### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **pōróō**, represented by `{{G4456}}`, means to petrify or, figuratively, to **harden** or **blind**. It is derived from a word for a type of stone and describes a process of rendering something stupid or callous. This word appears **5 times** across **5 unique verses** in the Bible, indicating a specific and significant theological concept.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G4456}}` is consistently used to describe a state of spiritual dullness or resistance. For example, the disciples' hearts were **hardened** after the miracle of the loaves, preventing them from considering its significance [[Mark 6:52]]. Jesus later asks them directly, "have ye your heart yet **hardened**?" when they fail to perceive or understand His teachings [[Mark 8:17]]. The term is also used to describe the state of Israel, where "the rest were **blinded**" [[Romans 11:7]]. In a pivotal passage, it is stated that God has **hardened** their heart, preventing them from seeing, understanding with their heart, and being converted for healing [[John 12:40]]. This spiritual condition is also described as their minds being **blinded** during the reading of the Old Testament [[2 Corinthians 3:14]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the impact of being hardened:
* `{{G2588}}` **kardía** (heart): Defined as the thoughts or feelings (mind). This is the primary subject of hardening in multiple accounts, as in "their heart was hardened" [[Mark 6:52]] and "hardened their heart" [[John 12:40]].
* `{{G3540}}` **nóēma** (mind): Meaning a perception or the intellect itself. This word is used in parallel with `{{G4456}}` to describe how a spiritual dullness affects understanding, as seen in the phrase "their minds were blinded" [[2 Corinthians 3:14]].
* `{{G5186}}` **typhlóō** (to make blind): This term, meaning to obscure, is used alongside `{{G4456}}` to create a fuller picture of spiritual inability. For instance, God "hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart" [[John 12:40]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G4456}}` is significant, pointing to a state of spiritual insensibility.
* **A Barrier to Salvation:** Hardening is explicitly linked to an inability to perceive spiritual truth. It prevents a person from seeing with their eyes `{{G3788}}`, understanding `{{G3539}}` with their heart `{{G2588}}`, being converted `{{G1994}}`, and ultimately being healed `{{G2390}}` by God [[John 12:40]].
* **Affects Heart and Mind:** The process of hardening targets the core of human perception and will. Scripture describes both the heart `{{G2588}}` being hardened ([[Mark 6:52]], [[Mark 8:17]]) and the minds `{{G3540}}` being blinded [[2 Corinthians 3:14]], indicating a comprehensive dullness.
* **Divine Action:** The use of `{{G4456}}` points to a divine action or judgment. [[John 12:40]] states, "He hath... hardened their heart," and in [[Romans 11:7]], the blinding of "the rest" is presented as a consequence within God's sovereign plan of election.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4456}}` is a potent term that goes beyond simple stubbornness to describe a state of spiritual petrification. It signifies a **hardening** of the heart `{{G2588}}` and a **blinding** of the mind `{{G3540}}` that makes an individual incapable of understanding spiritual realities or responding to God. This condition is presented as a direct obstacle to conversion `{{G1994}}` and divine healing `{{G2390}}`, making `{{G4456}}` a crucial word for understanding biblical concepts of unbelief and divine judgment.
TRV