Prior to understand the Kingdom of God, one must have a correct understanding of the Greek term which the New Testament most often translates as ‘repentance’.
Metanoeo: A Paradigm Shift
‘Metanoeo – μετανοέω’ is the Greek word that the New Testament most often translates as repentance. Most however, would never associate the word metanoeo with our idea of repentance. We usually think of repentance as remorse or sorrow based on one’s past actions. However, metanoeo carries no such idea or notion with it.
Metanoeo literally means change understanding [meta = change + noieo = understand.] In modern terms, we would call this having a paradigm shift. Merriam Webster defines a paradigm shift as ‘an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.’ This matches the Greek word metanoeo perfectly. Therefore, metanoeo means a change of understanding or way of thinking about something.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus used the word metanoeo when they said, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” If we only read this in English, we would tend to think that both John and Jesus were warning the people to be sorry for their sins and get their hearts right because God’s kingdom was coming. That is not what they were saying!
Translated literally from the Greek, the text reads, “The time has been fulfilled, and the reign of God has drawn near; change your understanding and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:15) They were not preaching ‘repentance’ as we know it today; that people should be remorseful for their sins. They were proclaiming that it was time for the kingdom to come and the people of Israel needed to change their understanding and way they thought about it.
Jews of Jesus’ Day Misunderstood the Promises of the Messiah
The people of Israel at the time of John the Baptist and Jesus had not understood the prophecies concerning the kingdom. They needed to understand! All Israel knew that the prophets foretold of a great king that they called Messiah (English = anointed one / Greek = Christ.) They foretold that the Messiah would usher in God’s kingdom when He arrived. Most of the Jews believed that He would reestablish Israel as a world power, and rule. They believed His kingdom would be a physical one not a spiritual one, and that once it was set up it would rule the world forever. It is unclear whether they thought that Messiah Himself would live and reign forever, or they believed He would set up a kingdom that would continue through the generations that followed.
However, their ideas about Messiah and His kingdom were wrong! John and Jesus both proclaimed to the Jews that they needed to rethink everything that they believed they knew about the kingdom. “Get a changed understanding the time of the kingdom of God is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15) They needed to rethink things; Jesus’ kingdom was not, nor ever would be, anything like they were expecting!
First and probably, the most important change of understanding the Jews needed was that Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. Jesus came to set up a heavenly kingdom not an earthly one. The Jews were not expecting this. They expected a king who would conquer nations and force them into subjugation.
Jesus told Pilate,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” John 18:36
The Jews had not understood Psalm 110, which prophesied about Messiah’s reign. (The New Testament quotes Psalm 110 more than any other Old Testament passage.) If they had understood Psalm 110, they would have known that the Messiah would rule in the midst of His enemies! (Not everyone would submit to Him.) And His subjects would be those who voluntarily received Him as their lord, master, and king. (See Verse 3: Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.) Psalm 110 describes Messiah’s kingdom being completely made up of volunteers (we would call them converts) that would exist side by side with those who were enemies of the kingdom.
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