[Greek] σκληρύνω (sklērynō), [Latin] obdurare, [Latin] indurare, [French] perseverer, [French] persister, [German] hart machen (make hard)

[Greek] σκληρύνω (sklērynō), [Latin] obdurare, [Latin] indurare, [French] perseverer, [French] persister, [German] hart machen (make hard): to be stubborn, to harden, to be hardened, to cause to be stubborn; Acts 19:9, Rom. 9:18, Heb.3:8,13,15, Heb.4:7

Hardness of heart: resistance and the refusal to be faithful to Church teachings. God may even harden the hearts of some if He wills.

Background information:

Old Testament (The heart is the seat of emotions):

1. Hardening can viewed in a physiological (medical), spiritual, psychological, and ethical sense.
2. Hardness of heart is likened to arrogance, stubbornness, obstinance, wickedness, close-mindedness, unbelief, and toughness.
3. Hardness of heart can apply to unbelievers, enemies of Israel, Israel, Jews opposed to Christians, and Christians.
4. Hardness of heart can be illustrated by guilt and misery.
5. God can also permit the hardening of hearts of some (as He wills as part of His divine Providence). Ex. Pharaoh

New Testament: This term means to be stubborn (obstinate) and to harden (cause to be stubborn).

Scripture:

Acts 19:9: “But when some in the obstinacy and disbelief disparaged the Way before the assembly, Paul withdrew and took his disciples with him and began to hold daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” (While in Ephesus, Paul was experiencing opposition during his ministry. Some Jews became violently opposed to the gospel. Their hearts were insensitive as the truth made no impression on them. Perhaps the Jews were threatened by the Christians’ beliefs.)

Rom.9:17-18: “For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘This is why I have raised you up, to show My power through you that My name may be proclaimed throughout the earth. Consequently, He has mercy on whom He wills, and he hardens whom He wills.”

1. God raised up Pharaoh to be hard-hearted and to oppress His people.
2. This allows Moses to begin his actions to oppose Pharaoh.
3. God will permit hardness of heart in some people if it serves His will in His larger plans.
4. In these situations, those who will not see or hear shall not see or hear.
5. Yet, on the other hand, God can also open the heart through the Holy Spirit.

Heb.3:13: “Encourage yourselves daily while it is still ‘today’, so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin.”

1. Today is the day of grace before the coming of the day of glory and judgment of Christ’s coming.
2. Today is the time to hear the voice of God.
3. Hardness of the heart means obstinance, blindness to truth, unbelief, refusal to accept the gospel, rebelliousness, and refusal to recognize sin.)

[Greek] σκληροκαρδία (sklērokardia), [Latin] duritia: hardness, stubbornness

Mk.16:14: “But later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had been raised.” (Jesus’ rebuke indicates the seriousness of the disciples’ doubt, spiritual insensitivity, and lack of faith and understanding.)

[Greek] σκληρός (sklēros), [Latin] validis, [Latin] durus, [French] rude, [German] hart, [German] steif, [Greek] streng: hard

Jn.6:60: “Then many of His disciples who were listening said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it?'”

Bread of Life Discourse:

1. Jesus states that He is the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. (Jn.6:51).
2.  The Jews quarreled among themselves. They are thinking, “Jesus is talking about cannibalism!”***
3. In Jn 6:54, 56-58 Jesus uses a more graphic and explicit form of eating His Body ===> gnawing or munching on  [Greek] τρώγω (trōgō): to gnaw, to munch.
4. The disciples were having a very difficult time in accepting what Jesus was saying to them. (Jn.6:60)
5. Jesus allowed these disciples to walk way. Jesus did NOT say, “Come back. I was only speaking metaphorically and figuratively!“
6. The sad and tragic irony is that the Jews (disciples) were forbidden by their Jewish customs to partake of life everlasting offered by Jesus.

Acts 26:14:” I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for your to kick against the goad.'” (Jesus stated that Saul was persecuting Him because he was a zealous Pharisee persecuting the Christians. Jesus was now giving Saul a new mission to open the eyes of the Gentiles so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan.)

To kick against the goad: This is an agricultural metaphor in which sharp sticks were used to direct oxen. Kicking against them would cause pain. This alludes to Saul’s resistance to God’s will is futile and self-destructive. This implies sovereignty and in the inevitability of God’s will prevailing.

[Greek] σκληροτράχηλος (sklērotrachēlos): stiff-necked

Acts 7:51: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors.”

Stiff-necked people: This is a metaphorical expression to describe stubbornness and unwillingness to submit to God’s will. This indicates a spiritual condition of pride and resistance to divine guidance. It originates from the imagery of an ox that refused to be guided by the yoke.

Uncircumcised hearts and ears: Stephen uses this term to indicate a lack of spiritual receptivity to God’s message. This calls for an inner transformation that is open to God truth and having a willingness to listen and obey.

Resisting the Holy Spirit: Resistance to the Holy Spirit is a recurring theme in the history of Israel in their rejection of the prophets and Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit’s role is to convict, guide, and empower believers. By resisting the Holy Spirt, the people were rejecting God’s influence and guidance.

The hard-heartedness of Modernism:

1. Pope Leo and his fellow Modernists (and Synodalists) are really “true-believers” in their cause in finishing and doubling down on what Vatican II started.
2. They believe that the Traditional Latin Mass is divisive as long as it exists with the Novus Order Mass. The TLM must go.
3. Modernists and Synodalist will continue to implement Synodality on the Church, regardless of the consequences or results on the Church.
4. The Modernists and Synodalists are seeking to remake the Catholic Church into a worldly Synodal Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
5. Synodal circular reasoning: renew and reform the church ===> problems ===> need more renewal and reform ===> more problems ===> need more reform and renewal ===> rinse and repeat! Synodal reform and renewal does NOT bring reform and renewal to the Church. ===> German Synodal Church

Pope Leo’s quotes (intentions) to create a Synodal Church:

1. “We want to be a Synodal Church.” Pope Leo’s mission statement in remaking Jesus’ Church.
2. “No one should impose his or her ideas; we must all listen to one another.” Opening the door to the idea that the people can reshape and change the Church.
3. “People want the Church doctrine to change, want attitudes to change. I think we have to change attitudes before we ever change doctrine.” Opening the idea that attitudes can change doctrine
4. “Our task is not to build a Christendom.” Contradicting and undermining Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations. Creating a worldly ecumenical and Synodal church in the image of man

My personal opinion:

1. When the Church opposes and contradicts the world and culture, the Church grows. When the Church is persecuted by the world and culture, the Church grows.
2. When the Church moves with the world and culture, the Church stagnates, decreases, and fails.
3. In a counter-response to Synodality, the Holy Spirit is clearly slowly at work in bringing forth a movement and longing toward Tradition.
4. In God’s Providence, the Holy Spirit is allowing the Modernists and Synodalists to remain hard-hearted in pursuing their Synodal agenda on the Church.
5. Many are now seeing the consequences (of Modernism and Synodality in the Church ===> doctrinal and liturgical confusion and ambiguity
6. The Holy Spirit is now inspiring many to seek Truth and doctrinal clarity in the Church.
7. Tradition provides true reform and renewal for the Church.
8. Not surprisingly, this movement embodies Archbishop Lefebvre’s prophetic statement: “Our future is our past” The Church’s future path requires that it restores its traditions. 
9. Pope Leo intentionally is seeking to create a worldly ecumenical Church in the image of the brotherhood and fraternity of man.
10. Modernists and Synodalists, in their hard-heartedness, unironically call Tradition and traditional teachings as rigid. You can’t make this up.

Conclusion:

Sclerosis, sclerotic, obdurate (not easily moved by feelings), heart, persevere, persist, endure, endurance

Update: Over many years both non-Arab nations and Arab nations have shown a hardness of heart (anti-Semitism) toward Israel and its citizens.

The Trump administration has been successful in overcoming Arab hard-heartedness in initiating peace accords with Israel and Arab nations.

Hard-heartedness in ideology and stupidity have contributed to creating the “Hamas wing” of the Democratic party.

One must also take pause that hard-heartedness plays an important in producing radical rightists, radical Islam, and radical leftists.

The Nicaraguan government continues to oppress and persecute the Catholic Church.

Can you say irony? German Cardinal Walter Kasper stated that the German Church is in “deep crisis.”  Yet, the German Church will continue their Synodal path!

Younger generations of Catholics are being drawn to Tradition and the Traditional Latin Mass.

Younger priests and seminarians are become more conservative and traditionally minded.

Many Modernists and Synodalists are now acknowledging the problems and consequences from Synodality. Yet, they will still continue to implement this path, because Synodality must prevail.

Kardiognostes refers to God, knower of hearts. In a sense, God is the pre-eminent heart specialist! So make an appointment! God’s domain is always in network! No referrals needed! All salvation health plans accepted! I hear the benefits are out of this world! ☺☺☺

“Blessed is the one who always trembles before God. But whoever hardens his heart falls into trouble.” Prov. 28:14