Sunday, August 6, 2023

ChoongJae Lee on "bearing fruits worthy of repentance" (KJV: "fruits meet for repentance") in Matthew 3:8

  

. . . the phrases “bearing fruits worthy of μετανοια” and “good fruits (3:8, 10), which are consistent with “good” (καλος), “bearing” (ποιεω), “fruit” (καρπος), and “worthy” (αξιος), keep appearing in the body of Matthew comprising the commandment of turning (μετανοεω). What is “fruits worthy of μετανοια”? John the Baptist does not fully explain or give the contents of the fruits, but the expression “bearing fruits worthy of μετανοια” in 3:8 recalls Matthew’s frequent expressions about bearing good fruit, which denotes doing what Jesus commands—good fruits/works. Even John uses “good fruit” and “fruits worthy of μετανοια” in same meaning in 3:8-10. Jesus continues and expands John the Baptist’s ματανοια preaching while giving the contents of the fruits worthy of αξιος and hereby expressing the theme of καρπος in the body of Matthew.

 

Overall, these words are widespread in the body of Matthew. The word “good” (καλος) occurs in 3:10; 5:16; 7:17, 18, 19; 12:33; 13:8, 23, and 48, indicating good fruit or good works. With that, the term “fruit” (καρπος) occurs in 7:16-20; 12:33; 13:8, 26; 21:19, 34, 41, and 43. Additionally, the word “bearing” (ποιεω) occurs in 5:19, 32, 46, 47; 6:1, 2, 3; 7:12, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 26; 12:12, 33, 50; 13:23, 41; 18:35; 19:16; 21:13, 31, 43; 23:3, 5, 15, 23; 24:46; 25;40, and 45. Worthy (αξιος) occurs in 10:11, 13, 37, 39; and 22:8. The commandment of turning (μετανοεω) in the beginning of John and Jesus’ ministry (3:2; 4:17) is echoed in the body of Matthew in these images and language.

 

In detail, the first appearance of the term “good” in 5:16 connects the Beatitudes and the good fruits 3:10 and the fruits worthy of μετανοια in 3:8. This close connection denotes that the Beatitudes comprise the good, worthy fruits of μετανοια. The first appearance of the good fruit imagery in 7:16-21 warns the false prophets and ends with the commandment to do the will of God in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. The good tree and good fruit imagery illustrate μετανοια as meaning turning to do the will of God as Jesus taught in the sermon. The verb ποιεω translated “bearing” and “doing” frequently occurs in the sermon (5:19, 32, 46, 47; 6:1, 2, 3; 7:12, 17, 18, 19,21, 24, 26) to express a change of heart and conduct. This repeated phrases indicate that the sermon illuminates the nature of the good fruit of μετανοια. Verse 12:33 commands hearers to bear good fruit as an expression of μετανοια (12:41). The contrast between not turning (μετανοια) Israel and turning (μετανοια) Nineveh in verse 12:41 indicates that this good tree/fruit and bad fruit/tree image are related to worthy fruit of μετανοια. The verb ποιεω also occurs in 12:12, 33, 50 to express the theme of ποιεω in relation to good fruit-bearing imagery, which expresses the theme of μετανοια echoing the commandment of turning (μετανοεω). References in 13:8, 23, 26, 41 use fruit images and the verb ποιεω to express the theme of μετανοια as meaning to do what Jesus has commandment, not lawlessness. Also, the wheat and chaff image in 3:12, which expresses the fruits worthy of μετανοια in 3:8 occurs in 13:12, 17, 25, 29, 30. This reoccurrence shows that the parables in Matthew 13 convey the theme and the fruits worthy of μετανοια. Verse 19:16 uses the verb ποιεω to express turning one’s heart from love of money to obedience to Jesus, especially by giving money to the poor (19:21) echoing the fruit of μετανοια. Fruit-bearing language occurs in 21:13, 19, 31, 34, 41, 43, which include both negative and positive meanings indicating that the fruit of μετανοια can be good or bad. The verb ποειω in 21:13 expresses the theme of μετανοια by indicating what people in the temple turned from. In 21:19 the theme of μετανοια is visualized through the fruitless fig tree and judgment of the temple. The two parables in Matthew 21 uses the verb ποιεω and the fruit image (21:31, 34, 41, 43) to express the theme of μετανοια. The first son in the parable of the two sons (21:38-32) expresses μετανοια through changing his mind and actions and obeying the will of the father. The parable of the wicked tenant in the vineyard (21:33-46) also uses the verb ποιεω and a fruit image (21:34, 41, 43). This parable depicts the wickedness of religious leaders of Israel and what they needed to turn away from in order to turn to Jesus—echoing the commandment of turning (μετανοεω). Matthew 24;46 uses the verb ποειω to signify the fruits worthy of μετανοια for a follower of Jesus. Finally, 25:40, 45 uses the verb ποιεω to indicate the fruits worthy of μετανοια for the righteous to enter eternal life.

 

Two synonyms of the verb ποιεω, εργαζομαι (7:23; 21:28; 25:16; 26:10 and εργον (5:16), also carry theme of μετανοια by indicating the bearing of fruits worthy of μετανοια, echoing the opening commandment of turning (μετανοεω) in 3:2 and 4:17. Matthew 7:23 uses εργαζομαι to convey the theme of μετανοια, commanding this audience to do the will of God instead of living in lawlessness (7:21). The parable of two sins in Matthew 21:28 also uses εργαζομαι to communicate the theme of μετανοια related to the command to do the will of the father.  The parable of the talent in Matthew 25:10 uses εργαζομαι to express the theme of μετανοια as meaning to observe that the mater commands. In 5:16, εργον repeats the theme of μετανοια echoing the opening commandment of turning (μετανοεω) in 3:2 and 4:17.

 

“Worthy” (αξιος) language also speaks to the theme of μετανοια. The term occurs four times in Matthew 10 (10:11, 13, 37, 38, and 22:8) echoing the worthy fruit of μετανοια. The disciples will find people who are worthy and stay with them (10:11, 13). The character of those who are worthy in 10:37, 38 perhaps indicates the worthy fruit of μετανοια when they love Jesus more than their family, they take their own cross to follow Jesus, and they lose their life for Jesus. These people show μετανοια through turning their lives to follow Jesus, leaving everything behind.

 

The summary phrase in 3:2 and 4:17 and the widespread use of the metaphorical image of bearing fruits worthy of μετανοια indicates μετανοια as a significant theme in the body of Matthew. This fruit-bearing image echoes the commandment of turning (μετανοεω) (3:2; 4:17) in the body of Matthew. “Bearing fruits” appears in the body of Matthew as a metaphorical expression for doing good, righteousness, and the will of the Father. In other words, Matthew’s emphasis on righteousness, doing the will of God, and doing good or good action should be understood under the theme of μετανοια. (ChoongJae Lee, Metánoia (Repentance): A Major Theme of the Gospel of Matthew [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 2020], 55-57)