Hebrews 5:11

"Him" refers to Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:10; cf. Hebrews 6:20 to Hebrews 10:18). Evidently the original readers had begun to let their minds wander as they heard the same things repeatedly. Rather than listening carefully, hearing completely, and comprehending clearly, they had become mentally and spiritually dull in their hearing. They were not slow learners but had allowed themselves to grow lazy. A spiritual callus was growing over their ears.

"Deafness or dullness in receptivity is a dangerous condition for those who have been called to radical obedience. The importance of responsible listening has been stressed repeatedly in the sermon (Hebrews 2:1 . . .; cf. Hebrews 3:7-8, Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:1-2; Hebrews 4:7 b)." [Note: Lane, p. 136.]

"One of the first symptoms of spiritual regression, or backsliding, is a dullness toward the Bible. Sunday School class is dull, the preaching is dull, anything spiritual is dull. The problem is usually not with the Sunday School teacher or the pastor, but with the believer himself." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:294.]