THE Greek concept of deity gives no hint of an abiding, living religious faith which means a life-giving power springing from the consciousness of the indwelling of one God. Instead, their concept was pantheistic—of many gods that dwell in things, all man-made and man-endowed. The Greek language, therefore, though capable of the expression of the finest literary thought, did not have words that would express the pure idea and substance of God; hence it was necessary for them to take words which they already had, and give to these words the meaning they wished to express, which meaning they took from the Hebrew language, since the Hebrew people alone knew God in the true sense, and it was their language alone that would adequately express the divine nature and attributes. We can thus readily see bow easy it would be for the Greek word so used to fail in conveying its new meaning, where great care was not given it, and that it needed such a spirit of insight and revelation as our beloved Leader has shown, to point us back again to the absolute and true sense, that sense which alone can uplift and renew us.
There are two Greek words used in the New Testament to convey the idea of repentance,—metanoein and epistrephein, words that derive their moral content, not from the Greek, since these people knew nothing of the Biblical conception of repentance, but from Jewish and Christian thought. The primitive and basic meaning is this: the first. metanoein, presents a negative aspect,—it is a change of mind, a turning from sin; the second, epistrephein, is positive, a turning to God. Still, they are both used with much the same meaning. We may, then, take this as our positive and scientific definition of repentance, since the thought in both the Greek words is a change of mind. Repentance is the coming into a new mind, into a right thought-relation with God. It was this primitive thought of Mind-unity that John the Baptist had when be came preaching, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Christ Jesus also began with this same exhortation to "repent," to enter into this right thought-relation with God, because of the nearness of the kingdom—"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
The accepted definition of "repent" is "to turn;" but there must be a broader and deeper concept than that contained in our accepted meaning of "to turn." Let us look at the Old Testament thought of the word. Repentance from sin, in the Hebrew, is expressed by the verb meaning "to turn," but this verb is used to express many functions. It is a matter of the conduct of the heart, — of enlightenment, "Surely after that I was turned, I repented;" of contrition, "I acknowledged my transgressions;" of longing for God's forgiveness, and trust in God, "Take with you words, and turn to the Lord." Repentance is not merely a "function of the will," for we read in Ezekiel, "Cast away from you all your transgressions, . . . and make you a new heart and a new spirit" (i.e., come into the right mind). Behind and above the will lie the spiritual forces, and behind these is God. It is God who creates within us a new heart (mind) and a right spirit, as the psalmist sings, and it is He who cleanses us with the pure water of spiritual baptism. The psalmist sang. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" but His people turn only as He turns them, for says the prophet Jeremiah, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God."
