Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

§13.2 For Whom Did Jesus Intend His Message?
However, as Jeremias pointed out, this is where a word count can be misleading.
39 He notes a number of parables and incidents in Jesus' ministry which in
effect make clear what repentance involves: particularly the parables of the prodigal
son (Luke 15.17) and the toll-collector (Luke 18.13) and the Q parable of the
empty house (Matt. 12.43-45/Luke 11.24-26); and the incidents of the rich young
man/ruler (Mark 10.17-31 pars.) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19.8). 40 We may conclude,
then, with only a small degree of equivocation, that the memory of Jesus commending
and calling for repentance is quite firmly rooted in the Jesus tradition as
the tradition was rehearsed in the early communities of Jesus' disciples.
The meaning of the Greek, metanoeö/metanoia ('repent/repentance'), is not
in dispute: 'to repent' is to change one's mind, often with an overtone of regret for
the view previously held. 41 And something of this overtone is certainly detectable
in the remorse shown by the prodigal son and the toll-collector. 42 But there is general
agreement that behind the usage of the Baptist and Jesus lies the much more
radical Hebrew/Aramaic term sub/tub, 'to go back again, return' . 43 This was more
effectively translated in the LXX by the Greek epistrephö, with the same meaning.
This enables us to recognize that the Baptist and Jesus were in effect calling
for a 'return to the Lord', in echo of a constant refrain in their Scriptures, particularly
the prophets. 44 The Essenes in turn understood themselves to have entered
'the covenant of conversion (britfsubäy (CD 19.16). 45 The call expressed in the
Greek term metanoeö, therefore, would have initially been heard as a reiteration
of the call of the prophets to turn back to God, that is, by implication, from a life in
breach of God's commandments, from a social irresponsibility which should have
been unacceptable in the people of Yahweh. Its radical quality is indicated quite
al. The theme was of some importance for Luke (Luke 24.47; Acts 5.31; 11.18; 20.21; 26.20).
In Matthew note also Matt. 21.29, 32 (metamelomai).
39. Jeremias, Proclamation 152-53; see also Goppelt, Theology 1.77-86; McKnight,
New Vision 172-73; the point needs to be repeated to Becker, Jesus 236.
40. Wright also responds to Sanders's criticism of Jeremias on this point by pointing to
the 'implicit narrative' (of Israel's restoration) (Jesus 247-48); see further below, §13.3a.
41. BAGD, metanoeö, metanoia; J. Behm, metanoeö, TDNT 4.978-79. Hence metanoeö
is normally used in the LXX for Hebrew niham ('be sorry [for something]') (Behm 989-90).
42. Luke 15.17-19; 18.13. In Luke 17.4 we could quite properly translate, 'If your
brother . . . says "I am sorry (metanoeö)", you should forgive him'.
43. See, e.g., E. Wiirthwein, metanoeö, TDNT 4.984; H. Merklein, EDNT 2.416. See
further Jeremias, Proclamation 155. Behm notes that metanoeö is used to translate sub in later
Greek translations of the OT (TDNT 4.990).
44. Deut. 4.30; 30.2, 10; Pss. 7.12; 22.27; 51.13; 78.34; 85.8; 90.3; Isa. 6.10; 19.22;
31.6; 44.22; 55.7; Jer. 3.10, 12, 14; 4.1; 5.3; 8.5; 24.7; Ezek. 18.30; Hos. 3.5; 6.1; 7.10; 14.2;
Joel 2.12-13; Amos 4.6, 8-11; Zech. 1.3; Mai. 3.7.
45. See further R. Schnackenburg, Die sittliche Botschaft des Neuen Testaments
(HTKNT Supp. 1; Freiburg: Herder, 1986) 1.43-44.
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