Too Good to be True
I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7 NASB
Joy– Why does Yeshua make such an outrageous claim? Think about it. Aren’t ninety-nine righteous people a great delight to God? Aren’t they a blessing to others? Don’t they exemplify Kingdom restoration? The angels must sing praises for such people. So why does Yeshua say that one single repentant sinner causes more joy than these ninety-nine? The mathematics of heaven doesn’t seem to add up.
The key might be found in the Greek term metánoia (to repent). Of course, in Greek this term is related to the word group of noéō, a group of words expressing cognition in one way or another. But Yeshua wasn’t speaking Greek. First we need to understand how the word is used in the Greek apostolic writings. The classical Greek background sets the stage:
(1) The noun, too, can mean “later knowledge” or “subsequent emendation.” (2) More commonly it denotes “change of noús,” whether in feelings, will, or thought. (3) It then means “remorse” or “regret” if there is dissatisfaction with the previous noúsand the pain etc. it might have caused. . . . At first the two words bear a purely intellectual sense. When the idea of change of noúsestablishes itself, emotional and volitional elements come in, but the change is not necessarily ethical; it may be from good to bad. Only when the idea of regret is present is a moral component plainly included, and even now there is no total change in life’s direction, for the regret is only for a specific act or attitude, not for a whole way of life.[1]
With this in mind, we are confronted with an immediate linguistic problem. The Tanakh does not have a special term for repentance like the Greek metánoia. “The prophets do not invent a special word for true repentance but make do with the common word for return (šûḇ). This carries with it a sense of turning back, i.e., after relapse, but not exclusively so, for sometimes the idea is that of turning from. In general, what is meant is an about-face.”[2]
We see that if Yeshua used the same Hebrew word as the prophets, he avoids the Greek nuance of regret, that is, remorse about past actions without a full change in direction. Our theological education teaches us that repentance is more than regret, and properly so since the theology is founded by the Hebrew rather than the Greek. One thing is clear. When Yeshua speaks of the joy in heaven over the “about-face” of a sinner, he means that this person has turned completely around. Perhaps the reason that this event produces more joy is that it is so incredibly difficult. The rabbis’ insight here is important. If a man chooses righteousness, God assists him. But if he chooses unrighteousness, God makes way for him to follow it. In other words, his actions are like self-fulfilling prophecy. That means a change in direction is almost impossible. The pathway of the sinner is already actively present in his choices.
The idea that there is more joy and rejoicing over the change in direction of a single sinner than over the continued obedience of the righteous just might be related to this behavioral improbability. In other words, the Bible recognizes that behaviors create biological routines and biological routines create virtually automatic responses. Each time the sinner acts in a particular way, altering that path becomes more difficult. Each action reinforces the subsequent repetition of the action. Since this is simply a fact of biological response, the “about face” of the sinner becomes more and more improbable as the behaviors continue, so that, in the end, it is almost impossible to act otherwise. Therefore, when there is an “about face” in the life of someone who has repeated behavioral conditioning, it is almost a miracle. That is why there is more joy.
We expect the righteous to act righteously. That’s why they are righteous. They have learned the behavioral conditioning of obedience. But the sinner hasn’t. He has learned to act in ways that are prompted by and feed the yetzer ha’ra, and to see him change that conditioned response is altogether unexpected. When it happens, it is amazing—and a cause for celebration.
Topical Index: joy, chará, repent, metánoia, šûḇ, Luke 15:7
[1]Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament(639). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
[2]Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament(640). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
I agree that change is so difficult. On the other hand in the context of this Parable, it is about the pursuit of the Shepherd who goes after the ONE lost sheep. It seems repentance here is represented by the actions of the Shepherd, and not so much by the repentance of the sheep. The sheep/sinner is bound up in the actions of the Shepherd. The joy of heaven seems to be found in the pursuit and embrace of the Shepherd. He RETURNS the sheep back to the fold. “There is none righteous, no not ONE” (emphasis mine). “We are all like sheep who have gone astray.” You and I are the ONE lost sheep.
Thank you Brian oh, I was thinking along the lines of Hebrew thought teshuva, which means to turn around and go the other way. I don’t know if others will have thoughts on this concept.. I like the idea of avoiding the Greek. So I went to Hebrew with the thoughts of the rabbinical writings.
I have a really precious person in my life that confided to me “I am spiritual: I have a conscience: I remember every bad thing I have ever done”. But this person still has not made amends to those that were wronged; they can’t. They are stuck. This person also beats themselves up for those wrong choices and behaviors. but cannot see that how they treat themselves is how they treat those around them. When asked why they did those bad things in the first place, the reply is that it was all a reaction to the supposed “judgment’ of those others: they felt that others were blaming them, and so that ‘justified’ self defensive reactions. This circular thinking is not peculiar to this person. I do it too! I know I do it: I just can’t quite catch myself doing it! I can’t quite see WHY I continue to choose ways not of God: it is occluded to me behind such circular reasoning. What I cannot see is also what I cannot agree is insane and non-productive: I cannot see WHY repentance must be, so I cannot find the reason or way to repent. I am stuck, too.
2Cor. 7:10,11 holds the key for me. It contrasts “godly sorrow” against the “sorrow of the world”. The difference? In my experience, it is the difference between seeing WHY I am doing what I am doing (identifying the motivation) vs. just being sorry for the fallout: the consequences: the curse of the choice. Worldly thinking, because it has to rely on self-justification, cannot examine it’s own motivations. We are all looking for love, after all. I believe the self-justification the world must employ has to assume that we were motivated correctly: that we thought we were doing the ‘right’ – the loving – thing. The world (and my flesh) cannot see the motivation behind sin because sin is basic insanity: sin comes with the anesthetic of occultic thinking: of circular reasoning and self-justifying rationale and self-defensiveness against the expected fallout – the consequences – of the last choice. One step behind all the way. That’s not living! But we can’t see WHY we aren’t able to stay one step ahead of the last disaster! We grieve the disaster, but the grief changes nothing. Why? Because we are grieving the results, not the cause. Worldly sorrow, because it cannot bring itself to examine the motivations – the reason for the choices of the past – leaves us stuck in the past.
On the other hand, I think “godly sorrow” correctly identifies the motivation behind the sin: the reason why we did it in the first place. We were agreeing with stuff that looked like love and life but when we put it in motion, it slew us. Godly sorrow can see the hidden motivations that forced us to make poor choices because we are looking at them (spiritual alignment) through godly eyes. Paul notes that both “godly sorrow” and the “sorrow of the world” act THROUGH us. they “WORK death” or they “WROUGHT in (you)”. Both sorrows come from beyond us and act through us to power further choices and consequences. In other words, the way I read it (and experience it) both “sorrows” are motivations that come from opposite sources, even though we may experience them the same way and even use the same word to describe that experience. These opposing motivations can cause us to make vastly different choices, however, with vastly different consequences.
The “sorrow of the world” that is one step behind the present: that comes from the last choice: that comes from the death – the inability to choose and change – of the past: has only one possible fruit, or, consequence, and that is even more death: even more inability to make a new set of choices. “Godly sorrow”, on the other hand, is the power of love and life in us, which is the freedom (and power, or, motivation) to make new choices. This motivation to change, Paul is careful to note, is acted THROUGH us: we are not the originators, or, source, of this new set of motivations. They come from beyond us. We are in alignment with a new spiritual power “working in us”. He says “wrought in (through?) you”. This is power from beyond us.
I think it takes enormous power to overcome the effects of past choices that we cannot change. The insanity of the world attempts to use guilt to try to change that past, but that only “works” more “death”. However, the power of God – which is the power that forgiveness employs – works on the consequences – the fallout – we find in the present, where choices do work. Set free by that forgiveness and empowered by the Holy Spirit motivating us in love, the full power of life in us turns around and goes after the monsters with “carefulness”; clearing of yourselves”; “indignation”; “fear”; “vehement desire”; “zeal”; “revenge”. New set of motivations, indeed! I would say Paul’s list outlines a much better set of motivators than just trying to use guilt and shame (both of which are sourced in “death”, which is a past we cannot change) to beat ourselves up with. I think godly sorrow, because it is based on the effective justification from God, can afford to look the past straight in the eye instead of continuing to have to ‘justify’ it on our own. Being justified by God is a powerful motivator to face that past and see what we need to repent for! Perhaps we should consider changing our source of motivations (spiritual alignment with a power source) to turn ourselves around with today!
Excellent Laurita! Thanks for sharing. The more light we get, the easier it is to see !
So good thank you laurita .
The change agent is Him. Not us.
And He works on our changed hearts
ONE at a time.
We can’t make the true repentant turnaround
in and of ourselves. “No one is good — except
God alone.” Lk 18:19 Only through His intervention
does true repentance take place. “The Spirit gives life;
the flesh counts for nothing.” Jn 6:63
We need to clearly understand exactly what Yeshua’s words
mean. “What’s impossible with men is possible with God.” Lk 18:27
I know Who changed my heart. And it wasn’t me.
This Parable reflects forcefully the initiative and movement of the Shepherd to the restoration of the sheep. On earth we know His coming after us with loving compassion. He is the pursuer! Heaven sees differently than our perspective. The Shepherd goes after us as sheep, and heaven responds with “more joy” to us as sinners. We know the LARGE actions of the Shepherd, but heaven rejoices over the small action/repentance of the sinner. What does heaven SEE about you?
Thank you for that excellent word. Boy I could spend all day contemplating the different aspects of what you said. So often we don’t realize that our regret and remorse are just a place we are stuck and they produce nothing more than misery. I refer to 2 Corinthian‘s 7:10, We keep saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry“ but it gets us nowhere Godly sorrow leads somewhere. It is productive. I can certainly relate to what you were saying in regards to “acts” that we do that keep us stuck. The groove gets so deep it’s difficult to pull out of it. We spend all of our time and energy managing or trying to manage our grooves in hopes to get somewhere.
The kindness of God leads us to repentance. So often we don’t realize that regret and remorse are just a place we are stuck.
It makes so much sense when you can look at the whole picture. God isn’t angry or frustrated with us, he loves us and his desire for us is that we would be the beneficiaries of his kindness. Maybe that’s where the pruning comes in, when something isn’t bearing fruit.
Like a said, I could sit in this a long time today.
How can I let this truth make a difference in my life ?! That would be my question to me.
“The rabbis’ insight here is important. If a man chooses righteousness, God assists him. But if he chooses unrighteousness, God makes way for him to follow it.”
This is profound…and frightening. And quite a wake-up call for me. I have experienced this, in both directions.
Thank you, Skip for being another megaphone that God uses to get my attention.
I don’t believe it’s just a matter of conditioning. Much more complicated than that. Of course there are a lot of factors affecting us.
I grew up with a catholic mother going to a Catholic elementary school. Is it safe to say that that was your experience as well? I heard you talk about some kind of business you were doing that involved Catholics.
Yeshua – “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:32
The Messiah’s call was to bring “more joy” to heaven.