Hebrews 5:12

Hebrew 5:12

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat.

a. NLT: You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

b. NIV: In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

c. YLT: For even owing to be teachers, because of the time, again ye have need that one teach you what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and ye have become having need of milk, and not of strong food,

d. Amplified Bible Classic: For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food. 

e. Worrell Translation: For even when, on account of the time, ye ought to be teachers, ye again have need thatsome one teach you the first elements of the oracles of God and have become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

f. Wuest Translation: In fact, when at this time you are under moral obligation to be teachers by reason of the extent of time[you have been under instruction], again you are in need of someone to be teaching you what are the rudimentary things of the very beginning in the oracles of God, and have become and still are such as have need of milk, not of solid food.

1. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers…”

a. For [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. For [Strong: 1063 gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

c. when for [Strong: 1223 dia dee-ah' a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

d. the time [Strong: 5550 chronos khron'-os of uncertain derivation; a space of time (in general, and thus properly distinguished from 2540, which designates a fixed or special occasion; and from 165, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay:--+ years old, season, space, (X often-)time(-s), (a) while.]  

e. ye ought [Strong: 3784 opheilo of-i'-lo, or (in certain tenses), its prolonged form opheileo of-i-leh'-o probably from the base of 3786 (through the idea of accruing); to owe (pecuniarily); figuratively, to be under obligation (ought, must, should); morally, to fail in duty:--behove, be bound, (be) debt(-or), (be) due(-ty), be guilty (indebted), (must) need(-s), ought, owe, should.] [Zodhiates: Metaphorically, to be bound or obligated to perform a duty, meaning I ought, must…]

f. to be [Strong: 1511 einai i'-nahee present infinitive from 1510; to exist:--am, was. come, is, X lust after, X please well, there is, to be, was.]

1). These believers were old enough in the Lord to be teaching others.

g. teachers [Strong: 1320 didaskalos did-as'-kal-os from 1321; an instructor (genitive case or specially):--doctor, master, teacher.]

2. “…ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God…”

a. ye have [Strong: 2192 echo ekh'-o, including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

b. need [Strong: 5532 chreia khri'-ah from the base of 5530 or 5534; employment, i.e. an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution:--business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want.]

c. that one [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. teach [Strong: 1321 didasko did-as'-ko a prolonged (causative) form of a primary verb dao (to learn); to teach (in the same broad application):--teach.]

e. you [Strong: 5209 humas hoo-mas' accusative case of 5210; you (as the objective of a verb or preposition):--ye, you (+ -ward), your (+ own).]

f. again [Strong: 3825 palin pal'-in probably from the same as 3823 (through the idea of oscillatory repetition); (adverbially) anew, i.e. (of place) back, (of time) once more, or (conjunctionally) furthermore or on the other hand:--again.]

g. which [Strong: 5101 tis tis probably emphatic of 5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

h. [be the] first [Strong: 746 arche ar-khay'; from 756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank):--beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.]

i. principles [Strong: 4747 stoicheion stoy-khi'-on; neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of 4748; something orderly in arrangement, i.e. (by implication) a serial (basal, fundamental, initial) constituent (literally), proposition (figuratively):--element, principle, rudiment.]

j. of the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

k. oracles [Strong: 3051 logion log'-ee-on; neuter of 3052; an utterance (of God):--oracle.]

l. of God [Strong: 2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

1). These first principles are spoken of in the very next chapter.

1). Hebrews 6:1, 2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

3. “…and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat.”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. [are] become such as [Strong: 1096 ginomai ghin'-om-ahee; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.][Zodhiates: to come into existence, to begin to be.]

c. have [Strong: 2192 echo ekh'-o, including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

d. need [Strong: 5532 chreia khri'-ah; employment, i.e. an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution:--business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want.]

e. of milk [Strong: 1051 gala gal'-ah of uncertain affinity; milk (figuratively):--milk.]

f. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

g. not [Strong: 3756 ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

f. of strong [Strong: 4731 stereos ster-eh-os' from 2476; stiff, i.e. solid, stable (literally or figuratively):--stedfast, strong, sure.]

g. . meat [Strong: 5160 trophe trof-ay'; nourishment (literally or figuratively); by  implication, rations (wages):--food, meat.]

1). These were not innocent new born babes; they were Christians who were old enough to be teaching others, and were expected by God to be so, but had become such as needed to be fed milk. As we shall see in the next few verses it was because they were not walking in the light that was revealed to them and because of that, they reverted back in a spiritual condition comparable to babies, being dull of hearing. Dull of hearing is caused by disobedience to the revealed word of God. They were not walking in the light revealed to them because of their laziness they had reverted back to babes, but also were dull of hearing, the word did not affect them any longer.