Hebrews 5:11

Of whom (peri ou). Or "concerning which," for ou can be either masculine or neuter (genitive). It is the likeness of Jesus as high priest to Melchizedek that the author has in mind. He is ready to discuss that but for the fear that the reader may fail to grasp his meaning, for he will run counter to the usual Jewish ideas. Hence he pauses to stir up the interest of the readers ( Isaiah 5:11-6:20 ) before going on with the argument ( Isaiah 7:1-28 ). Hard of interpretation (dusermhneuto). Late and rare verbal compound (du, ermhneuw), in Diodorus and Philo, here only in N.T. Hard to explain because of the strange (to Jews) line taken, but still more because of their dulness. Dull of hearing (nwqroi tai akoai). Old adjective (papyri also), from negative nh and wqew, to push, no push in the hearing, slow and sluggish in mind as well as in the ears. In N.T. only here and Isaiah 6:12 (slack, sluggish). Plato calls some students nwqroi (stupid).