Balancing Human Examples with Scriptural Authority in Growth
Spiritual growth is a recurring theme in biblical texts, often depicted through metaphors of natural development and building. The concept of "growth" itself implies an increase or advancement [1]. For instance, Psalms 144:12 compares sons to "plants grown up in their youth" and daughters to "corner-stones hewn like a palace building," illustrating both natural and architectural development [4]. Similarly, Colossians 2:7 uses a double metaphor of being "rooted and built up in him," suggesting both the deep establishment of a tree and the progressive construction of a building [11].
The New Testament frequently calls for believers to mature. Ephesians 4:13 speaks of advancing "into a man of full-growth, into the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ" [2]. This growth is not merely intellectual but involves the entire person. John Gill, in his commentary on Luke 2:39, notes that Jesus "grew... in body, in strength, and in stature," indicating a true human development. Gill further explains that Jesus "waxed strong in spirit," meaning his soul's faculties, such as understanding, judgment, and memory, became increasingly robust [5]. This human example of Jesus's growth in "wisdom, and stature" (Luke 2:51) serves as a pattern for believers, demonstrating that spiritual maturity is a gradual process [7].
The call to "grow in grace" (2 Peter 3:18) is a direct exhortation for believers to increase in their spiritual gifts and internal grace [6, 9]. Adam Clarke interprets this as an increase in "the image and favor of God," where every divine influence received is like a "heavenly seed" that multiplies [9]. This growth is an ongoing process, moving beyond initial foundational teachings. The author of Hebrews urges hearers to "move beyond basic teachings" to "further understanding about the person of Christ," suggesting that God initiates this growth to maturity [10]. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:10-11, contrasts the immaturity of childhood with the maturity of adulthood, stating, "When I was a child I spake as a child... but when I became a man, I put away childish things," illustrating the progression from rudimentary understanding to a more complete knowledge [8]. Proverbs 1:4 also highlights the importance of knowledge and understanding for the young, stating, "ut detur parvulis astutia, adolescenti scientia et intellectus" (that prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge and discretion to the youth) [3].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Crescens — growing; increasing”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 4:13 (Rotherham) — Until we all advance—into the oneness of the faith, and the personal knowledge of the Son of God, into a man of full-growth, into the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ;”
- Proverbs “ut detur parvulis astutia, adolescenti scientia et intellectus. -- Proverbs 1:4”
- Psalms “Psalms 144:12 (LITV) — so that our sons may be like plants grown up in their youth; and our daughters like corner-stones hewn like a palace building;”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 2:39: And the child grew,.... In body, in strength, and in stature; which shows that it was a true body Christ assumed, and like ours, which did not come to its maturity at once, but by degrees: and waxed strong in spirit, or in his soul; for as he had a true body, he had also a reasonable soul; the faculties of which were far from being weak, they were exceeding strong, and appeared stronger and stronger every day; his understanding was clear, his judgment solid, and his memory strong and retentive, his will, and the desires of it, were to that which is good, and his affec”
- 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in grace,.... In the gifts of grace, which, under a divine blessing, may be increased by using them: gifts neglected decrease, but stirred up and used, are improved and increase. And though men are to be thankful for their gifts, and be contented with them, yet they may lawfully desire more, and in the use of means seek an increase of them, which may be a means of preserving themselves, and others, from the error of the wicked. Moreover, by "grace" may be meant internal grace. The work of grace is gradual; it is like a grain of mustard seed, or like seed cas”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 2:51: And Jesus increased in wisdom,.... As man; for neither his divine wisdom, nor the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in him, as mediator, could admit of any increase; but as he grew in body, the faculties of his soul opened, and received gradually large measures of wisdom and knowledge, in things natural and spiritual, through the in dwelling of his divine nature in him, and the Holy Spirit that was, without measure, on him: and stature: the word signifies age also; and so the Vulgate Latin has rendered it: but that is not the meaning of it here, since it would have be”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 13:10: When I was a child I spake as a child,.... That cannot speak plain, aims at words rather than expresses them, delivers them in a lisping or stammering manner: hereby the apostle illustrates the then present gift of speaking with divers tongues, which was an extraordinary gift of the Spirit, was peculiar to some persons, and what many were very fond of; and yet this, in its highest degree and exercise, was but like the lisping of a child, in comparison of what will be known and expressed by saints, when they come to be perfect men in heaven: I understood as a”
- 2 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in grace - Increase in the image and favor of God; every grace and Divine influence which ye have received is a seed, a heavenly seed, which, if it be watered with the dew of heaven from above, will endlessly increase and multiply itself. He who continues to believe, love, and obey, will grow in grace, and continually increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as his sacrifice, sanctifier, counsellor, preserver, and final Savior. The life of a Christian is a growth; he is at first born of God, and is a little child; becomes a young man, and a father in Chr”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 6:1: 6:1-3 In light of the hearers’ immaturity (5:11-14), the author urges them to move beyond basic teachings. The six basic teachings here were all foundational elements of Jewish instruction. The author might be challenging them to move beyond these basic teachings to further understanding about the person of Christ, which he elaborates in 7:1–10:25. 6:1 Let us go on: Or Let us be carried on, suggesting that God initiates growth to maturity (Phil 2:12-13) and that it is an ongoing process. • Repenting and faith are the basic commitments that initiate a person to the”
- Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 2:7: Rooted and built up in him - It is not usual with the apostle to employ this double metaphor, taken partly from the growth of a tree and the increase of a building. They are to be rooted; as the good seed had been already sown, it is to take root, and the roots are to spread far, wide, and deep. They are to be grounded; as the foundation has already been laid, they are to build thereon. In the one case, they are to bear much fruit; in the other, they are to grow up to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. See the notes on Eph 2:21, Eph 2:22 (note); Eph 3:17 ”