Hebrews 5:13 (Babes, Milk, and Solid Food)

WH: πᾶς γὰρ ὁ μετέχων γάλακτος ἄπειρος λόγου δικαιοσύνης, νήπιος γάρ ἐστιν·

Logically, when translating, begin with γὰρ for this verse as well. Some translations have "for, now" while others leave the conjunctive particle untranslated.

Expositor's GT: "The reference of γὰρ is somewhat obscure. It seems intended to substantiate the last clause of Hebrews 5:12 : 'Ye cannot receive solid food, for you have no experience of the word of righteousness.' But he softens the statement by generalising it."

The writer of Hebrews generalizes his words in 5:12 by supplying the adjective πᾶς to 5:13.

When clarifying the significance of γὰρ in the passage, E.C. Wickham writes: "The particle implies that the sentence so introduced is meant to justify and explain the metaphor" (Epistle to the Hebrews, page 38). He believes the writer of Hebrews wants to get across the idea that his audience needs milk, which is suitable food for babes, but not for mature adults. The Hebrews apparently are not ready for "full moral teaching" (Ibid.). They must be stirred mentally to this point. Moffatt suggests that the "solid food" in Hebrews involves the Melchizedekian high priesthood of Christ, which seems plausible in view of the literary context.

Dr. Randolph Yeager refers to γὰρ as a "causal conjunction" (Renaissance New Testament).

ὁ μετέχων-William Lane explains that in this setting, the articular present participle likely denotes "living on (a diet of)." See Hebrews 1-8 in the WBC Series; compare Zerwick-Grosvenor, page 663. The present participle agrees grammatically with the adjective πᾶς as does the article ὁ and the construction as a whole functions substantivally.

γάλακτος (genitive singular neuter of γάλα)-I talked about this word in my post regarding Hebrews 5:12: "milk" when used as a scriptural metaphor refers to the elements or mere rudiments (the ABCs of the Christian faith). Commentators point out that ancient writers commonly employed this metaphor (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-2; 1 Peter 2:2).

ἄπειρος is a predicate adjective (Yeager) and occurs only here in the GNT.

BDAG: ἄπειρος, ον ⟦ápeiros⟧ I pert. to lack of knowledge or capacity to do someth., unacquainted with, unaccustomed to (‘lacking the ability to make trial [s. πεῖρα] of’; Pind., Hdt., et al.; Epict. 2, 24, 3; OGI 669, 11; pap e.g. PSI 522, 4 [also s. Preis.]; LXX; Philo, Agr. 160 [a beginner is ἄ.], Op. M. 171; Jos., Bell. 6, 291; Iren. 1, 8, 1 [Harv. I 68, 5]), of an immature Christian ἄ. λόγου δικαιοσύνης unacquainted w. the teaching about uprightness Hb 5:13 (the gen. as freq., e.g. PGiss 68, 17 ἄ. τῶν τόπων; Jos., Ant. 7, 336; Ath. 27, 1).—DELG s.v. πεῖρα. M-M. TW.

λόγου δικαιοσύνης-Dana Harris (Hebrews) follows William Lane and cites P. Ellingworth while offering six possible ways to understand this genitival construction. L.T. Johnson (Hebrews: A Commentary, page 156) cites Hebrews 2:2; 4:2; 7:28; 13:7 along with four classical references that might shed light on λόγου δικαιοσύνης. He thinks that λόγος here refers to "calculation or reasoning" as opposed to speech. Compare Herodotus I.209. Zerwick and Grosvenor reckon that Hebrews 5:14b "implies teaching of uprightness or even Christian doctrine as a whole" (pages 663-664).

νήπιος γάρ ἐστιν-The conjunction γὰρ introduces an explanatory clause and we encounter a "copulative sentence" at the conclusion of this passage (Going Deeper with New Testament Greek, Revised Edition).

Allen: "The final clause introduced by gar functions as a reason for the immediately preceding statement and is translated 'being still an infant.' Although a subordinate clause, it receives semantic emphasis by being placed at the end of v. 13. The word 'infant' here refers to a child who has not been weaned."

Allen, David L. Hebrews: 35 (New American Commentary) (Kindle Locations 10489-10491). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.