Pronunciation Guide: bah-REH-oce
Basic Definition
Strong’s G917: βαρέως (bareōs) is an adverb that conveys the concept of heaviness, difficulty, or dullness. In New Testament usage, it primarily describes spiritual heaviness, specifically the dulled perception or hardened condition of one’s spiritual senses. It depicts the state of being weighed down in such a way that proper response to divine revelation becomes difficult or impossible.
Etymology and Morphology
- Adverb derived from the adjective βαρύς (barys, G926)
- Root meaning: heavy, weighty, burdensome
- Primary usage in teaching contexts, particularly regarding spiritual perception
- Used in contexts of spiritual dullness or hardness of heart
- Related to Hebrew concepts of “heaviness” (כָּבֵד, kaved) in spiritual contexts
βαρέως Morphology:
- βαρέως (adverbial form) – heavily, with difficulty
- βαρύς (adjective, nominative singular masculine) – heavy, weighty
- βαρεῖα (adjective, nominative singular feminine) – heavy, weighty
- βαρύ (adjective, nominative singular neuter) – heavy, weighty
Origin & History
The term βαρέως originates from Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us, which evolved into the Greek βαρύς (barys), carrying the meaning of “heavy” or “weighty.” In classical Greek literature, this word family appears in works like Homer’s Iliad, where it describes physical heaviness, burdensome loads, or metaphorical weightiness of significant matters.
In the Septuagint (LXX), the root appears in Exodus 7:14 where Pharaoh’s heart is described as “heavy” (βεβάρηται, from the related verb βαρύνω), indicating stubbornness and resistance to God’s commands. This established a precedent for using βαρ- root words to describe spiritual obtuseness. The early Church Father Origen, in his Commentary on Matthew, elaborates on this concept when discussing the spiritual heaviness that prevents people from perceiving divine truth, drawing parallels between Pharaoh’s hardened heart and those who hear but do not understand the Messiah’s teachings.
Expanded Definitions & Translation Options
- A state of spiritual dullness where perception is hindered
- The condition of being weighed down by unbelief or hardness of heart
- Difficulty in spiritual hearing or understanding due to resistance
- The heavy burden that prevents proper spiritual response
- The sluggishness of heart that obstructs divine revelation
βαρέως Translation Options:
- “Heavily” – Emphasizes the metaphorical weight that burdens spiritual senses
- “With difficulty” – Highlights the struggle to perceive spiritual truth
- “Dully” – Focuses on the lack of spiritual acuity or sharpness
- “Sluggishly” – Captures the slow, unresponsive nature of hardened hearts
- “Insensibly” – Addresses the lack of spiritual sensitivity or awareness
Biblical Usage
The adverb βαρέως appears most notably in Matthew 13:15, where Yeshua quotes from the prophet Isaiah regarding the spiritual dullness of those who would not receive His message. The passage describes how the people’s ears hear heavily (βαρέως), indicating that their spiritual perception has become weighed down and ineffective. This condition is presented as self-imposed, part of a pattern of willful spiritual resistance.
This concept appears in the related verb form (ἐβαρύνθη) in the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 6:10, the very passage Yeshua quotes. Here, the prophet describes the spiritual condition of Israel’s heart as having grown “heavy,” unresponsive to divine revelation. This connection between the Hebrew and Greek concepts demonstrates the consistent biblical theme of spiritual dullness as a weight that prevents proper perception and response to God’s word.
- “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear [βαρέως ἤκουσαν, heard heavily], and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” Matthew 13:15
- “Make the heart of this people heavy [ἐβαρύνθη, has been made heavy], and their ears dull, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” Isaiah 6:10 (LXX)
- “Their ears have become dull [βαρέως, heavy] of hearing, and their eyes they have closed.” Acts 28:27
Cultural Insights
In ancient Near Eastern thought, the heart and ears were considered the primary organs of understanding and obedience. While modern Western thinking places intellectual understanding in the brain, Hebrew thought located understanding in the heart, and obedience was linked to properly functioning ears. To say that someone’s ears were “heavy” (βαρέως) meant that they were unable to properly receive and respond to instruction.
This concept relates to the Hebrew idiom of “heaviness” (כָּבֵד, kaved) applied to various parts of the body. A “heavy tongue” indicated difficulty in speaking (Exodus 4:10), while “heavy ears” signified difficulty in hearing or obeying. Similarly, a “heavy heart” described a stubborn, unresponsive spirit (Exodus 7:14). In each case, the “heaviness” prevented proper function and response. The Talmud later developed this concept further in discussions of לֵב הָאֶבֶן (lev ha’even, “heart of stone”), describing the spiritual condition that requires divine intervention to transform into a responsive לֵב בָּשָׂר (lev basar, “heart of flesh”).
Theological Significance
The concept of βαρέως in Matthew 13:15 reveals profound theological truths about human spiritual condition and divine grace. The “heaviness” that prevents proper hearing illustrates the natural human resistance to God’s truth – not a physical disability but a spiritual one. This condition is presented as both the result of human choice (“their eyes they have closed”) and as a spiritual reality that requires divine intervention to overcome.
Significantly, the passage concludes with the promise of healing: “and I would heal them.” This reveals יהוה’s (Yahweh’s) heart toward those with “heavy” spiritual senses. Despite human resistance, God stands ready to heal and restore spiritual perception. This demonstrates the tension in Scripture between human responsibility and divine sovereignty – people have dulled their own spiritual senses, yet only God can truly restore them.
This concept finds its fulfillment in the Messiah’s ministry, where Yeshua repeatedly healed physical blindness and deafness as signs of His ability to heal spiritual blindness and deafness. As He declared in John 9:39, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” The ultimate remedy for βαρέως is found in the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, who removes spiritual heaviness and grants perception of divine truth.
Personal Application
The concept of βαρέως challenges us to examine our own spiritual receptivity. Do we approach God’s Word with hearts that are light and responsive, or have our spiritual senses become “heavy” through neglect, skepticism, or willful resistance? Spiritual dullness rarely happens suddenly; it typically develops gradually through repeated choices to ignore divine promptings.
To counter spiritual heaviness, we must cultivate practices that sharpen our spiritual senses. Regular engagement with Scripture, prayer that includes listening as well as speaking, fellowship with believers who challenge our faith, and obedience to what we already understand – all these work together to keep our spiritual senses acute. When we feel that heaviness beginning to set in, we can pray as David did: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). Remember that the same Messiah who once lamented spiritual dullness stands ready to heal and restore our capacity to perceive divine truth.
Related Words
- ἀκούω (akouō, pronounced ah-KOO-oh) – to hear, listen, understand; the very act that becomes difficult when done βαρέως (heavily). While βαρέως describes the manner of hearing, ἀκούω is the fundamental act of reception through the ears. See G191
- καρδία (kardia, pronounced kar-DEE-ah) – heart, mind, inner self; often mentioned alongside βαρέως as the center of spiritual perception that becomes dull. While βαρέως describes the condition, καρδία identifies the location of spiritual understanding. See G2588
- πωρόω (pōroō, pronounced po-RO-o) – to harden, petrify, make callous; describes the process that leads to βαρέως. While βαρέως describes the symptom, πωρόω explains the development of spiritual dullness. See G4456
- νωθρός (nōthros, pronounced no-THROS) – slow, sluggish, dull; similar to βαρέως but specifically applied to mental or spiritual sluggishness. While βαρέως emphasizes heaviness, νωθρός focuses on slowness of response. See G3576
- σκληρύνω (sklērynō, pronounced sklay-ROO-no) – to harden, make stubborn; related to the outcome of hearing βαρέως. While βαρέως describes the condition of perception, σκληρύνω addresses the resulting hardness of heart. See G4645
Did you Know?
- Did you know that the root word of βαρέως (bareōs) shares the same Indo-European origin as the English word “gravitas”? Both come from concepts of weight and heaviness. While “gravitas” has evolved to describe a positive quality of seriousness and dignity, βαρέως in biblical contexts typically carries negative connotations of spiritual dullness – showing how language can develop divergent meanings from the same conceptual root.
- Did you know that modern medical terminology employs the Greek root of βαρέως? The prefix “bary-” appears in terms like “baryphonia” (heaviness of voice) and “barylalia” (heavy, difficult speech). These medical conditions affecting speech parallel the New Testament’s use of βαρέως to describe difficulty in spiritual hearing – both involve communication impairments, one physical and one spiritual.
- Did you know that ancient Greek music theory used the term βαρύς (barys) to describe low-pitched or “heavy” notes? This musical usage adds a fascinating dimension to understanding βαρέως in spiritual contexts – just as heavy, low notes might be more difficult to hear clearly, so spiritually “heavy” ears struggle to discern divine truth. The Messiah’s teaching often employed this type of sensory metaphor, drawing from everyday experiences to illuminate spiritual realities.
Remember This
βαρέως represents not merely a spiritual condition but a divine diagnosis – revealing that our natural state requires supernatural healing, reminding us that only through the Messiah’s transforming touch can our heavy spiritual senses become light and receptive to eternal truth.