REPENTANCE IN LUKE-ACTS

                                                              Repent (assemblage, 2010)

 

Let us start with some definitions. Lunde does an excellent job of summarizing the language of repentance in the New Testament:

“The biblical notion of repentance refers to the radical turning away from anything which hinders one's wholehearted devotion to God, and the corresponding turning away to God in love and obedience. In the New Testament...this notion is communicated principally through the cognate words (metanoeo/metanoia) which express the complete reorientation of the person, although a verb which means 'turning' (epistrepho) is also used.”

And actually, Goetzmann points out that both these words are used side-by-side in Acts 3:19 and 26:20. “In these two verses metanoeo describes the turning from evil and epistrepho the turning to God.”

Vine describes the origin of the word metanoeo as derived from meta, meaning 'after' and implying change plus noeo, 'to perceive' from nous, the mind and seat of moral reflection.”

J. Murray explains that “repentance consists in a radical transformation of thought, attitude, outlook and direction...repentance is a turning from sin unto God and His service.”

Getting closer to the specific subject at hand, Joel Green says, “As a response to the Christian message, repentance is developed most fully in the Acts of the Apostles and then in the first volume of Luke's two-part work, the Gospel of Luke.” As evidence of Green's contention, note the following passages in Luke's writings I have collected which deal with the subject of repentance:

    Luke 1:16-17; 3:3-4,9,16-17; 5:32; 7:47-50; 13:1-5; 14:33; 15:7,10; 19:9-10; 22:32

    Acts 1:8; 2:14-41; 3:19-26; 5:31; 8:20-24; 9:35; 11:18,21; 13:24; 14:15; 15:3,19; 17:22-31; 19:4;            20:21; 26:18-20

An excellent article by Darrell Bock appeared in the September 2023 issue of Christianity Today magazine zeroing in on a few of the Lukan passages mentioned above.

Luke 1:16-17 contains the angel Gabriel's words to Zechariah concerning the birth of his son John the Baptist: “He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”

Note that the first “turning” of the people is back to God. This is what we usually think of when we mention repentance. But Bock calls our attention to the result of the second mention “turn” is used in this passage. “Gabriel announces that John will turn people back to one another in two key spheres: relationships in the family...and ethical wisdom exercised in public life,” respectively. In other words, “Repentance is not one-dimensional. Both my relationship with God and my relationships with others were in God's mind as John received his calling to prepare a people for the coming of deliverance. Reconciliation and relationships were at the very center of what God was getting ready to do through Jesus.”

Luke 3:8-14 begins with John the Baptist explaining to the crowd, “Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance...” In response, the members of the crowd three times ask him, “What should we do?” in other words, they realize (perhaps better than we do on occasion) that a mere change of attitude and orientation toward God again is not enough; it must be followed by appropriate action toward our fellow man. Bock puts it this way: “A surprise awaits us in John's replies. In each case, the application addresses not how I am responding to God but how I am responding to others in everyday situations...Surprisingly, God is not directly mentioned in any of John's answers. The point is, repentance is not only about how I relate to God, but also about how I interact with others.”

Jesus' example: Bock finally alludes in general to the various calls to repentance made by Jesus (such as Luke 4:16-19 and 14:7-24). “By his own example, Jesus showed to whom his followers should pay attention. He demonstrated his priorities by ministering to and showing special concern for people who were often discounted.”

Conclusion

Bock admits, “The passages in Luke revealed a relational and ethical dimension to a term – repentance – that I had often privatized as being solely about my God and myself. The connection to others floored me. It opened up a whole sea of application I had been missing as I reflected on the corporate, social and relational elements of repentance. And, of course, Bock is by no means alone in recognizing this second dimension to the concept of repentance.

As Dictionary of Biblical Imagery puts it, “Changed action is the most tangible demonstration of repentance...large strides in a new direction are the most sure sign that repentance has occurred.” This thought is seconded by Green: “Moreover, repentance, if it were genuine, would be accompanied by a will to make right the wrong committed or to change the situation that eventuated in the wrongdoing, and a concomitant alteration of future behavior.”

Thus, the definitions with which I began this post do not really go far enough. They do accurately explain the image of someone standing in the road facing God rather than looking away from Him. But a different orientation of direction alone does not really accomplish much without a concomitant movement along that road. That is why my assemblage pictured above was built out of shoe molds. As Nancy Sinatra sang years ago, “These boots were made for walking; that's just what they do.” They were not just made for standing in the road admiring the glory of God.

That is why Bock concludes his essay with these words: “God's call to prepare is a call to take the initiative of being wise, forgiving and full of love and care for others – even toward some who initially might not wish for it. In turning to others, we also turn to God. We might even be inviting them to turn back to God and others in ways they had not imagined.”