### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **pṓrōsis**, represented by `{{G4457}}`, denotes **stupidity or callousness** and is translated as **blindness** or **hardness**. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses** in the Bible. The term describes a state of mental and spiritual insensitivity or obtuseness, a hardening that prevents understanding and perception.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{G4457}}` describes a profound spiritual condition. It is the **hardness** of the heart that grieved Jesus and provoked his anger [[Mark 3:5]]. In Paul's writings, it is a spiritual **blindness** that leads to a darkened understanding and alienation from God's life [[Ephesians 4:18]]. It is also used to describe a partial **blindness** that has happened to Israel, a state that Paul reveals as a mystery to the Roman church so they would not be ignorant [[Romans 11:25]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Greek words help clarify the meaning and consequence of `{{G4457}}`:
* `{{G2588}}` **kardía** (the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind)): This term is directly linked to `{{G4457}}` in two of its three appearances, identifying the **heart** as the location of this hardness or blindness ([[Mark 3:5]], [[Ephesians 4:18]]).
* `{{G4654}}` **skotízō** (to obscure (literally or figuratively):--darken): This word shows a direct result of `{{G4457}}`; the "blindness of their heart" causes the understanding to be **darkened** [[Ephesians 4:18]].
* `{{G52}}` **ágnoia** (ignorance): This state is presented in tandem with spiritual blindness. Alienation from God occurs through the **ignorance** in people, which is caused by the **blindness** of their heart [[Ephesians 4:18]].
* `{{G526}}` **apallotrióō** (to estrange away, i.e. (passively and figuratively) to be non-participant:-- alienate, be alien): This describes the ultimate consequence of `{{G4457}}`, where a hardened heart leads to a person being **alienated** from the life of God [[Ephesians 4:18]].
### Theological Significance
The theological implications of `{{G4457}}` are significant for understanding the human condition in relation to God:
* **Spiritual Callousness:** The term defines a state of spiritual insensitivity. This **hardness** of the **heart** `{{G2588}}` is not neutral; it is a condition that grieves Jesus and is associated with his **anger** `{{G3709}}` [[Mark 3:5]].
* **Source of Alienation:** This spiritual **blindness** is a root cause of separation from God. It leads to a **darkened** `{{G4654}}` understanding and **ignorance** `{{G52}}`, which in turn results in being **alienated** `{{G526}}` from the divine life [[Ephesians 4:18]].
* **A Temporary State for Israel:** On a broader theological scale, `{{G4457}}` is applied to the nation of Israel to describe a partial and temporary **blindness**. This condition is part of a divine plan that will persist until "the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" [[Romans 11:25]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4457}}` is a potent term that signifies more than simple ignorance. It describes a profound **hardness** or **blindness** of the heart, a willful callousness that darkens the mind and alienates a person from God. Its few appearances in scripture are weighty, illustrating a core spiritual problem on both an individual and a national level.
TRV