Lexical Summary sklérotrachélos: Stiff-necked Original Word: σκληροτράχηλος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance stiff-necked. From skleros and trachelos; hardnaped, i.e. (figuratively) obstinate -- stiffnecked. see GREEK skleros see GREEK trachelos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom skléros and trachélos Definition stiff-necked NASB Translation stiff-necked (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4644: σκληροτράχηλοςσκληροτράχηλος, σκληροτράχηλόν (σκληρός and τράχηλος), properly, stiff-necked ; tropically, stubborn, headstrong, obstinate: Acts 7:51; the Sept. for עֹרֶף קְשֵׁה, Exodus 33:3, 5; Exodus 34:9; (etc.); Baruch 2:30; Sir. 16:11; (cf. σκληροτραχηλια, Test xii. Patr., test. Sym. § 6). Not found in secular authors; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 26, 99 (94)). Topical Lexicon Term Overview Strong’s Greek 4644 denotes the condition of being “stiff-necked,” an image drawn from an ox or donkey that refuses the yoke by stiffening its neck. The word pictures a settled resistance toward God’s leading and correction. Although it appears only once in the Greek New Testament, the concept saturates the biblical narrative and functions as a sobering diagnosis of covenant rebellion. Old Testament Background The charge “stiff-necked” first falls upon Israel in the wilderness. “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exodus 32:9). Moses repeats the verdict in Deuteronomy 9:6, tracing it through the nation’s history. Prophets echo the accusation—Jeremiah 7:26; 17:23; 19:15; 2 Kings 17:14—each time linking neck-stiffness with refusal to hear God’s voice and obey His law. The imagery comes from agrarian life: a beast that will not bend to the yoke cannot be guided. Thus “stiff-necked” becomes shorthand for a will set against God. New Testament Usage (Acts 7:51) Stephen, standing before the Sanhedrin, indicts his hearers: “You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit—just as your fathers did” (Acts 7:51). By combining the historic epithet with present resistance to the risen Messiah, Stephen draws a straight line from Sinai to Calvary. His single use of σκληροτράχηλοι shows that the same obstinacy that spurned the prophets now rejects the Son. The immediate result is further hardening; enraged, the council stones Stephen, vividly illustrating the very sin he exposed. Theological Significance 1. Rebellion against divine authority: “Stiff-necked” summarizes humanity’s innate posture toward God apart from grace (Romans 8:7). Practical Ministry Implications • Preaching: The term warns congregations against habitual resistance to Scripture. Rebellion is not merely outward but lodges in the heart and ears. Related Concepts Hard-heartedness (σκληροκαρδία, Mark 3:5), uncircumcised heart (Acts 7:51), resisting the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 63:10), rebellious house (Ezekiel 2:5), and pride (Proverbs 16:18) all intersect with the stiff-necked condition. Illustrative Biblical References Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:3; Deuteronomy 9:6-13; 2 Chronicles 30:8; 2 Kings 17:14; Psalm 75:5; Isaiah 48:4; Jeremiah 7:26; Jeremiah 17:23; Jeremiah 19:15; Acts 7:51; Romans 11:7-10. Summary Strong’s 4644 crystallizes the age-old human inclination to resist God’s yoke. Scripture exposes this sin, warns of its consequences, and points to Christ, whose gentle yoke alone can transform a stiff neck into ready obedience. Forms and Transliterations Σκληροτραχηλοι Σκληροτράχηλοι σκληροτράχηλόν σκληροτράχηλος σκληροτράχηλός σκληροτραχήλου Sklerotracheloi Sklerotrácheloi Sklērotrachēloi SklērotráchēloiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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