Isaiah 28:9-10 English Standard Version

⁹ “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?
¹⁰ For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

A precept is a command or an ordinance, that which is given to obey. Ref. BLB.ORG

Psalm 119:56 English Standard Version (ESV) This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.

A concept is an abstract idea; a general notion. Source MW Dictionary

A precept that is not understood properly, nor taught properly, loses the attachment of the blessing that comes with obeying the precept in truth. Verse 9 was included with the opening passages for one reason. Knowledge comes to those who have been weaned from the milk of the word, the gospel.

Hebrews 5:12-14 English Standard Version

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, ¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 6:1 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

We are not meant to be babes in Christ forever. We are meant to grow in Christ and over time develop sufficient understanding of the precepts of God not only to obey them, but share the truth of the blessings that come from understanding those precepts.

Why should the lost receive the gospel if they cannot see the blessings that come from believing and obeying?

John 21:8 English Standard Version (ESV) The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

Now to address the second type of Christ followers. Allow me to address this first, they were close, close enough to see and hear Christ, but they are not there yet.

Psalm 73:28 English Standard Version (ESV) But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

The boat represents a safe haven for the accomplishment of good works. Men will find refuge in this place but it is not being with God, it is merely being close. It is a sanctuary of worship and obedience but they fail to take that leap of faith for fear of losing the fish the Lord had identified as being where they were fishing.

Read John 21:4-8 again and notice that Jesus addresses what they are doing and helps them. Nowhere in that telling story does He say “bring those fish to me”. The purpose of the boat was to fish and they were laborers doing the work of the boat.

Doing the work of the church does not mean we have taken that leap of faith and come to Christ leaving everything behind except who we are as flawed humans. Do not get me wrong, those on the boat can take that leap of faith. What keeps them from doing that is obedience to the call by the boat to do the work of the boat and perhaps for personal reasons.

It does not take talent or gifts to work for the boat. It only takes effort.

Matthew 11:28 English Standard Version (ESV) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.