From: Revcraigh@aol.com
Date: Wed Oct 08 1997 - 12:12:48 EDT
In a message dated 10/8/97 3:41:40 PM, you wrote:
>
>My text includes a footnoted reference to Acts 3:19,
>METANOHSATE OUN KAI EPISTREYATE EIS TO EZALEIFQHVAI hUMWN TAS hAMARTIAS,
>
>Here, it really seems as if the crucial act is turning again to God.
Certainly I agree; baptism without a concommittant repentance is worthless
and no true baptism (see Mark 16: 16) but I don't know that its absence here
(at Acts 3:19) means that baptism was relatively unimportant to the N.T.
mission or ministry (see Matthew 28: 19-20 where BAPTIZONTES and DIDASKONTES
are the means given by our risen Lord for the carrying out of the Great
Commission, that of discipling all nations, the very reason for the continued
existence of the Church).
>But now I've got more questions than I started with. (aaargh!!!)
>
>Is there a subtle distinction between the meanings of METANOEW and
>EPISTREFW that I'm not getting or are the two verbs parallel?
In BAG (sub METANOEW, p. 513) I find the following:
Since in M. the negative impulse of turning away is dominant, it is alwo
used w. APO TINOS: repent and turn away from someth.
Also in BAG (sub EPISTREFW, p. 301) I find that the figurative intransitive
sense is "turn back, return."
It seems to me that the two are parallel and reinforce each other. Perhaps,
though, there is, as you say, a subtle distinction. If so, the key may lay
(lie?) in this: METANOHSATE = turn your mind (with the idea of turning from
something, although not stated but rather implied: i.e., sin, lawlessness,
evil etc.) KAI EPISTREYATE = return (with the idea of turning to something,
again unstated but implied: righteousness, or perhapse, to God)
>Also I'm betting that whether the result is AFESIN TWN hAMARTIWN hMWN or
>EZALEIFQHNAI hUMWN TAS hAMARIAS, it *still* means that my sins are removed
>as far as East is from West.
Yeah and Amen!
>What do you learned doctors think?
Neither a doctor, nor particularly learned am I, but these are my thoughts
nonetheless.
>God Bless,
>Ginger (assistant to Holly)
*************************
MONWi SOFWi THEWi, DIA IHSOU CRISTOU, hWi hH DOXA EIS TOUS AIWNAS TWN AIWN;
AMHN. Romans 16:27
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