Brief Overview of σκληροκαρδία (Strong’s G4641: sklērokardia)

Strong’s G4641: A feminine noun meaning “hardness of heart,” composed of “hard” (sklēros) and “heart” (kardia). Used by Jesus to describe spiritual stubbornness and resistance to God’s will. Particularly associated with the rejection of divine truth and inability to perceive spiritual realities.

U- Unveiling the Word

Σκληροκαρδία is a powerful compound word describing a spiritual condition of willful resistance to God’s truth and purposes. Jesus used it to explain why certain accommodations were made in Mosaic law and to rebuke His disciples’ unbelief. The term echoes Old Testament descriptions of Israel’s stubbornness (cf. Exodus 7:3). Early church fathers saw it as one of the primary obstacles to faith and spiritual growth. Today, it remains a crucial concept in understanding human resistance to divine truth and the need for spiritual transformation.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: σκληροκαρδία, sklērokardia, sklay-ro-kar-DEE-ah
• Detailed Pronunciation: σκλη (sklay) ρο (ro) καρ (kar) δία (DEE-ah) – stress on penultimate syllable
• Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine

Etymology:

• Compound word from:
• σκληρός (hard, tough)
• καρδία (heart)
• Mirrors Hebrew לֵב אֶבֶן (lev even, “heart of stone”)

D – Defining Meanings

• Hardness of heart
• Spiritual stubbornness
• Willful resistance to God

For compound words:

• σκληρο- contributes the sense of hardness or inflexibility
• -καρδία indicates the spiritual center of person

Translation Options:

• Hardness of heart – traditional rendering
• Spiritual stubbornness – emphasizing attitude
• Heart-hardening – preserving compound nature

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πώρωσις (pōrōsis, PO-ro-sis) – See G4457: Hardening, callousness
• ἀπείθεια (apeitheia, a-PAY-thay-a) – See G543: Disobedience
• σκληρότης (sklērotēs, sklay-RO-tays) – See G4643: Hardness

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Case: Nominative, Accusative, Genitive, Dative
• Number: Singular (rarely plural)
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First declension

The word follows standard first declension patterns but typically appears in accusative or dative cases in NT usage.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its moral and spiritual significance. Thayer’s notes its connection to Old Testament concepts. LSJ documents limited classical usage. Vine’s highlights its use in Jesus’ teaching. Moulton and Milligan note its rarity in non-biblical texts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 19:8: “Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your [hardness of heart] [σκληροκαρδία], but it was not this way from the beginning.'”

Additional References:
Mark 10:5, Mark 16:14

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Σκληροκαρδία describes one of the primary obstacles to receiving the good news of King Jesus. Yet the gospel itself provides the solution: the promise of a new heart that can respond to God’s truth and love, highlighting our need for divine transformation.

D – Did You Know?

• The term appears mainly in discussions of marriage and resurrection
• Reflects a common biblical metaphor of heart condition
• Used exclusively by Jesus in the New Testament

Strong’s G4641: A feminine noun meaning “hardness of heart,” composed of “hard” (sklēros) and “heart” (kardia). Used by Jesus to describe spiritual stubbornness and resistance to God’s will. Particularly associated with the rejection of divine truth and inability to perceive spiritual realities.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: hardness-of-heart, stubbornness, unbelief, spiritual-resistance, heart-condition, jesus-teaching, marriage, resurrection, spiritual-blindness, transformation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​