1 Corinthians 3:2

1 Corinthians 3:2. fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;

'milk, not with meat' -(Hebrews 5:12). 'He fed them milk because that's what their condition needed. He did want them to mature (Colossians 1:28) and hoped that by the time this letter was written they could have been able to eat meat.' [Note:. McGuiggan p. 49]

'for' -the reason for the above teaching practice. This is why Paul had spent his time teaching them simple truths.

'ye were not yet able to bear it' -'receive it' (NASV); 'You were unable to digest meat in those days.' (Phi) Following their conversion, the only teaching that these Corinthians could handle was very elementary instruction. (Hebrews 6:1)

Points to Note:

1. Like the first verse, the first part of verse. is simply. statement of fact. The real rebuke starts with the last line in verse 2, 'not even now are ye able.'

2. Environment can make one spiritually dull. Living in the city of Corinth, had cost these people the ability to discern good from evil. Living in sin, will always cost you something, even if you are able to escape from it.. life in sin dulls your moral perspective, it quiets your conscience, and it might even kill. few brain cells in the process. (Ephesians 4:17) Yes, these Corinthians had escaped from sin. But Paul had found that these new converts where pretty dense when it came to grasping certain truths.

'nay, not even now are ye able' -here is where the real rebuke starts! 'Indeed, you are still not ready.' (Fee p. 126)

Points to Note:

1. God expects growth after. length of time. (Hebrews 5:11; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Peter 2:1; 2 Peter 1:5; 2 Peter 3:18)

2. 'There is no disgrace in being. babe, but prolonged infancy is pitiable, and arrested development is deplorable.' [Note:. Erdman p. 44]

'Infancy is beautiful in its season, and so is the young life of the new convert; but out of season, its beauty is gone...' [Note:. Willis p. 92]

'But when that baby grows to adulthood and still retains babyishness it is grotesque. In. baby babyishness is expected. In an adult babyishness is bizarre and undesirable.' [Note:. McGuiggan p. 49]

3. 'During all this time the Corinthians had been proud of their ability. Had Paul not preached mightily in their midst, and was he not followed by the great Apollos? Did Paul not acknowledge the great spiritual wealth God had given them (1 Corinthians 1:5)? How can Paul, then, now say. thing so severe as this? Paul knows how the Corinthians will wince under this lash, but he is far from administering it as he does and then trying to soften the hurt. Instead of following such. procedure he at once proves conclusively that the Corinthians are actually still fleshy and babes, far behind the state they should have attained....At one time they were naturally immature without special blame; now their immaturity is. different matter.' [Note:. Lenski p. 123]