Semantic Range Study

A traditional word study, also known as a semantic range study, first attempts to determine what a word could mean by identifying the word’s semantic range and then attempts to determine what the word does mean based on the word’s context. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he states, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor 7:10).[1] The Greek lemma under investigation that corresponds to the English word, repentance, is the noun μετάνοια. A lemma search reveals that μετάνοια is used twenty-two times in the New Testament, twelve times in the accusative case and ten times in the genitive case.

Upon investigation of the twenty-two uses of the μετάνοια, the word could have five different meanings. First, μετάνοια could mean a form of prophetic calling for a new relationship with God signified by baptism. For example, Luke writes that “John (the Baptist) had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel” (Acts 13:24; See also Acts 19:4; Matt 3:11; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). Second, μετάνοια could also take on the meaning of conversion. For example, Jesus states in Luke 5:32, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Third, μετάνοια could mean the process of forgiveness of sins that brings life to the individual. For example, Luke writes that after Christ’s resurrection “repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed” (Luke 24:46-47; See also Acts 5:31, 11:18, 20:21). Fourth, μετάνοια could also refer to the types of deeds associated with repentance. For example, Luke 3:8 states, “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance,” and Luke writes that everyone should perform “deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:20; See also Matt 3:8). Fifth, μετάνοια could mean a turning to God or the possibility of returning to God. For example, the writer of Hebrews states, “it is impossible to renew them to repentance” (Heb 6:6; See also Heb 6:1, 12:17; 2 Pet 3:9).

The historical context of the passage under study relates to Paul’s disciplinary letter written to the church at Corinth, which has since been lost, that created grief and sorrow in the hearts of the members. Furthermore, the literary context provides additional insight. First, Paul states that “sorrow that is according to the will of God produces repentance” (2 Cor 7:10a). The literary context of the passage assumes that being sorry is not equivalent to repentance, but that sorrow produces repentance. Second, Paul states that the sorrow that produces repentance leads to salvation. Accordingly, just as sorrow is not repentance, repentance is not salvation. Repentance is something produced by sorrow and leads to salvation. Returning to the previous possibilities, the first three effectively equate the meaning of repentance with salvation: experience a new relationship, conversion, forgiveness. However, in the literary context of the passage, Paul is asserting that the meaning of repentance is not something approximately synonymous with salvation, but something that leads to salvation. Furthermore, the final two options equate repentance with deeds or the act of turning. If Paul is equating the meaning of repentance to deeds or acts of turning, then he is suggesting that human effort leads to salvation, which is incoherent in Pauline theology. Accordingly, none of the options in the New Testament appear to resolve the problem.

A lemma search on the word μετάνοια and the related verb form μετανοέω in the LXX generated thirteen results from the Old Testament Prophets.[2] Of the thirteen results, twelve were translated from the Hebrew lemma נחם, which has the connotation of showing compassion by relenting, surrendering, or capitulating. More than half of the instances translated from נחם in the LXX are rendered “relent” in English by the NASB. It is this meaning that may have been going through Paul’s mind as he reflected on the forthtelling and disciplinary rebuke he delivered to the Corinthians that caused their sorrow. A sorrow that causes an individual to relent, capitulate, or surrender from being one’s own god, a surrender that leads to salvation.

Semantic Field Study

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition

Traditional word studies focus on a word’s semantic range within a given context. However, a semantic field study broadens the scope of a traditional word study to related words, such as the word’s synonyms and antonyms. The semantic field study supplements a semantic range study by examining words that the author could have used but decided not to use. Johannes Louw and Eugene Nida identify five related words or phrases to μετάνοια, which include four synonyms, στρέφομαι, ἐπιστρέφω, ἐπιστροφή, γεννάω ἄνωθεν, and one antonym, ἀμετανόητος.[3] First, the word στρέφομαι normally means to change one’s life. The word στρέφομαι is absent from the Pauline corpus. Furthermore, Paul would likely not have used this word within the context of 2 Corinthians 7:10 lest it create a works-based salvation, where the changing of an individual’s way of life would result in or lead to salvation. Second, in most circumstances the phrase, γεννάω ἄνωθεν, means to be born again or to experience a new birth. The phrase, γεννάω ἄνωθεν, is also absent from the Pauline corpus. The phrase born again is closely related to salvation. Thus, within the literary context of 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul would likely not use the phrase because he desires to use a word that leads to salvation, not a word that represents salvation. Third and fourth, the words ἐπιστρέφω and ἐπιστροφή almost always mean to turn toward or return to something. For example, Peter states, “A dog returns (ἐπιστρέψας) to its own vomit” (2 Pet 2:22). Paul uses the verb form three times in his letters. Twice he uses the word to mean turning toward God and once to mean turning away from God (See 2 Cor 3:16; Gal 4:9; 1 Thess 1:9). The verb form, μετανοέω, is used a total of thirty-five times in the New Testament, and it most often means to change one’s life and to live like God would desire, which, again, would not lead to salvation. Thus, Paul would avoid the word in the context of 2 Corinthians 7:10. Finally, and most importantly, is the antonym, ἀμετανόητος. Paul uses the word one time in Romans 2:5 as an adjective, which means unrepentant. Here Paul states that “because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself” (Rom 2:5). Paul aligns the unrepentant (ἀμετανόητον) closely with stubbornness, which means unwilling rather than willing, reluctant rather than relenting, and defending rather than surrendering. Furthermore, verse 5 illuminates the previous verse as well, which states, “the kindness of God leads you to repentance” (Rom 2:4b). A threatening God would lead humanity to defend, but a kind God would provide the safety necessary for humanity to surrender their life to Him. Accordingly, the antonym provides clarity to the meaning of μετάνοια in 2 Corinthians 10:7, where Paul communicates that godly sorrow leads individuals to relent, to willingly surrender their lives, to capitulate: a repentance that leads to salvation.

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[1] Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1995).

[2] The lemma searches also generated four additional results in the book of Proverbs, a less relevant genre, and nine additional results from the Apocrypha, a less relevant context. Although the Apocrypha and Proverbs could shed light on word meaning, the literary context of Paul’s exhortation and reprimand that caused the sorrow (see 2 Cor 7:8) echoes the more relevant Old Testament Prophets.

[3] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 509–10.

Bibliography

• Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.