repentance?

Sometimes I get accused of not preaching the need for repentance or that GoedBericht does not emphasize it. I admit that I seldom use the word “repentance, but I have a good reason for this. “Repentance” is a rather unfortunate rendering of the different words that Scripture knows for it (“teshoevah“, “epistrepho” and “metanoia“). Let me briefly explain these. return The Hebrew word “teshoevah” literally means “return”. For example, the people of Israel returning to God and the Torah; or return to the land of our fathers (Jer.50:19). Returning means going back to a place where one previously has been. Not “repentance”, but “return” comes the closest to the Hebrew word “teshoevah“. turn around Greek has two words that are quite far apart, but in the current Bible translations both are translated with “repentance”. The first is ‘epistrepho‘, denoting ‘turning around”; sometimes literally, as in Matthew 9:22.

Now Jesus, being turned and perceiving her, said… Mat.9:22 (CLV)

But “turning around” may also be done figuratively, by changing direction or by taking a new road (Acts 14:15). reconsider The other Greek word that usually is rendered “repentance” is “metanoia.” The last part of that word (noia) indicates “thinking” and the first part (meta) indicates “with” or “after”. “Metanoia” literally means: think about, best expressed in our word “reconsider”. Where, for example, Peter and Paul confronted their listeners with shocking announcements, they called on them to “‘metanoia” reconsider: think carefully, be prudent (Acts 17:30)! conclusion In short, the words “return”, “turn around” and “reconsider” do more justice to these Hebrew and Greek words than does the word “repentance”. For your consideration…

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