This term for a child, describes a stage of development in humans where they are able to speak but are not knowledgeable enough to make sense in what they are conveying with words and actions. This inarticulate babbling extends to anyone, of any age, who lacks understanding, and therefore their words, conclusions, and actions do not show good reasoning. In Scripture, the predominant use of this word is to describe those who lack in knowledge, not having beliefs that are not based upon truth, rather than the stage of a child’s life.
When Jesus’ prayer is recorded by Matthew, He thanks the Father for hiding things from the wise and prudent while revealing them to the inarticulate babblers (Matthew 11:25). This was in response to the rejection of the gospel of the Kingdom of the Heavens by the cities. For so many great works had been done in them that if they had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented, and Sodom would remain until this day. He was not referring to young children; rather, to the people who did not understand Scripture in comparison to the Priest and Scribes, who should have known the signs and times.
We also see this concept in the Roman culture regarding the maturity of a child. It is at the appointed time of the father that a child is placed as a son. This word for child is “an inarticulate babbler”. And while that child is in such a state, he is under guardians and stewards until he learns how to no longer be an inarticulate babbler (Galatians 4:1). This is a very important concept in the Christian life. For we are placed as sons (Ephesians 1:5) and therefore are not under law but expected to mature and act right by living out from faith as we exercise our senses to discern right and wrong (Hebrews 5:14). We also see another example of this word used in describing adults that lack knowledge in Romans where Paul speaks of a Jew who teaches those that he sees as being inarticulate babblers (Romans 2:20).
Paul uses the term “inarticulate babbler” to refer to himself before the completion of the revelation from God in 1 Corinthians 13:11.
When I was an inarticulate babbler, I spoke as an inarticulate babbler, I framed the mind as an inarticulate babbler, I reasoned as an inarticulate babbler. When I became a man, I rendered ineffective the things of the inarticulate babbler.
Now that the completed revelation has come (1 Corinthians 13:10), prophesying out from a part is finished. For by the revelation of the entire mystery of God, prophecy was rendered ineffective. That is, there is no more reason for prophecy. Although the Israelites dealt with false prophets, it is the false teachers that plague the Church today (2 Peter 2:1).
When it comes to Christians, those who are carnal (focused on the desires of the flesh) do not mature in their understanding for they are acting as inarticulate babblers and therefore cannot handle mature things (1 Corinthians 3:1). The one who is an inarticulate babbler is held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world – touch not, taste not, handle not (Galatians 4:3). God gave us pastors even teachers so that we come to a full experiential knowledge of the truth in order that we are no longer inarticulate babblers tossed around by every wind of teaching by the trickery of men (Ephesians 4:14).
How do we become mature? We train our senses to distinguish between what is proper and what is lacking in character so that we can handle the meat of the word, not just milk (Hebrews 5:12-14). This is done by knowing and living out the desirous will of God. There are many who have spent their whole lives in assemblies, who have never matured in their understanding of the truth and how to properly live out the salvation we have in Christ. This is because they remain focused on the fleshly desires through religious works and events that are all about making those involved feel good rather than learning Spiritual things that seek to fulfill God’s desires in our lives. As a result of their carnal lifestyle, they are tossed around by the teachings of men who seek to deceive them.
Through Christ’s death for our sins, burial, and resurrection on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), God made a new man in which Christ is the head and the Church is the body (2 Corinthians 5:17). Within this new man, all those who are immersed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13) are placed as sons (Ephesians 1:5). Therefore, we are no longer to act as inarticulate babblers who need law to govern every aspect of our lives; rather, we are to mature, train our senses to discern right from wrong, by knowing God’s desirous will for our lives, and living the remaining of our time in the flesh to the will of God, not to that of humans (1 Peter 4:2).