Babe

Babe is used in Scripture both literally for infants and young children and metaphorically for spiritual immaturity. Jesus praised God for hiding things from the wise and learned and revealing them to babes (Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21), using the term for those who are humble and receptive rather than self-sufficient — a reversal of human estimations of wisdom. In Romans 2:20, Paul uses the term ironically of the Jew who considers himself an instructor of babes, implying a condescending posture toward Gentiles.

Paul's metaphorical use in 1 Corinthians 3:1 is the most theologically developed: he was unable to address the Corinthians as spiritual people but as babes in Christ, able to receive only milk, not solid food, because of their carnality and divisions. The writer of Hebrews (5:13) similarly contrasts those who need milk — unskilled in the word of righteousness — with those who are mature. The babe metaphor thus marks the beginning of the Christian life as the standard assumes growth toward maturity.