Luke 13: 1-5 - What "μετανοῆτε" means in the context of Jesus' answer, semantically, repent of sin or turn from sin?

Question

Text: Luke 13:1-5(ESV)

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Answer 1

The verb μετανοέω (metanoeó) means literally to change one's mind. That is, repent. BDAG has this:

feel remorse, repent, be converted.

Jesus message is rather blunt and simple - unless the people to whom He was speaking repent (have a change of heart) they would perish.

Barnes suggests this (Luke 13:3):

Except ye repent - Except you forsake your sins and turn to God. Jesus took occasion, contrary to their expectation, to make a practical use of that fact, and to warn them of their own danger. He never suffered a suitable occasion to pass without warning the wicked, and entreating them to forsake their evil ways. The subject of religion was always present to his mind. He introduced it easily, freely, fully. In this he showed his love for the souls of people, and in this he set us an example that we should walk in his steps.

Answer 2

In Luke 13:1-5 the Greek word Jesus used is metananoeo, "to have another mind". Jesus was not speaking of just being sorry for having done wrong, nor even of being sorry for having sinned (all wrongdoing is sin - 1 John 5:17 - because all wrongdoing is unrighteousness, but not everybody thinks it is.) The apostle Paul helpfully wrote:

"For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation [and leaves no regret] but the sorrow of the world works death" 2 Corinthians 7:10).

Jesus was speaking of something so radical, so transforming, so impossible for sinful humans to do themselves, that only by embracing him as the Saviour and the Lord could the repentance he spoke of lead to a transformed mind; a new mind.

Combine what Jesus said with what Paul later said (speaking from experience, having become living proof of this 'new mind') and the enormity of Luke 13:1-5 might register. Godly sorrow is required, which is very different to worldly sorrow. Once godly sorrow grips us for our sin, that is evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work. The Holy Spirit's 'job' is to uplift Christ so that he will be looked up to in faith - John 15:26. Such godly sorrow works repentance to salvation. That is because the Holy Spirit grants this new mind, this mind of Christ - 1 Corinthians 2:16. The previous verse there shows that "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God". He cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned (vs. 14).

Only the Holy Spirit can enable a spiritually dead person to be transformed by receiving the mind of Christ, no less.

This absolutely involves repentance, for only the mind of Christ can enable a sinner to see they will perish without this transformation, this "metananoeo". It is all of the one 'cloth', of being clothed with Christ. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). Only a person who has truly repented has truly turned around to start following Christ, for then they have the mind of Christ, which replaces their worldly mind.

To try to distinguish repentance from a transformed mind (which results in a transformed life) is like separating the warp from the woof, in a piece of cloth. Anybody who wishes to be "clothed with Christ" has to do what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-5 - to repent the way he meant it, not the way most worldly people think it means; that just to say "sorry" to God will wipe their slate clean. No. Unless the Holy Spirit grants a person repentance unto salvation, they cannot repent the way Jesus said must be done, if we are not to perish.

Answer 3

μετανοέω/μετάνοια in the Synoptic Gospels

μετανοέω/μετάνοια is a major theme and commandment of the Gospel call, ubiquitous in the Synoptic gospels and Acts. In most English versions, it's translated as "repent/repentance," essentially implying a sense of remorse. However, the primary lexical concept of these words is to transform and redirect one's entire life, paralleling the Hebrew equivalent in the LXX, shuv - to return.

"Repentance" isn't synonymous with "confession." The evangelistic phrase "Repent of your sin" isn't a Biblical term, but "Repent for the forgiveness of sin, and salvation" is solidly Biblical (Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3; 24:47; Ac 2:38).

In Scripture, μετανοέω never means merely feeling remorse or regret and doing penance for wrongdoings. Instead, it's about turning our life toward God, resulting from a change of mind/heart; from the old self-centered life to the God-centered new life in Christ. This transformation extends beyond the Jewish audience, encompassing both Jews transitioning from adherence to the Law to faith in Jesus and the Gospel, and gentiles, who are also invited to embrace this profound shift towards God and belief in the gospel

Jesus in Mark 1:15 (and John the Baptist, Mt 3:2) speaks to Jews to "turn ye," not "repent ye" (be sorry ye). In His message, Jesus declares the new Messianic era has come, and now Jews must turn (μετανοέω) to believe in the Gospel, from belief in the works of the Laws. Therefore, the proper translation of μετανοεῖτε is "Turn ye," not "Repent ye" (= Be sorry ye)."

[A note: Interestingly, CEV, GNT, and God's Word Translation have rendered μετανοέω as - Turn back to God; Turn away from your sin, and Change the way you think and act; LSV-convert and believe; Amplified -repent [change your inner self-your old way of thinking, etc.]

The Bible emphasizes that without a genuine turning of our hearts and minds towards God, neither sacrificial offerings nor mere feelings of remorse for wrongdoings will secure forgiveness of sins.

Moreover, turning to Jesus and embracing the Gospel isn't merely a preferable option, but the sole path to attaining eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. This truth is exemplified in the stories of the thief saved on the cross and the prodigal son (Luke 23:43; 15:11-32). As the evangelical buzzword goes, 'Turn or burn,' we must turn to Jesus to receive forgiveness of sin, salvation, and restoration of the severed relationship.

The Gospel call to turn (μετανοέω) and believe in the Gospel is for all living souls whose hearts/minds are far from YHWH (Isaiah 29:13; Matt 15:8) - Jews, gentiles, unbelieving believers, backsliders, even apostates (Jer 3:22). It's always a good time for μετανοέω/μετάνοια (to turn/turning). It's never too late, as in the case of the thief on the cross and the prodigal son. The loving Father calls all to μετανοέω/μετάνοια, as the old hymn goes: Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling, stanzas 1 & 4 (W.L. Thompson, 1800):

"Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling; Calling for you and for me. See on the portal, He's watching and waiting; Waitin' for you and for me.

O for the wonderful love He has promised, promised for you and for me! Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me.

Ref: Come home, come home; you who are weary, come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home.

Conclusion:

Through our exploration of "μετανοέω/μετάνοια" in the Synoptic Gospels, we have uncovered its profound significance as a call to turn or return towards God and embrace the transformative power of the gospel. As Jesus and John the Baptist declared, "Turn ye," they issued not a mere suggestion for a liturgical penitentiary but a radical invitation to redirect our entire lives towards the kingdom of God, akin to the prodigal son's return to his father.

Jesus is warning that just as the Galileans and 18 people of Siloam faced tragic fates, all Jews will meet similar consequences if they do not μετανοέω - turn or return to God. The fall of the nation of Israel to Rome in AD 70 serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of heeding this call. The Gospel call extends to all humanity:

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; Μετανοεῖτε -turn/return - and believe in the gospel!" (Mark 1:15).

Answer 4

Great comments. μετανοέω is to change mind, and to change mind is to receive the Mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) (which "Mind" most fathers interpret as the Holy Spirit, which fits to the context as well), and to do this is nothing less than to die for sin and one's own self and start living for Him who died for us and was risen (2 Cor. 5:15). And this is impossible to do without Christ.

Therefore, when He asks us to repent, He implicitly asks us to receive Him in our lives, for nobody can abandon the old man and be dressed in new man, become the "new creation" without the Lord starting living in us: "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24). But am I Christ's when I write this clever and right thing? No, I am not, because still my own desires and deepest urges are more important for me than my urge towards Christ, even though I am baptized and even though I attend church services. And majority of the mankind is such, as I read this pessimistic truth in the Gospels themselves (cf. 2 Tim. 3:5; or Matthew 7:13, which says that many prefer the broad road leading to perdition to a narrow road leading to salvation).

Thus, to speak clever things is a good thing, but not to put those things in one's life is a foolish thing, better to be a street sweeper (an honorable profession, sincerely!) without trying let Christ live in one's heart, than a theologian praising Christ in words, while in deed and in heart denying Him. And such is the vast majority of theologians, just as the majority of street sweepers, and the latter are still better humans than the former, due to a lesser degree of hypocrisy.