Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
These cross references all relate to the idea that spiritual growth is a process that requires instruction and nourishment. They emphasize the need for Christians to learn from teachers and to feed on the spiritual milk of the Word of God. They also highlight the importance of maturity in the faith and of being able to discern between the basics of the gospel and more advanced teachings. Finally, they emphasize the importance of teaching and admonishing one another in a spirit of thankfulness and love.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Isaiah 28:9-10: “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” | Both passages refer to the need for teaching from God's Word. Hebrews 5:12 states that we need someone to teach us the basic principles of the oracles of God, which is likened to needing milk rather than solid food. Isaiah 28:9-10 further explains that God's Word is given in small increments, requiring us to be weaned from the milk to understand it. |
| 1 Corinthians 3:1-3: But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? | Both passages discuss the need for spiritual growth and maturity. Hebrews 5:12 states that believers need to be taught the basics of the Bible, and need to start with milk rather than solid food. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 further explains that believers should not be content with a basic understanding of the Bible, but should strive for spiritual maturity. In the passage, Paul explains that when there is jealousy and strife among believers, they are not behaving in a spiritual way, but are instead behaving in a human way. |
| Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. | Both passages emphasize the importance of teaching the oracles of God and letting the word of Christ dwell in us. Hebrews 5:12 is a call to the readers to become teachers of the oracles of God, and to practice the basics of faith until they are ready for solid food. Colossians 3:16 encourages us to let the word of Christ dwell in us, teaching and admonishing one another in wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in our hearts to God. |
| Hebrews 5:13: for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. | Both passages in Hebrews 5 emphasize the importance of spiritual maturity in the Christian life. The first verse urges the readers to progress beyond the basic principles of the faith and move on to more advanced teaching. The second verse explains the consequence of not growing in knowledge; if one remains a spiritual “child” and does not progress, they will remain “unskilled” in the word of righteousness. |
| Hebrews 6:1: Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, | Both passages address the need to progress in the Christian faith. Hebrews 5:12 calls for a return to the basic principles of the oracles of God, suggesting that the readers have not yet fully grasped these foundational teachings. Hebrews 6:1 then encourages the readers to leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and move on to maturity, suggesting that they are ready to progress beyond the basics. |
| 1 Peter 2:2: Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— | Both passages reference the metaphor of spiritual milk, which is used to describe the basic principles of the Christian faith. Hebrews 5:12 encourages believers to learn the foundational teachings of the faith, so that they can become teachers themselves. 1 Peter 2:2 encourages believers to long for the pure spiritual milk, so that they can grow in their faith and be saved. |
Heavenly Father, we come before You in humility, acknowledging our need for Your guidance and instruction. We thank You for providing us with the nourishment of Your Word, which we need to grow in our faith. Help us to remain eager to learn, so that we can be equipped to teach others the basic principles of Your oracles. Give us wisdom to discern Your precepts and to apply them to our lives. May the word of Christ dwell in us richly, as we use it to teach and admonish one another in all wisdom. Help us to grow in maturity, and to trust in You with a faith that will never fail. In Jesus' name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.