Principles of living a set apart, godly life [14] – Repentance [12 of 12]

 Last of all there is the Greek word ‘metamelomai’, which is related to ‘metanoeó’ and ‘metánoia’. It is a verb meaning ‘to change one’s care or concern afterwards’ and it usually implies an element of regret or remorse. It occurs six times in the New Testament. Despite this subtle change of meaning we are still looking at the ‘inner realm’ of an individual, at the energy and impetus within their ‘psyche’, their speech or behaviour being the ‘fruit’ of this energy of care and concern within. 

This word is first found in Matthew’s gospel, in one of the parables. ‘There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 Answering, he said, ‘I will not’. But later, changing his concern afterwards, he went.  30 Then to the second he said the same thing. Answering, he said, ‘I sir?’ and he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they said. Jesus said to them, “Honestly, I tell you that the tax collectors and harlots are preceding you into the kingdom of God. 32 Because John came towards you within a judicially approved way and you did not entrust him, but the tax collectors and harlots entrusted him. But you, seeing this clearly, did not change your concern afterwards and entrust him’, (Matthew 21 v 28 – 32). Jesus presented his teaching in parables to those Jews who were not particularly ‘religious’ and who as such did not attend synagogues. The theme is their wayward behaviour and lack of entrustment in their promised Messiah. 

There is a self-explanatory use of the word ‘metamelomai’ with regard to Judas Iscariot. ‘Then Judas, seeing his [Jesus] handing over alongside because he was judged worthy of punishment and changing his concern afterwards, turned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders’, (Matthew 27 v 3). 

Paul uses the word in relation to his concern over the Corinthian Christians grieving over his admonishments in his earlier letter. ‘Because even if I have grieved you within the letter I do not change my concern afterwards, even if I did change my concern afterwards because I indeed saw, because that letter yonder, if even towards a time, grieved you’, (II Corinthians 7 v 8). In effect Paul is saying that he was concerned that he was causing them grief, but this did not mean that he changed his initial concern over their wayward behaviour.

 

Finally we see an example with regard to the faithfulness of God and the Messiah. ‘But together with an oath through it being said to him, [Jesus], ‘The Lord swears a promise with an oath and absolutely will not change His concern afterwards. You [are] a priest penetrating towards the age’, (Hebrews 7 v 21). Jesus is God’s anointed Messiah, His chosen Deliverer made head of a royal priesthood like the order of Melchizedek, and this is based on God’s promise, sworn on an oath, and as such, God is absolutely not going to change His concern or care.