Stop Drinking Milk and Grow Up Already

The author of Hebrews has been building toward something huge. They've already shown that Jesus is greater than the angels, greater than Moses — and now they're going to explain why He's the ultimate High Priest. Not a self-appointed one. Not someone who grabbed the title for clout. The real deal, chosen by God Himself.

But then comes a hard pivot — because the audience isn't ready for the deep lore. They've been believers long enough to be teaching others, and they're still stuck on the basics. The author pulls no punches.

Hebrews 5:1-4 (ESV) Before explaining why Jesus is the greatest High Priest ever, the author lays out what a High Priest even does. Think of it as the job description:

"Every High Priest is chosen from regular people and appointed to represent them before God — to offer gifts and Sacrifices for Sins. He can be patient with people who mess up and wander off because he's dealing with his own weaknesses too. That's why he has to offer Sacrifices for his own Sins, not just the people's. And nobody just decides to be High Priest. You don't apply for this role. You get called by God — the same way Aaron was."

This is important context. The High Priest wasn't some elite power position you campaigned for. It was a calling — and the person in that role had to be humble enough to know they needed Grace just as much as everyone else. Nobody takes this honor for themselves. That's the baseline. 🙏

Hebrews 5:5-10 (ESV) Same rules apply to Jesus — but on a completely different level:

"Christ didn't hype Himself up to become High Priest. God appointed Him. The same God who said, 'You are my Son — today I have begotten you.' And in another place: 'You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.'"

That Melchizedek reference is massive. (Quick context: Melchizedek was a mysterious priest-king from way back in Abraham's time — before The Law, before Aaron, before any of the normal priesthood structures existed. The author is saying Jesus' priesthood is older and higher than anything Israel had ever known.)

But here's where it gets raw:

"During His time on earth, Jesus offered up prayers and pleas with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death. And He was heard because of His reverence. Even though He was the Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect through that process, He became the source of eternal salvation to everyone who obeys Him — designated by God as High Priest after the order of Melchizedek."

Let that sit. Jesus — the Son of God — cried out to the Father. He wept. He suffered. He didn't skip the hard parts because of who He was. He went through them. And that suffering wasn't a failure — it was the path to becoming the source of Salvation for everyone. No cap, that hits different. 💯

Hebrews 5:11-14 (ESV) Now comes the call-out. The author has SO much more to say about this Melchizedek connection, but there's a problem — and they say it straight up:

"There's a lot more to unpack here, but honestly it's hard to explain because you've become dull of hearing. By now you should be teachers. You've had enough time. But instead, someone needs to go back and teach you the ABCs of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. And anyone who's still living on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness — because they're still a spiritual child. Solid food is for the mature — for people who have trained their discernment through constant practice to tell the difference between good and evil."

This isn't gatekeeping — it's a wake-up call. The author isn't saying "you're too dumb for this." They're saying "you've had enough time to grow and you haven't." Spiritual maturity isn't about how long you've been a believer. It's about whether you've been putting in the work — actually engaging with truth, practicing discernment, and moving beyond the basics. If you've been in the faith for years and you're still only vibing with the easy stuff, that's a problem. Time to level up. 🧠