The Dull One

I am finding a recent study of the book of Hebrews most compelling, relevant and practical.  Perhaps from a worldly vantage point it seems incredible an ancient volume could speak so powerfully today, yet this is the miracle God does daily as we open His word and seek Him.  No one deserves an audience with the Almighty but by God's grace Jesus Christ invites those redeemed by His shed blood into the throne room to find mercy and grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

It struck me today disciples of Jesus at the time did not understand what He was saying, misunderstood Him and other times flatly contradicted Him!  Jesus once asked, "Do you understand what I am saying?"  The apostles assured Him they did, but the Bible reveals they did not!  Those who claimed to understand Him thought Jesus was talking about bread when He was talking about doctrine (Matthew 16:7) and imagined defilement came from outside rather than from within a person (Mark 7:18-23).  After Jesus revealed He was going to Jerusalem, would be killed and rise from the dead the third day, the disciples began debating among themselves who was the greatest (Luke 9:44-46)!  There were countless misconceptions and blatant errors Jesus patiently addressed in the hearts and minds of His disciples, and when He rose to heaven in eternal glory there remained much work to be done in Jesus' disciples.  Having been born again by the Holy Spirit, expect there is still much work God desires to do in and through each one of us. 

The Bible gives us no latitude for saying of the children of Israel in the wilderness, "How could they be so stupid?" or wonder about disciples who walked alongside our Saviour, "What was their problem?"  The writer of Hebrews prefaced a portion of the letter that went on to explain how Jesus has an everlasting priesthood of the order of Melchisedec with this zinger in Hebrews 5:11-12 "...of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food."  Over time a boy grows to be a man and a girl grows to be a woman, but spiritually speaking the Hebrews (and us modern-day readers) can remain illiterate, babbling babes when by now we should be showing signs of spiritual growth, maturity and leadership.

The problem wasn't the lack of knowledge but being "dull of hearing."  The believers to whom this letter was penned had their doctrines lined up and the shocking reality is God's word was unable to adjust them more perfectly!  They agreed with doctrine mentally (theoretically), but their lives were not aligned with it practically.  They believed in Jesus Christ, yet they continued to justify themselves according to the Law of Moses; they continued to bring sacrifices to the Temple when Jesus once for all offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin.  Listen:  let us not assume or imagine we agree with or understand all Jesus has said.  We may nod approvingly because we are familiar with Jesus saying it, but do our lives reflect the reality He proclaimed?  Since the example of the children of Israel and Christ's disciples are provided us, we will find ourselves in their "dull of hearing" sandals more than we care to admit.  It is hard to get through to us when our heads are full of knowledge that has never been adopted by faith in practice.

Jesus spoke the truth in love and many disciples chose to leave Jesus and follow Him no more.  They were unable and unwilling to receive what Jesus said as true, that His flesh was food and blood was drink indeed.  It may be those who hear the word of God preached from a sincere heart of love will choose to leave a church, and Jesus knows exactly what that is like.  Though Jesus Himself kept the Law, He did not for a moment cater to the Pharisees despite their political clout or spiritual authority because His authority as God is infinitely greater.  Great dangers for preachers and teachers today are to avoid controversial subjects, cater to those who oppose Christ or to be content to be dull ourselves and remain unchallenged and thus unchanged by all we read in the Bible.  A knife grows dull from use, and it is the dull knife which is set aside because it needs sharpening.  When we realise we are the dull one it is wise seek the LORD who sharpens us by His grace.