Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to explain, seeing you are dull of hearing.
All Commentaries on Hebrews 5:11 Go To Hebrews 5
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Being called, he says, of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedech: Hebrews 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered [or explained]. When he was about to proceed to the difference of the Priesthood, he first reproves them, pointing out both that such great condescension was milk, and that it was because they were children that he dwelt longer on the lowly subject, relating to the flesh, and speaks [about Him] as about any righteous man. And see, he neither kept silence as to the doctrine altogether, nor did he utter it; that on the one hand, he might raise their thoughts, and persuade them to be perfect, and that they might not be deprived of the great doctrines; and on the other, that he might not overwhelm their minds.
Of whom, he says, we have many things to say and hard to be explained, seeing you are dull of hearing. Because they do not hear, the doctrine is hard to be explained. For when one has to do with men who do not go along with him nor mind the things that are spoken, he cannot well explain the subject to them.
But perhaps some one of you that stand here, is puzzled, and thinks it a hard case, that owing to the Hebrews, he himself is hindered from hearing the more perfect doctrines. Nay rather, I think that perhaps here also except a few, there are many such [as they], so that this may be said concerning yourselves also: but for the sake of those few I will speak.
Did he then keep entire silence, or did he resume the subject again in what follows; and do the same as in the Epistle to the Romans? For there too, when he had first stopped the mouths of the gainsayers, and said, Nay but, O man, who are you that repliest against God? Romans 9:20, he then subjoined the solution. And for my own part I think that he was not even altogether silent, and yet did not speak it out, in order to lead the hearers to a longing [for the knowledge]. For having mentioned [the subject], and said that certain great things were stored up in the doctrine, see how he frames his reproof in combination with panegyric.
For this is ever a part of Paul's wisdom, to mix painful things with kind ones. Which he also does in the Epistle to the Galatians, saying, You did run well; who did hinder you? Galatians 5:7 And, Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If it be yet in vain Galatians 3:4, and, I have confidence in you in the Lord. Galatians 5:10 Which he says also to these [Hebrews], But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation. Hebrews 6:9 For these two things he effects, he does not overstrain them, nor suffer them to fall back; for if the examples of others are sufficient to arouse the hearer, and to lead him to emulation; when a man has himself for an example and is bidden to emulate himself, the possibility follows at the same time. He therefore shows this also, and does not suffer them to fall back as men utterly condemned, nor as being always evil, but [says] that they were once even good; Hebrews 5:12 for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, he says. Here he shows that they had been believers a long while, and he shows also that they ought to instruct others.
