“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe” (Hebrews 5:13).
The New Testament book of 1 Peter makes use of an interesting comparison that relates to our text from Hebrews 5:13…
“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:1-2).
So, which analogy is accurate? Is milk representative of spiritual immaturity (as Hebrews 5:13 seems to imply) or should we “…yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation” (NET). Well, the answer is both. You see, infants and adults each drink milk; the difference is that milk represents the sole diet for an infant.
In a normal course of human development, a child eventually graduates from milk to solid food. So while milk is generally appropriate for everyone, only an infant would drink milk as an exclusive form of nourishment. In a similar manner, we should partake of the milk of God’s Word, yet we should also strive for the “solid food” that is associated with maturity in the “…word of righteousness.”
Remember that there are many dedicated, hard-working Pastors, teachers, and other church leaders who stand ready to help us grow in our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word. Their work serves to “…equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” Ephesians 4:12 ESV). We would do well to seek out these ministers and learn from them.
Nevertheless, we are individually accountable to God when it comes to our level of spiritual maturity (or lack thereof) and we must accept responsibility for our personal spiritual development. Two commentators from different eras make thought-provoking arguments on this subject in discussing this text from Hebrews 5:13…
“When you go to church, your pastor, who has digested some spiritual food from the Scriptures, teaches you what he has spiritually digested. That is like drinking milk, which is a predigested food for babies who have not yet developed a digestive system of their own. If the only Scripture you know comes to you through a pastor who has predigested that Scripture that makes you a spiritual baby.” (1)
“Milk is food which has passed through another’s digestion. Many cannot get their spiritual nutrition direct from God’s Word, but have to live on what others have obtained and have passed on in speech or book. Seek a first-hand acquaintance with the things of God. We grow by feeding and exercise.” (2)
(1) Dick Woodward, Mini Bible College Study Booklet #15 Hebrews, James, I and II Peter, I, II, III John, Jude and The Revelation [pg.4] https://mbc.icm.org/
(2) Meyer, Frederick Brotherton. “Commentary on Hebrews 5”. “F. B. Meyer’s ‘Through the Bible’ Commentary”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/fbm/hebrews-5.html. 1914.