Question:  Greg,

            In Hebrews 6:1-2, we are told, "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment." The author seems to be saying that Christ, faith, etc. are elementary and that we should move on to more important teachings. That can't be right. Please explain.

            Brett

Answer:  Dear Brett,

           This passage, as any other passage, should be seen within the light of its context. The book of Hebrews was written to help Jewish Christians understand the superiority of Christ over Judaism -- or any religious methodology, for that matter. The book was helping prepare people who still looked more to the temple in Jerusalem than they did to the cross and the empty tomb. The book was probably written in the early AD 60s—and the Romans destroyed the temple a few years later, in AD 69-70.

           In the book of Hebrews, everything the author stresses is a contrast between the old covenant and the new -- and everything comes from at best a Jewish-Christian context. Noted New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce made that distinction.

           In chapter 5, the author chides his readers for their lack of understanding of the most elementary truths about God's Word (5:12) -- about Jesus -- about how he has replaced the old covenant with its religious rules and rituals -- about how they were a foreshadowing of him. These truths are the milk -- the baby food of the Christian faith. As such, they are necessary to help prepare for the maturity in Christ that comes later.

           When the author notes that readers should go on to "solid food" (5:14), he was saying that a deeper and more mature understanding of Christ is not possible until one understands the basics -- who he is -- what he has done for us.

           Peter expresses a similar thought about Christian growth and maturation: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3 :18). Christian growth is in Christ. If we begin in Christ, if he is our foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11) then our spiritual house is constructed on the Rock (Mathew 7:24-25). If we are not spiritually transformed in Christ -- if we are not born from above (John 3:3) -- if our spiritual house is built on sand (Matthew 7:26-27) -- if Jesus is not the chief cornerstone of our spiritual house (Ephesians 2:20) -- then our spiritual house may appear to have beautiful chandeliers, marble floors and expensive art hanging on its walls, but it will fail when the winds blow, because it is built on sand.

           The context of the book shows that the original readers had not laid a foundation in Jesus Christ, but other, more peripheral areas, most specifically those that came out of their Jewish/old covenant culture. The focus of such religion with all of its theologies, drives us away from God's grace into the quicksand of legalistic religion.

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht