μετανοέω (me-tä-no-e'-o): The Transforming Word of JHWH unto New Creational Life or Eternal Judgment
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μετανοέω (me-tä-no-e'-o)
Etymology and Definition
From μετά + νοέω (me-tä' + noi-ä), which is derived from νοῦς (nous), that is a change (μετά) in the faculty by which we perceive, understand, judge and synthesize (νοέω). That is to say, a total renovation of one’s mind/heart/spirit/soul.
34 occurrences in the NT:
16x in the Gosepls: 9x in Lk; 5x in Mt; 2x in Mk (which will be the focus of this post);
5x in Acts
1x in II Cor 12:21
12x in Rev (occurring 8x in Ch 2-3)
Summary Synthesis
We will find that this word means “to change the entire framework of the inner reasoning of the mind/heart/spirit/soul away from self unto Christ and His kingdom.” In the Gospels, μετανοέω is presented as the dividing line between the coming of God’s eternal kingdom here and now, which brings new creational life through Jesus, on the one hand; and, on the other hand, the coming of eternal judgment, that ensures a living death, as we reject the continual call of Christ to hear and believe. It then moves to identify the false repentance built not upon Jesus but on human calculation. And finally, it closes with the call to forgiveness as the outworking of true metanoia within the new creational community in Christ.
[In the words of Pavel Florensky, the most concise synthesis definition would be “to change the totality of consciousness at the deepest level of being.”]
Detailed Analysis
From the call to metä'noiä of John the Baptist to the first words of Jesus
The first occurrence in the NT comes with John the Baptist “preaching in the wilderness,” saying, “Repent (Μετανοεῖτε) for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 3:2). When Jesus next returns from the testing (πειράζω) in the wilderness, he proclaims the exact same words (Mt 4:17). We should note, however, that the use in Matthew is slightly different from its parallel in Mark. In Matthew, Jesus follows John in saying that the we are to me-tä-no-e'-o precisely because it is the only way to prepare for the coming of God’s eternal kingdom as it is breaking into the present moment of this fallen age through the incarnation of the Messianic King. In Mark, however, the Gospel says “the time is fulfilled” (Πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρὸς) and the Kingdom of God has drawn near; therefore, our only response to this new reality that has already come is to me-tä-no-e'-o (μετανοεῖτε) and believe (καὶ πιστεύετε) in the Gospel (ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ), which announces the eschatological victory of the eternal King over this present age.
The path to metänoiä and healing and the path to judgment and death
Next, following his discourse on John the Baptist who preached such metä'noiä even to his death, Christ began to “upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not” (μετενόησαν, Mt 11:20-21; cf. Lk 10:13), later declaring that even the “men of Nineveh” should “rise in judgment with this generation, and condemn it: because they repented (μετενόησαν) at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here” (Mt 12:41; cf. Lk 11:32).
As a witness to the coming of God’s Kingdom to the Gentiles, just as before it went out through Jonah to Ninevah, Jesus now sends out His twelve disciples with no possessions (i.e. equipped with no human resources) but rather with “power over unclean spirits” to preach that men should me-tä-no-e'-o” (μετανοῶσιν). And the word of this coming new reality is displayed as they “cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mk 6:12-13).
The context for the next use is two events that bear witness to man’s inevitable death and the reality of the coming Judgment to all mankind. The first is Pilate’s murder of the Galileans, whose blood he had “mingled with the sacrifices;” and the second is the eighteen killed by the fall of the tower of Siloam. Jesus then uses these apparently disconnected happenings as warnings to the people of their own death and judgment if they refuse to hear and believe. Very simply and very starkly Jesus declares to them, “Unless you me-tä-no-e'-o (ἐὰν μὴ μετανοῆτε) you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13:3-5). As the Kingdom of God has drawn near to them with the healing signs of New Creation on display, the only pathway to life is found in metä'noiä.
A note on the relation to the Parable of the Fig Tree
It should be noted here that with His focus on the necessity of our metänoiä in relation to the coming judgment, Jesus then gives the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. As it was known as one of the “most common fruit trees in Palestine”, the fig tree became a symbol in the OT to convey the idea of Covenantal flourishing, on the one hand (Te’enah, Jer 24:4-7; Num 13:23; Deut 8:8) or Covenantal cursing and judgment, on the other (Jer 24:8-10, 5:17, 8:13, 29:17; Is 34:4; Hos 2:12, 9:10; Ps 105:33, etc.).
It is in its relation to the latter that we see the way Jesus uses it here and elsewhere (Mt 21:19). Israel had been given the Law and the Prophets. JHWH had indeed planted them in the garden of the Promised Land with all they needed to flourish; yet despite all of this, they had year by year and generation by generation refused to hear and obey. This being the case, they called Judgment upon themselves such that their fig tree withered (Joel 1:12, Amos 4:9, etc.-> Lk 13:7). Jesus, like Moses and the Prophets before, now gives them an opportunity to again hear the transforming Word of JHWH unto life (Ps 1:2-3-> Lk 13:8). If they will not hear this, then they will be “cut down” (Jer 12:17-> Lk 13:9) for their tree will be shown to be truly barren with a total inability to take up the nutrients of the soil to bear fruit (την γην καταργει, Lk 13:7b.]
From words of judgment to Parables of Joy
Given the reality of the coming judgment with the dividing line being our response to the words of Jesus, the next text is a case in point. The passage begins with “all the publicans and sinners” drawing near “to Jesus in order to hear Him”; yet the “Pharisees and scribes” murmuring to themselves with words of judgment, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them” (Lk 15:1-2). With this as the context, Christ then declares the Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin with the concluding words, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner who is repenting (μετανοοῦντι), more than over ninety nine just persons, who need no repentance (Lk 15:7). This is reinforced with the further saying, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who is repenting” (Lk 15:10). [Notice here the use of the present participle, which is used to communicate to us that this is ongoing]. And this reality is is then elucidated further in the Parable of the Prodigal Son that follows (Lk 15:11-32, the icon of which is above).
The penultimate use appears in the warnings given at the close of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. The rich man in the torments of Hell begs Abraham first to send Lazarus to “dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool [his] tongue.” When that is denied he then begs him to send Lazarus to his five brothers, declaring “if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent” (μετανοήσουσιν, Lk 16:30). This is the first instance in the NT where metanoia is understood in terms of the fallen thinking of this world. “No”, says Abraham. “If they hear not Moses and the prophets (that is, the means given to them by JHWH for their salvation), neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Lk 16:31). We might add here that Jesus’ words are indeed confirmed when Lazarus himself rises from the dead (Jn 11:1-44) and the Pharisees take no steps towards metanoia at all, but rather “take counsel to put him to death” (11:46-48; 53).
The final word of metanoia as worked out in the new creational community through forgiveness
Its final two instances in the Gospels continue the warnings of the coming Judgment. Jesus first speaks of “offenses” (σκάνδαλα [skandala]) which must inevitably come (Ἀνένδεκτόν...μὴ ἐλθεῖν), then specifically of those that are committed against “one of these little ones” (Lk 17:2). With this as the background, Jesus directs his disciples towards the pathway of forgiveness (cf. Mt 6:14-15). “Take heed to yourselves” (προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς, or, “Be attentive to this one thing”]:
“If your brother trespass against you, rebuke him; and if he repents (μετανοήσῃ), forgive him (ἄφες αὐτῷ).
And if he trespass against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent (Μετανοῶ); you shall forgive him (Lk 17:3-4; cf. Mt 18:15-20). T
No words of explanation; no mitigating circumstances; simply a command. And with this command, the Gospels brings all the teaching on metanoia together with the word of forgiveness. And this word is, as it were, the outworking of metänoiä within New Creational humanity. This is what binds the community together; what carries it forward; what lifts it up to the “throne of Grace where we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).
With this we close this first study on metänoiä. From the pathway of judgement we come to the entrance into joy through the forgiveness and mercy of Christ.
Amen and may it be!