In biblical terms, the concept of being "callous" refers to a spiritual and moral insensitivity or hardness of heart. This condition is often depicted as a barrier to understanding and responding to God's will and truth. The Bible frequently addresses the dangers of a callous heart, warning believers to remain sensitive to God's voice and the needs of others.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament often uses the imagery of a hardened heart to describe those who are resistant to God's commands. In Exodus, Pharaoh's heart is repeatedly described as hardened or callous, preventing him from releasing the Israelites despite the plagues sent by God (Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 12, 34-35). This hardening is both a result of Pharaoh's own choices and a divine judgment, illustrating the interplay between human free will and divine sovereignty.

The prophets also speak against the callousness of the people of Israel. In Isaiah 6:10, God instructs the prophet to "Make the heart of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes," highlighting the people's persistent disobedience and the resulting spiritual insensitivity. Similarly, Ezekiel 11:19 promises a future transformation where God will remove the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh, symbolizing a return to spiritual responsiveness and obedience.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, Jesus often addresses the issue of callousness in the hearts of the religious leaders and the people. In Matthew 13:15, Jesus quotes Isaiah, saying, "For this people's heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes." This callousness prevents them from understanding His parables and recognizing Him as the Messiah.

The Apostle Paul also discusses the concept of callousness in his letters. In Ephesians 4:18-19, he describes the Gentiles as being "darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more." Here, callousness is linked to moral and spiritual decay, emphasizing the need for renewal and transformation through Christ.

Spiritual Implications

A callous heart is a significant spiritual concern because it hinders one's relationship with God and others. It leads to a lack of empathy, compassion, and understanding, which are essential qualities for living a life that reflects God's love and righteousness. The Bible encourages believers to guard against callousness by remaining open to the Holy Spirit's guidance, engaging in regular self-examination, and practicing humility and repentance.

Practical Application

To avoid developing a callous heart, Christians are encouraged to immerse themselves in Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. These practices help maintain a tender heart that is receptive to God's voice and responsive to the needs of others. Additionally, believers are called to actively practice love, kindness, and forgiveness, which counteract the tendencies toward hardness and insensitivity.

In summary, the biblical concept of callousness serves as a warning against spiritual and moral insensitivity. By remaining vigilant and nurturing a heart that is open to God's influence, believers can avoid the pitfalls of a callous heart and live in accordance with God's will.1. (a.) Hardened; indurated.

2. (a.) Hardened in mind; insensible; unfeeling; unsusceptible.

4457. porosis -- a covering with a callous, fig. blindness
... 4456, 4457. porosis. 4458 . a covering with a callous, fig. ... See 4456 (). Word
Origin from poroo Definition a covering with a callous, fig. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4457.htm - 7k

4456. poroo -- to petrify, ie to harden
... to petrify, ie to harden. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: poroo Phonetic Spelling:
(po-ro'-o) Short Definition: I harden, render callous Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4456.htm - 7k

524. apalgeo -- to cease to feel pain for
... of Speech: Verb Transliteration: apalgeo Phonetic Spelling: (ap-alg-eh'-o) Short
Definition: I am past feeling, cease to care, become callous Definition: (lit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/524.htm - 6k

5005. talaiporos -- distressed, miserable
... 5005 (an adjective, derived from , "to bear, undergo" and , "a callous," J. Thayer) --
properly, (beaten-down) from continued strain, leaving a person ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5005.htm - 7k

3975. pachuno -- to thicken, to fatten, fig. to make dull
... become dull. From a derivative of pegnumi (meaning thick); to thicken, ie (by
implication) to fatten (figuratively, stupefy or render callous) -- wax gross. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3975.htm - 6k

The Shameful Sufferer
... We find that death itself has often been preferable in the minds of men to shame;
and even the most wicked and callous-hearted have dreaded the shame and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the shameful sufferer.htm

Jesus Angry with Hard Hearts
... But when men are put to pick oakum, or break stones, or do other rough work, their
hands become hard and callous: even so is it with the heart, which ought to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/jesus angry with hard hearts.htm

Distinguishing Grace
... promise. Yet what maketh us to differ? Why is it that I this day am not sitting
down a callous hearer, hardened under the gospel? Why ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/distinguishing grace.htm

Missed Ends
... its strings drawn tight. But the women outside cared nothing at all. It
was strange to see how callous they were. It was not their ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter vi missed ends.htm

Impressive Phrases
... O. obdurate, unfeeling, callous, and obstinate. ... unkind, severe, oppressive,
and callous. unpractical, childish, slipshod, and silly. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section iv impressive phrases.htm

The Glorious Master and the Swooning Disciple
... He who thinks lightly of the Savior thinks so much the less of the evil of sin;
and, consequently, he becomes callous as to the past, careless as to the present ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/the glorious master and the.htm

Significant Phrases
... bungling and trifling. businesslike and practicable. bustle and business. C. cajoled
and bullied. calamity and sorrow. callous and impervious. calmness and composure ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section ii significant phrases.htm

Literary Expressions
... A burlesque feint of evading a blow. A callous and conscienceless brute. A calm
and premeditated prudence. A calmness settled on his spirit. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section vii literary expressions.htm

"I Will Give You Rest. "
... Those in whom the heart is simply one of the largest valves are undisturbed, because
they are callous; but the sensitive, the generous, the unselfish, are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/i will give you rest.htm

The Young Titus
... Dumb and callous as beasts to the blows and commands of the sentries there mounted,
the citizens clambered up on the fortifications and, with their chins on ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter ix the young titus.htm

Callous (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Callous (6 Occurrences). ... Acts 28:27 For this people's
heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. ...
/c/callous.htm - 8k

Calloused (3 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/c/calloused.htm - 7k

Unfeeling (2 Occurrences)
... Unfeeling (2 Occurrences). Psalms 17:10 They close up their callous hearts. ... Psalms
119:70 Their heart is as callous as the fat, but I delight in your law. ...
/u/unfeeling.htm - 7k

Grown (77 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/g/grown.htm - 30k

Dull (16 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/d/dull.htm - 12k

People's (37 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/p/people's.htm - 18k

Closed (47 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/c/closed.htm - 20k

Scarcely (14 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/s/scarcely.htm - 10k

Otherwise (78 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of
hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with ...
/o/otherwise.htm - 30k

Minds (137 Occurrences)
... John 12:40 "He has blinded their eyes and made their minds callous, lest they should
see with their eyes and perceive with their minds, and should turn, and I ...
/m/minds.htm - 36k

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