Heb 5:11-6:3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Heb 5:11-6:20: 5:11–6:20 After beginning to discuss Jesus’ appointment as High Priest (5:1-10 ), the author confronts his audience with a series of exhortations (5:11–6:20 ). Such a shift in a sermon or discourse was meant to focus the hearers’ attention. Summary for Heb 5:11-6:3: 5:11–6:3 This exhortation deals with the recipients’ spiritual lethargy. 5:11 spiritually dull: The Greek term means “sluggish, dimwitted, negligent, lazy.”

Summary for Heb 5:11-6:20: 5:11–6:20 ^a After beginning to discuss Jesus’ appointment as High Priest (5:1-10 ^b), the author confronts his audience with a series of exhortations (5:11–6:20 ^c). Such a shift in a sermon or discourse was meant to focus the hearers’ attention.
Summary for Heb 5:11-6:3: 5:11–6:3 ^d This exhortation deals with the recipients’ spiritual lethargy. 5:11 ^e spiritually dull: The Greek term means “sluggish, dimwitted, negligent, lazy.”
5:12 ^f Their lack of spiritual vitality was especially shocking since they had been believers so long: They ought to have been spiritual leaders who were teaching others from their wealth of knowledge and Christian experience.

• the basic things: The most rudimentary aspects of the Christian faith (see 6:1-3 ^g).

• The imagery of milk and solid food (or meat) was used to distinguish basic from advanced education, and immature from mature students.
5:14 ^h Being able to recognize the difference between right and wrong is a defining characteristic of spiritual maturity.

‏ Hebrews 6:1-3

Summary for Heb 6:1-3: 6:1-3 ⁱ In light of the hearers’ immaturity (5:11-14 ^j), the author urges them to move beyond basic teachings. The six basic teachings here were all foundational elements of Jewish instruction. The author might be challenging them to move beyond these basic teachings to further understanding about the person of Christ, which he elaborates in 7:1–10:25 ^k. 6:1 ^l Let us go on: Or Let us be carried on, suggesting that God initiates growth to maturity (Phil 2:12-13 ^m) and that it is an ongoing process.

• Repenting and faith are the basic commitments that initiate a person to the new covenant and constitute the basic posture of a Christian’s life (see Acts 20:21 ⁿ).
6:2 ^o The term baptisms (or washings) is plural, so it must mean more than just Christian baptism. Instruction about various washings was prevalent in first-century Judaism (see Matt 15:2 ^p; Mark 7:3 ^q). The author might also have in mind the cleansing rituals of the Old Testament (cp. Heb 9:13 ^r; 10:22 ^s).

• The laying on of hands was associated with healing (Mark 5:22-23 ^t; Luke 13:13 ^u), ritual blessing (Matt 19:13 ^v, 15 ^w), reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17 ^x; 9:17 ^y; 19:6 ^z), and acknowledgement of a person’s ministry (Acts 6:6 ^aa; 13:3 ^ab).

• resurrection of the dead: See thematic note for The Resurrection of the Dead at end of chapter.

• eternal judgment: See Rev 20:11-15 ^ac.
6:3 ^ad The author is implicitly exhorting his readers to maturity, not only in their understanding but in everything (cp. 4:11 ^ae; 5:14 ^af; 10:23-39 ^ag; 12:1-13 ^ah).