Milk & Meat
My wife and I were visiting the camp she used to cook at, along with our son who was only a few months old at the time. An old friend offered to take Joshua for a little bit so that we could visit more freely. This friend was an older gentleman who was not up to date on what kind of food little Josh should be consuming. We went to look for him to relieve our friend of his baby-sitting duty and he said, “Joshua sure loves chocolate pudding!” Suzanne laughed thinking it was a joke. The man looked perplexed and asked, “What’s so funny?” He had fed Joshua an entire desert dish of chocolate pudding with whipped cream. He threw it up on the way home.
Joshua was still only nursing. He was not ready for pudding! Most of us are not really “ready” for pudding, but that is another story. What Josh needed then was his mother’s milk. His little digestive system could not handle more. All the same, it was just what he needed for that early stage of growth. He wanted the pudding, but needed the milk. The writer to the Hebrews differentiates between milk and meat as symbols of what nourishes new creations in Christ. Baby Christians need the milk of the word but are meant to go on to the meat of the word as well. This may raise the question, what portions are the milk and what portions are meat in Scripture? It’s not as easy as that. It comes down to what many understand as the milk and the meat available in every portion of Scripture.
When Jesus spoke, he offered truth simultaneously on many levels. Parables are the classic illustration of this. But even when saying something very straightforward, there is more to it than meets the ear, initially. Take for example His words from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It was during the three hours of darkness that Jesus said this, saying to us that God the Father left him. He was being treated like a sinner on behalf of all the sinners of the world. He faced separation from God the Father for us, so that we would not have to. This is the milk of his words. A child can understand this. At the same time, we know that he was also quoting the first line of Psalm 22, which is a graphic depiction of crucifixion. Prophecy was fulfilled in Christ’s death.
If that isn’t enough, there is more still. It was said at about the ninth hour. The ninth hour was the time for prayer for all Jews. (See Acts chapters 3 & 10) Jesus prays to the Father on the cross at the hour of prayer. As well, it was dark from the sixth to the ninth hour, or from noon to three o’clock. It was dark at the ninth hour. The ninth plague on Pharaoh was the plague of darkness – just before the death of the firstborn. There is symbolism here that is rich and deep. Much to mull over and mediate on. Finally, in asking “My God my God, why have you forsaken me?” we see that it was not Christ that left the Father, but the Father who left his Son for a time. Even in a state of abandonment, bearing the wrath of God, we see our Saviour crying out to the Father. He was forsaken, but would not let go. He held on for us. He then committed himself into his Father’s hands and died.
Josh eats meat now – and pudding. He is growing and maturing. We who are born again need to grow and mature just the same. Feed on God’s word. It nourishes and strengthens your new-creation-life. Then, help feed others. “Feed my lambs” Jesus says to us who can handle meat. Just go easy on the pudding.
BJ
Joshua was still only nursing. He was not ready for pudding! Most of us are not really “ready” for pudding, but that is another story. What Josh needed then was his mother’s milk. His little digestive system could not handle more. All the same, it was just what he needed for that early stage of growth. He wanted the pudding, but needed the milk. The writer to the Hebrews differentiates between milk and meat as symbols of what nourishes new creations in Christ. Baby Christians need the milk of the word but are meant to go on to the meat of the word as well. This may raise the question, what portions are the milk and what portions are meat in Scripture? It’s not as easy as that. It comes down to what many understand as the milk and the meat available in every portion of Scripture.
When Jesus spoke, he offered truth simultaneously on many levels. Parables are the classic illustration of this. But even when saying something very straightforward, there is more to it than meets the ear, initially. Take for example His words from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It was during the three hours of darkness that Jesus said this, saying to us that God the Father left him. He was being treated like a sinner on behalf of all the sinners of the world. He faced separation from God the Father for us, so that we would not have to. This is the milk of his words. A child can understand this. At the same time, we know that he was also quoting the first line of Psalm 22, which is a graphic depiction of crucifixion. Prophecy was fulfilled in Christ’s death.
If that isn’t enough, there is more still. It was said at about the ninth hour. The ninth hour was the time for prayer for all Jews. (See Acts chapters 3 & 10) Jesus prays to the Father on the cross at the hour of prayer. As well, it was dark from the sixth to the ninth hour, or from noon to three o’clock. It was dark at the ninth hour. The ninth plague on Pharaoh was the plague of darkness – just before the death of the firstborn. There is symbolism here that is rich and deep. Much to mull over and mediate on. Finally, in asking “My God my God, why have you forsaken me?” we see that it was not Christ that left the Father, but the Father who left his Son for a time. Even in a state of abandonment, bearing the wrath of God, we see our Saviour crying out to the Father. He was forsaken, but would not let go. He held on for us. He then committed himself into his Father’s hands and died.
Josh eats meat now – and pudding. He is growing and maturing. We who are born again need to grow and mature just the same. Feed on God’s word. It nourishes and strengthens your new-creation-life. Then, help feed others. “Feed my lambs” Jesus says to us who can handle meat. Just go easy on the pudding.
BJ
posted by BJ at 11:59 a.m.
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