceitfulness of riches, and the cares of this life.

Geneva Study Bible

{6} Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

(6) A digression until he comes to the beginning of the seventh chapter; Heb 5:11-6:20: in which he partly holds the Hebrews in the diligent consideration of those things which he has said, and partly prepares them for the understanding of those things of which he will speak.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

to Hebrews 6:20Hebrews 5:11 to Hebrews 6:20. The author is on the point of turning to the nearer presentation of the dignity of High Priest after the manner of Melchisedec, which pertains to Christ, and thus of His superiority over the Levitical high priests. But before he passes over to this, he complains in a digression of the low stage of Christian knowledge at which the readers are yet standing, whereas they ought long ago themselves to have been teachers of Christianity; exhorts them to strive after manhood and maturity in Christianity, and with warning admonition points out that those who have already had experience of the rich blessing of Christianity, and nevertheless apostatize from the same, let slip beyond the possibility of recall the Christian salvation; then, however, expresses his confidence that such state of things will not be the case with the readers, who have distinguished themselves, and still do distinguish themselves, by works of Christian love, and indicates that which he desires of them,—namely, endurance to the end,—while at the same time reminding them of the inviolability of the divine promise and the objective certainty of the Christian hope.

Hebrews 5:11. Περὶ οὗ] sc. Χριστοῦ ἀρχιερέως κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. To this total-conception, as is also recognised by Riehm (Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 780), is περὶ οὗ to be referred back. We have to supplement not merely Χριστοῦ (Oecumenius, Primasius, Justinian), because that would be a far too general defining of the object, inasmuch as confessedly the discourse is not first about Christ in the sequel, but everywhere throughout the epistle. But neither is Μελχισεδέκ to be supplied to οὗ (Peshito, Calvin [Piscator hesitates between this and the following application], Owen, Schöttgen, Peirce, Semler, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Bleek, de Wette, Tholuck, Alford, Maier, al.). For even though—a fact to which Bleek appeals—the author, after having concluded the digression (Hebrews 7:1 f.), begins by characterizing this same Melchisedec, yet this description is subordinated to a higher aim, that of setting forth the high-priestly dignity of Christ; as surely also the reference of Hebrews 7:1 ff. to the close of the digression (Hebrews 6:20) clearly shows, since the former is represented by γάρ as only the development now begun of the main consideration: Ἰησοῦς κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, taken up anew, Hebrews 6:20. To take οὗ as a neuter, with Grotius, Cramer, Storr, Abresch, Böhme, Kuinoel, Klee, Stein, Stengel, Bisping, Delitzsch, Kurtz, and others, and to refer it to the high-priesthood of Christ after Melchisedec’s manner,—according to which οὗ would thus have to be resolved into περὶ τοῦ προσαγορευθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀρχιερέα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ,—is possible indeed, but not so natural as when it is taken as a masculine, since the discourse in that which precedes was about the definite person of Christ.

πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος] sc. ἐστίν. Wrongly, because otherwise ἂμ εἴη must have been added, and because a detailed development of the subject really follows afterwards; Peshito, Erasmus, Luther, and others: concerning which we should have much to speak.

καί] and indeed.

λέγειν] belongs to δυσερμήνευτος. Heinrichs erroneously joins it with ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος.

Even on account of the connectedness of the λέγειν with δυσερμήνευτος, but also on account of the preceding ἡμῖν, followed by no ὑμῖν, it is inadmissible, with Jac. Cappellus, Grotius, Peirce, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Valckenaer, Kuinoel, and others, to suppose the difficulty of the exposition or rendering intelligible of the λόγος to exist on the part of the readers, and thus to interpret δυσερμήνευτος in the sense of δυσνόητος 2 Peter 3:16. On the contrary, as the author has abundant material for discoursing on the subject announced, so is it also difficult for the author to render himself intelligible thereon to the readers. The ground of this difficulty which obtains for him is introduced by the clause with ἐπεί, which on that account is to be referred only to δυσερμήνευτος λέγειν, not at the same time (Hofmann) to πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος. For the rest, Storr and Bleek have already rightly remarked, that in the connecting of λόγος with the two predicates πολύς and δυσερμήνευτος a sort of zeugma is contained, inasmuch as λόγος is to be taken in relation to the first predicate actively,[74] in relation to the second passively. On the high-priesthood of Christ after the manner of Melchisedec, the author has much to speak; and truly it is difficult for him to make plain to his readers the contents or subject of his discourse.

γεγόνατε] characterizes the spiritual sluggishness or dulness of the readers not as something which was originally inherent in them, but only as something which afterwards manifested itself in connection with them. Chrysostom: τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν ἐπεὶ νωθροὶ γεγόνατε ταῖς ἀκοαῖς δηλοῦντος ἦν, ὅτι πάλαι ὑγίαινον καὶ ἦσαν ἰσχυροί, τῇ προθυμίᾳ ζέοντες, καὶ ὕστερον αὐτοὺς τοῦτο παθεῖν μαρτυρεῖ.

νωθρός] in the N. T. only here and Hebrews 6:12.

ταῖς ἀκοαῖς] with regard to the hearing, i.e. the spiritual faculty of comprehension. Comp. Philo, Quis rer. divin. haeres. p. 483 (with Mangey, I. p. 474): ἐν ἀψύχοις ἀνδριάσιν, οἷς ὦτα μέν ἐστιν, ἀκοαὶ δὲ οἰκ ἔνεισιν. The plural is used, inasmuch as the discourse is of a multitude of persons. On the dative, instead of which the accusative might have been placed, comp. Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 202.

[74] This is erroneously denied by Delitzsch and Alford. Even the two instances from Dionys. Halicarn., on which Delitzsch relies, plead against him.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Hebrews 5:11-14. Complaint of their sluggishness of mind.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11–14. Complaint that his readers were so slow in their spiritual progress

11. Of whom] i.e. of Melchisedek in his typical character. There is no need to render this “of which matter” or to refer it to Christ. The following argument really centres in the word Melchisedek, and its difficulty was the novel application of the facts of his history to Christ.

hard to be uttered] Rather, “respecting whom what I have to say is long, and hard of interpretation.” The word “being interpreted” (hermçnenomenos, whence comes the word “hermeneutics”) occurs in Hebrews 7:2.

ye are] Rather, “ye are become,” as in Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 6:12. They were not so sluggish at first, but are become so from indifference and neglect.

dull of hearing] Comp. Matthew 13:14-15. Nothros “dull” or “blunted” is the antithesis to ὀξὺς “sharp.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Hebrews 5:11. Περὶ οὗ, of whom) οὗ, masc., comp. ὅς, who, Hebrews 5:7. He now enters upon that very long anticipatory or precautionary[34] preface or preparation, which consists of rebuke, admonition, exhortation, and consolation. The Rhetoricians call it the securing (Captatio) of the kindly feeling of the reader or hearer. The preparation of the heart [of the hearer by the teacher], to which the doctrine is committed, often requires greater exertion than the teaching of the doctrine itself.—πολὺς) רב, much, i.e. too much:[35] comp. ch. Hebrews 13:22.—ἩΜῖΝ, to us) Paul includes, as usual, Timothy or others: comp. ch. Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 6:3; Hebrews 6:9; Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 2:5, Hebrews 13:18.—δυσερμήνευτος, hard to interpret) not from any fault in the writer, but in yourselves.—λέγειν) a correlative to ἈΚΟΑῖς. ΛΈΓΕΙΝ is not redundant, speaking is opposed to writing, as ch. Hebrews 13:22. Hard to be uttered, harder to be written, and yet the more necessary to be written on that account.—νωθροὶ) ch. Hebrews 6:12. The root implies ΣΤΈΡΗΣΙΝ ΤΟῦ ΘΕῖΝ, the negation of running[36]) verlegen “to loiter” on the road.—γεγόνατε, ye have become) The state of the Jews needed to be noticed, as well in so far as it was good, as also in so far as it was bad, Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 6:10, Hebrews 10:25; Hebrews 10:32-33, Hebrews 12:4-5; Hebrews 12:12.

[34] See Append. on προθεραπέια.—ED.

[35] More than it would be expedient now to say.—ED.

[36] An improbable derivation. Rather akin to νωθής and νόθος.—ED.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11 - Hebrews 7:1. - This is the long admonitory digression (see under ver. 1) felt by the writer to be necessary before his exposition of κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχιζεδέκ. He is entering on a new theme, higher and less level to the comprehension of his readers than any that has gone before. Even so far, we have seen how their Jewish prejudices had evoked admonitions, frequently interposed in the course of the argument. Much more so now, when it is to be shown how the priesthood of Christ not only fulfils the idea of, but also supersedes, that of the sons of Aaron, being of a different order from theirs. The region of thought to be entered now, being that of "the mystery of Christ," transcends more than any that has been so far entered the ordinary conceptions of traditional Judaism. Hence the writer's shrinking from entering all at once on the subject for fear of not being even understood; hence his earnest warnings to his readers as to the necessity of advancing to the state of full-grown Christians who can discern spiritual things. Verse 11 - Hebrews 6:20. - INTERPOSED EXHORTATION. Verse 11. - Of whom (the most obvious antecedent being Melchizedek, but with regard to his typical significance, as referred to in Psalm 110.) we have many things to say (the subject itself admits a lengthy exposition) and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become (not, as in A.V., "ye are") dull of hearing, Their dullness is the reason of the λόγος being δυσερμήνευτος. It was not that the subject was in itself inexplicable, or that the writer was incompetent to explain it; his difficulty was in adapting the interpretation to the capacity of his readers: "Non scribentis, sed vestro vitio" (Bengel). It seems from γεγόνατε ("ye are become"), in this and the following verse, that the Hebrew Christians had even retrograded in spiritual perception. This is easily conceivable. As, through the teaching of St. Paul especially, the tie between Christianity and Judaism became more and more broken, there was likely to be a certain reaction among the Hebrew Christians, who, having gone to a certain extent with the tide of thought, became conscious how far it was carrying them. They would be inclined to cling the more fondly to their old associations from the fear of losing them altogether. Such retrogressions have been observable in other times of upheaval of old ideas. Hebrews 5:11

Vincent's Word Studies

From this point the comparison of Christ with Melchisedec would naturally be developed; but the author digresses into a complaint of the imperfect spiritual attainment of his readers, and a remonstrance and admonition extending to the end of ch. 6.

Of whom (περὶ οὗ)

Rend. concerning which. Not Melchisedec, but the topic that Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, a topic to which great importance is attached. Can it be imagined that the discussion of such a topic would appeal to a Gentile audience as a reason for not relapsing into paganism?

We have many things to say (πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος)

Lit. the discourse is abundant unto us. We refers to the writer himself.

Hard to be uttered (δυσερμήνευτος λέγειν)

Lit. hard of interpretation to speak. The A.V. entirely misses the idea of interpretation. Rev. better, hard of interpretation. Δυσερμήνευτος N.T.o. olxx. oClass.

Ye are dull of hearing (νωθροὶ γεγόνατε ταῖς ἀκοαῖς)

Rend. ye have grown dull in your hearing. For ἀκοὴ hearing see on 2 Timothy 4:3. The verb implies a deterioration on the hearers' part. Νωθροὶ only here and Hebrews 6:12. From νη not and ὠθεῖν to push. Hence slow, sluggish. Mostly in later Greek, although Plato uses it much in the same sense as here. "When they have to face study they are stupid (νωθροί) and cannot remember." Theaet. 144 B. In lxx, Proverbs 22:29; Sir. 4:29; 11:12. Sometimes equals low, mean, obscure. So in Proverbs, but in Sirach slack, slow.