Insensibility, in a biblical context, refers to a state of spiritual numbness or lack of responsiveness to God's presence, commands, and moral truths. This condition is often depicted in Scripture as a hardening of the heart, a dullness of spiritual perception, or a refusal to heed divine instruction.

Biblical References:

1. Hardening of the Heart: The concept of insensibility is frequently associated with the hardening of the heart. In the Old Testament, Pharaoh's heart is described as hardened, leading him to resist God's commands delivered through Moses. Exodus 7:13 states, "Still, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said." This hardening is a form of insensibility to God's will and power.

2. Spiritual Blindness and Deafness: The prophets often spoke against the spiritual insensibility of the people of Israel. Isaiah 6:9-10 records God's instruction to Isaiah: "Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes." This passage highlights the people's inability to perceive and respond to God's message.

3. New Testament Warnings: In the New Testament, Jesus addresses the insensibility 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 insensibility prevents them from understanding the truth of His teachings and the kingdom of God.

4. Moral Insensibility: Paul, in his letters, warns against moral insensibility, which leads to a life of sin. In Ephesians 4:18-19 , he writes, "They are 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 sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more." Here, insensibility is linked to a lifestyle that is disconnected from God's holiness.

Theological Implications:

Insensibility is a serious spiritual condition that can lead to a separation from God. It is often portrayed as a self-imposed barrier to receiving God's grace and truth. The Bible warns that persistent insensibility can result in judgment, as seen in the fate of those who refuse to repent and turn to God.

Remedy for Insensibility:

The Scriptures offer hope for overcoming insensibility through repentance and the softening of the heart. Ezekiel 36:26 promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." This transformation is made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts individuals of their need for God and enables them to respond to His call.

In summary, insensibility is a condition that hinders one's relationship with God and understanding of His truth. The Bible calls for a responsive heart, open to the leading and correction of the Holy Spirit, to overcome this spiritual numbness.1. (n.) The state or quality of being insensible; want of sensibility; torpor; unconsciousness; as, the insensibility produced by a fall, or by opiates.

2. (n.) Want of tenderness or susceptibility of emotion or passion; dullness; stupidity.

2659. katanuxis -- stupefaction
... Transliteration: katanuxis Phonetic Spelling: (kat-an'-oox-is) Short Definition:
deep sleep, stupor Definition: deep sleep, torpor, insensibility, stupor. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2659.htm - 7k

Whether Insensibility is a vice?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO TEMPERANCE (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether insensibility is a vice?
Objection 1: It would seem that insensibility is not a vice. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether insensibility is a vice.htm

Insensibility
... CHAPTER XI. INSENSIBILITY. ... 6. Is not your insensibility one of your worst sins?
A hard-hearted child is one of the most hateful of beings. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bonar/gods way of peace/chapter xi insensibility.htm

Whether Treachery, Fraud, Falsehood, Perjury, Restlessness ...
... AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether treachery, fraud,
falsehood, perjury, restlessness, violence, and insensibility to mercy are ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether treachery fraud falsehood perjury.htm

The Patient Teacher, and the Slow Scholars
... these emotions. There is, first, His scholars' stolid insensibility, which
moves Him to anger, to astonishment, and to grief. 'Are ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the patient teacher and the.htm

To those who Say that Souls Existed Before Bodies, or that Bodies ...
... that one soul passed through so many changes are really fitting for the chatter
of frogs or jackdaws, or the stupidity of fishes, or the insensibility of trees ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/xxviii to those who say.htm

God Himself an Example of Patience.
... To us [9020] no human affectation of canine [9021] equanimity, modelled [9022] by
insensibility, furnishes the warrant for exercising patience; but the divine ...
/.../tertullian/of patience/chapter ii god himself an example.htm

Miracles no Remedy for Unbelief.
... the Israelites also; but I am speaking of men in general; and I say, that if the
Israelites had a common nature with us, surely that insensibility which they ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon vi miracles no remedy.htm

Titus ii. 5-Feb
... Some indeed it has in common with youth, but in addition it has [1485] a slowness,
a timidity, a forgetfulness, an insensibility, and an irritability. ...
/.../homily iv titus ii 5-feb.htm

Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
... Not those who are sheltered from the shocks of life by a stupid insensibility; who
have, either by nature or art, the virtue of stocks and stones, and resent ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 22 upon our lords.htm

Letter xv. --Perfect Detachment.
... The proof and sign of the death of all that is external is a sort of indifference,
or rather of insensibility with regard to exterior goods, pleasures ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/letter xv perfect detachment.htm

Insensibility (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) The state or quality of being insensible; want of sensibility; torpor;
unconsciousness; as, the insensibility produced by a fall, or by opiates. ...
/i/insensibility.htm - 7k

Stone (290 Occurrences)
... He is there described as "cut out of the mountain." (see ROCK.). A "heart
of stone" denotes great insensibility (1 Samuel 25:37). ...
/s/stone.htm - 54k

Brass (168 Occurrences)
... It is a symbol of insensibility and obstinacy in sin (Isaiah 48:4; Jeremiah
6:28; Ezek. 22:18), and of strength (Psalm 107:16; Micah 4:13). ...
/b/brass.htm - 44k

Understandings (2 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 4:18 with darkened understandings, having by reason of the ignorance which
is deep-seated in them and the insensibility of their moral nature, no ...
/u/understandings.htm - 7k

Insensate (1 Occurrence)

/i/insensate.htm - 6k

Iron (104 Occurrences)
... 6. (n.) Resembling iron in color; as, iron blackness. 7. (n.) Like iron in hardness,
strength, impenetrability, power of endurance, insensibility, etc.; ...
/i/iron.htm - 50k

Insensitive (1 Occurrence)

/i/insensitive.htm - 6k

Frost (9 Occurrences)
... 3. (vi) Frozen dew; -- called also hoarfrost or white frost. 4. (vi) Coldness
or insensibility; severity or rigidity of character. ...
/f/frost.htm - 14k

Deep-seated (2 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 4:18 with darkened understandings, having by reason of the ignorance which
is deep-seated in them and the insensibility of their moral nature, no ...
/d/deep-seated.htm - 7k

Myrrh (22 Occurrences)
... It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by
crucifixion "wine mingled with myrrh" to produce insensibility. ...
/m/myrrh.htm - 18k

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