Words have meaning. That much is self-evident. But words convey ideas, and as the old saying goes – ideas have consequences. People are quick to dismiss the usefulness of the battlefield of ideas – and to argue that actions, rather than debates are what change the world. But the story of the Protestant Reformation tells a different story.
Many factors could be identified as either catalysts or vehicles for the success of the Reformation. We could speak of the role played by the Renaissance, the religious and political climate of Luther’s day, or even the role of the printing press. But few historians would deny that the recovery by Martin Luther, of the Biblical understanding of repentance, was what provided the theological thrust behind this significant moment in church history.
Luther’s attack on the sale of indulgences and the sacrament of penance was based on his realization that the Latin Vulgate was misleading in the way it translated especially the Greek text of Matthew 4:17. While Jesus called on his hearers to “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”, the Vulgate rendered the Greek word Μετανοεῖτε (metanoeite) as penitentiam agite, which means “do penance”. Luther understood that there was a fundamental misunderstanding of the Biblical concept of repentance that lay behind the theology and practice of the Papacy. Doing penance meant performing rituals for the forgiveness of sins, whereas the kind of repentance Jesus commands, was an inward change, leading to outward action. Those are two very different ideas, which explains why the theological and practical chasm between Protestants and Catholics is so great.
But let’s not assume that we necessarily have a proper grasp of all that repentance entails. Some people today think that repentance is purely emotional – it’s all about feeling sorry for sin or even regretting certain sins. Others may think that repentance and confession are identical, that all that repentance requires is that we acknowledge that we have sinned. But let’s briefly look at three biblical words for repentance that may help us to better understand this important Biblical concept.
Firstly, there is the word I’ve already mentioned – Μετανοεῖτε. Or as it’s usually referenced in the noun form μετάνοια (metanoia). This is a compound word that means to change one’s mind, thinking or attitude. But as Geerhardus Vos argues, we would be defining the word far too narrowly if we were to limit the word “mind” merely to “intellectual, theoretical consciousness.”[1] The idea of a change of conviction, takes us a little closer to the true meaning of the word. There is in repentance (or conversion) the reversal of convictions – there is a turning in disgust from the sins once cherished and a turning in love to the God we once hated. Think, for instance, of the dramatic difference there is Paul’s description of the unconverted and converted person in Romans 8. The mind that is set on the flesh is “hostile towards God” (v.7), but, on the other hand, those who are born again cry out: “Abba! Father!” (v.15).
However, the inward aspect of μετάνοια as a change of mind, conviction, or will, can never be separated from it’s outward fruits in our lives. It leads to action. In Acts 8:22, for instance, Peter commands Simon the Magician: “Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours…” He was not simply telling him to change his mind, but to change his ways.
A second word that communicates the idea of repentance in the New Testament, is the Greek word ἐπιστρέφω (epistrepho). It’s only found once as a noun, but far more frequently as a verb and a command. This word links the idea of repentance with that of faith – repentance is not just a turning away from certain things, but even more importantly, it is a turning towards God. Epistrepho is often used with the word we’ve just looked at to emphasize different aspects of repentance. For instance, in Acts 3:19 Peter says: “Repent (μετανοήσατε – metanoeisate) therefore, and turn back (ἐπιστρέψατε – epistrepsate), that your sins may be blotted out…” Here repenting would refer to the reversal of the convictions and turning would refer to the actual turning from sin and error, to God. Or as one Bible scholar has put it: “Metaneo points to the inward conscious change while epistrepho directs attention particularly to the changed determinative center or all of life.”[2]
The final Greek word for repentance, is the one used by Jesus in the famous parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-32. The ESV translates verses 29 and 30 as: “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.” The word translated as “he changed his mind” is μεταμεληθεὶς (metameleitheis). The main difference between this word and the first word we looked at, is that this word always refers exclusively to the negative aspect of repentance and specifically to the idea of regret or remorse. Interestingly enough, while people are often commanded to repent in the New Testament, they are never commanded to be sorrowful, or remorseful. Calling people to repentance therefore seems to be a call to action, which, if the repentance is sincere, will be accompanied by sorrow, or remorse – but these emotions are never commanded.
If you’re still reading, that means all the Greek terminology has not put you off completely and you’re just waiting for the “so what” of all this. What are the theological and practical implications of these different aspects of repentance for you and I today?
Well much could be said by way of application, but my hope is simply that this article would help you see the danger of an overly simplistic understanding of repentance that limits the idea to just one thing – it’s an intellectual thing – or an emotional thing – or a practical thing. It’s clearly all of the above. Repentance is a response to the proclamation of God’s word – and therefore must start with the intellect. There must be a rejection of what is false, and an embrace of what is true. But surely truth of this magnitude -that we are guilty of cosmic treason, but that a merciful God offers free salvation to all who embrace his Son in repentance and faith – surely coming to terms with such truth will not leave us cold and unaffected. There ought to be remorse and sorrow. But finally, these inward realities are authenticated outwardly by a change of life. Think of John the Baptist telling the unrepentant Jews to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt. 3:8). That fruit cannot merely be intellectual, or emotional, but it will be seen in the lives of the genuinely repentant, as they turn from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thes. 1:9).
But in closing, we need to be careful not to confuse a theological understanding of repentance, with the thing itself. We always run the danger of being hearers of the word and not doers also. Of being always learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. Ultimately we must rely on the Lord, who alone grants repentance (Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). The clearest evidence that repentance unto life has happened, is not that we were sorry for our sins once, and made some outward pledge to change – but that we’re continuing daily to repent – in mind, emotions and action – of those things that God has taught us to hate. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled!
[1] Vos, Geerhardus. Reformed Dogmatics. Translated and edited by Richard B. Gaffin Jr., Bellingham, WA. Lexham Press, 2020., p.668
[2] Kromminga, C.G. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd Edition. Edited by Elwell, Walter A. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 201., p.1012
