What a mouthful! Truthfully, the whole letter to the Hebrews is quite a mouthful – the author does not mince his words. Let’s look at what he said in Hebrews 5:11: “There is much to say about this matter, but it is hard to explain to you, because you are so slow to understand.” In the next verse, he accused them of being babies who still drink milk instead of eating solid food.

 

We do not know who wrote the letter to the Hebrews, or exactly who the recipients were. It was most likely not sent to a particular congregation but rather to every church, especially those who came from a Jewish background. It is meant for a second generation of Christians, people who have received and known the message of Christ for quite some time. It was intended for people who know and understand the whole meaning of the gospel.

 

We are living in an era almost two thousand years after this text was written, and can rightly ask ourselves how it applies to us in the twenty-first century. Today’s verse gives us an indication when it suggests that we move forward “to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message.”

 

The writer used an excellent metaphor of laying a foundation. After all, a strong foundation is a basic necessity to build a sturdy structure. Things like conversion, faith, the resurrection of the dead and many more are crucial for a strong building, but if one keeps laying only a foundation, there will never be a complete building. A building also needs walls, doors, windows and a roof to be a real building

 

In this series, we will strive to “go forward to mature teaching” and by doing so, try to understand more about the work of the Holy Spirit in our world.

 

Prayer: Dear Lord, we confess that we are so often busy with the foundation that we do not spend time digging into the richness of Christ’s message. Please help us to be more willing to understand the full meaning of your message. Amen.