Bible Strands
Hebrews 5:11
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The author of Hebrews addresses Jewish Christians who have stalled in spiritual growth, pausing his exposition of Christ’s priesthood to address their current condition. He speaks at a moment where his advanced teaching on Melchizedek has met their inability to receive it.
The words — The text states that dusermēneutos (difficult in interpretation) and polus logos (much speech) describe the material on Christ’s high priesthood. The author explicitly notes that the subject requires extensive explanation that his audience cannot currently process.
The thread — The author’s observation about spiritual dullness aligns with the calloused hearts described in Matthew 13:15 and Acts 28:27. His warning about complex teaching meeting immature listeners parallels Peter’s note in 2 Peter 3:16 regarding passages that are hard to understand.
Why it lands — The text states that advanced doctrine cannot be received by those who remain spiritually stagnant. It requires readers to acknowledge that maturity, not just exposure, is the necessary condition for grasping complex biblical truth.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Cross-references
- Matthew 13:15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
- Acts 28:27 For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
- 2 Peter 3:16 He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
- John 16:12 I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
- Isaiah 6:10 Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
- Mark 8:21 Then He asked them, “Do you still not understand?”
- Luke 24:25 Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
- John 6:6 But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
- Mark 8:17 Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?
- 1 Kings 10:1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.