{I fed you with milk, not with meat} (gala humas epotisa, ou
br(936d)a). Note two accusatives with the verb, epotisa, first
aorist active indicative of potiz(935c), as with other causative
verbs, that of the person and of the thing. In the LXX and the
papyri the verb often means to irrigate. Br(936d)a does not mean
meat (flesh) as opposed to bread, but all solid food as in "meats
and drinks" ( Heb 9:7 ). It is a zeugma to use epotisa with
r(936d)a. Paul did not glory in making his sermons thin and
watery. Simplicity does not require lack of ideas or dulness. It
is pathetic to think how the preacher has to clip the wings of
thought and imagination because the hearers cannot go with him.
But nothing hinders great preaching like the dulness caused by
sin on the part of auditors who are impatient with the high
demands of the gospel.