Shared ground

Hebrews 5:13–14 uses a food picture to describe different levels of readiness to receive teaching. “Milk” fits a “baby,” meaning someone still unskilled in “the word of righteousness.” “Solid food” fits the “full-grown,” meaning people whose capacity has developed. The passage treats maturity as something formed over time: “by reason of use” their “senses” are trained, leading to better judgment.

The text’s explicit claims focus on growth in understanding and discernment, not on ranking people by social status. The contrast is about capability (what a person can handle and evaluate), not about whether “milk” itself is bad.

Where interpretation differs (only where needed)

1) What “the word of righteousness” points to. Some take it broadly as Christian teaching that aligns with God’s righteous standards (instruction about what is right, faithful, and fitting). Others take it more narrowly as a particular “message” the writer wants to unfold—especially teaching connected to Christ’s priesthood and what that implies for right standing and faithful living in Hebrews.

2) What “discern good and evil” mainly targets. Some read it mainly as moral discernment in daily choices (developed judgment about right and wrong). Others read it mainly as discernment about teaching and claims—being able to sort what is sound from what is harmful—though still with moral implications.

3) What “by reason of use” most emphasizes. Some hear “use” as lived obedience and habit (practice in doing what is right). Others hear “use” as repeated engagement with teaching (practice in listening, reasoning, and applying), which then reshapes how one judges.

Why the disagreement exists The key phrases are short and can carry more than one natural meaning. “Word of righteousness” could mean teaching about righteous living, or a specific strand of teaching in Hebrews. “Good and evil” can describe both moral choices and accurate vs. misleading judgment. And “use” can describe repeated doing, repeated learning, or both. The immediate context (the writer pausing because the audience is “slow to understand,” Hebrews 5:11) pushes many readers to include learning capacity, while the “good and evil” language keeps moral judgment strongly in view.

What this passage clearly contributes The passage links Christian maturity to trained discernment. It says immaturity is marked by being “not experienced” with “the word of righteousness,” and maturity is marked by perceptive faculties that have been trained through repeated practice. In the flow of Hebrews, this prepares for moving beyond basic instruction and handling more demanding teaching (see Hebrews 6:1).