'Return To Me': A Biblical Theology of Repentance

New Studies in Biblical Theology #35

by Mark J. Boda

"Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you," (Zech 1:3 ESV).

Repentance concerns the repair of a relationship with God disrupted by human sin. All the major phases of church history have seen diversity and controversy over the doctrine. The first of Luther’s famous ninety-five theses nailed to the church door in Wittenburg in 1517 stated that 'the entire life of believers should be one of repentance'. In recent times, two divisive debates within evangelicalism over 'lordship salvation" and "hypergrace" have had repentance at their core.

The theme of repentance is evident in almost every Old and New Testament corpus. However, it has received little sustained attention over the past half-century of scholarship, which has been largely restricted to word studies or focused on a particular text or genre. Studies of the overall theology of the Bible have typically given the theme only passing mention.

In response, Mark Boda offers a comprehensive overview of the theological witness of Scripture to the theme of repentance in this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume. The key to understanding is not simply to be found in word studies, but also in the broader meaning of texts as these communicate through a variety of words, images and stories. The importance of repentance in redemptive history is emphasized. It is fundamentally a return to intimate fellowship with the triune God, our Creator and redeemer. This relational return arises from the human heart and impacts attitudes, words and actions.

Addressing key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A. Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.

Genres: Theology

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Austin Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool to see the unified nature of repentance throughout Scripture. Some minor things I disagree with, but overall it’s a great/comprehensive look at the big picture of repentance as displayed in the Bible.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am increasingly appreciating the theological discipline of biblical theology. The pursuit of following a principle, pattern, or term throughout Scripture, noting along the way the foundation of thought and the progression that takes place which is built on that foundation, is truly an invaluable manner in which to study Scripture. The process as a whole provides a holistic view of what God has to say on a given topic and truly roots the individual in an in-depth understanding of word usage and application.

When it comes to a topic such as repentance, the temptation is to immediately investigate the New Testament text, almost as if repentance did not formulate itself as a necessary part of God’s people until post-cross. This is unfortunate, as we can see, if time and sufficient energy is taken, the foundation of repentance as revealed in the Old Testament, in particular what was expected of the people of God when they claimed they had repented.

Mark Boda, in his excellent study on this topic called Return to Me: A Biblical Theology of Repentance, walks the reader from the beginning pages of the Old Testament to the concluding pages of the New Testament with the express purpose of taking an in-depth look at what repentance is all about, the words associated with repentance, and perhaps most importantly, what repentance looks like in action.

This book is part of the ever expanding and very helpful New Studies in Biblical Theologyseries from IVP Academic. Each book I have read thus far in this series has been quite impressive and this entry is no exception.

After outlining his intended approach and establishing some ground rules and the basis for his discussion, Boda begins by looking at repentance in the Torah. It is notable that repentance first presents itself very early in the biblical corpus, namely in Genesis 4 in relation to Cain and Abel. Boda aptly comments, “This early story in the Old Testament highlights the importance of the inner affections to repentance. Its tragic outcome foreshadows the struggle of humanity in general and Israel in particular to embrace the agenda of repentance fully.”

Building even further on the foundation for repentance found in the Torah, Boda then continues his journey through Scripture. Along the way, he spends a good deal of time and rightly so working through key terms such as putting away, turn, return, and their various cognates. This type of word study may seem boring to some; however, grasping word definitions in context, their use, and application is absolutely vital to something such as biblical theology. In fact, it is essential for any interaction with Scripture or the desire to understand what God is saying through the particular terms chosen. Boda correctly notes that repentance was not just about making a statement that one was sorry for sinful behavior. While that is part of repentance, it is the turning away, that physical action or movement away from sinful behavior towards an increasing place of holiness that defines true repentance.

The portion of this book I appreciated most was the chapter on the theological implications of repentance. Again building on the theme that repentance involves active turning from sin, Boda rightly avers “Repentance is not just the gateway into relationship with the triune God; it is the pathway for that continuing relationship.” He goes on to correctly state that “repentance at the outset of the Christian life restores us to relationship with God, and we (re)discover our true identity as children of the living God. But as in any relationship between parent and child there is the opportunity for growth in that relationship…Returning to and repairing our relationship with God with the spiritual resources that God grants us is part of the reality of life lived in this present evil age, and this is why the New Testament consistently calls a redeemed Christian community to repent.”

Since repentance is a necessary part of our daily Christian walk, having a solid understanding of the biblical message regarding repentance is essential to our spiritual growth. Mark Boda does an excellent job of walking the reader through the relevant Scriptural references about repentance while driving home in a practical and theologically consistent manner the importance of turning away from sin and walking in holiness with our Creator. This is a book I highly recommend and is one I will return to many times in the future as I continue to study the topic of repentance.


I received this book for free from IVP Academic and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Gwilym Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had to summarize this book, I'd say that it's a 4 star insight clothed in a 3 star (or if I were feeling especially harsh, 2 star) cover (well, the cover's fine. But you know what I mean). The 4 star insight is the eschatalogical nature of the Bible's account of repentance. Boda wants to argue that when we see repentance held up as the quintessential response to the proclamation of the gospel in the gospels and Acts, we're to see a profoundly New Covenant reality. Of course, there are examples of repentance, many of them authentic, to be found within the history of Israel. But the kind of repentance envisaged in Deut 30 was always, ultimately out of reach. And so the New Testament proclamation of repentance is not merely a preparation for the New Covenant: it is a triumphant part of what the New Covenant has achieved. Finally, Israel and the Gentiles are turning with their whole hearts to the Lord. For me, this was a helpful clarification.

There were other strong moments in the book. I liked his commitment to the canonical shape of the Old Testament scriptures, which was particularly fruitful in his treatment of the minor prophets. He had some brief, but helpful, comments on the theology of repentance at the end, with some interaction with the hyper-grace and Lordship salvation debates. And there were a few suggestions with regard to the practical implications of his work.

But overall, the book was pretty pedestrian. Boda spends most of his time compiling all the data from the whole Bible. I think his methodology for this is good. It means that when he does move to theological synthesis, he has a significant weight of evidence on his side. But for my money, the proportion was all wrong. I was expecting less data-gathering, more synthesis. The reality is that his theological synthesis was really quite brief, and his comments on application even more so.

So although this is not a bad book, it's not a great one either. If you want an index on all the Bible's penitential material, it's a very good place to start. Actually, it's better than that: Boda made a couple of really great points that I just hadn't thought of before, and that are worth pursuing. That's more than a good many books I've read have achieved! But if you want deep and sustained reflection on what this penitential material really means - and I did - you'll be frustrated. I was.

[Shawn Bair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

Dr. Boda provides a comprehensive view of repentance while highlighting how it's beautifully woven through the OT and NT. His vast knowledge of scripture is only usurped by his obvious love of scripture and God. His writing style brings revelation and clarity to the redemptive history of repentance. This is a must-read, very enjoyable page-turner.

[Joshua Millard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A masterful and touching treatment of the Old Testament’s contours and nuances of repentance. The treatment of repentance in the New Testament felt thin and rushed in comparison. Nonetheless, I will often be referring to this book when preaching on any passage I can find a reference to.

[Ben Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was disappointing -- a real muddle. Some really basic confusions between concept and words. And in the end, saying very little beyond the obvious.

[Brandon Dupre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boda’s analysis of repentance is thorough yet accessible. The biblical-theological approach leaves no stone unturned. From Genesis to Revelation, he follows the theme of repentance and shows its development process throughout the canon and its deep unity between the Old and New Testaments. His writing and argumentation are succinct, clear, and persuasive.

Boda chooses not to perform word studies on vocabulary related to repentance. Although, in the introduction, he does address the Hebrew and Greek words for repentance. He acknowledges that the concept of repentance can be present without the vocabulary, and thus, he explores the theme through concepts, forms, and images. Therefore, throughout the book, texts are selected based on either the language or concept of repentance being explicitly present.

Boda defines repentance as a “return to faithful relationship with God from a former state of estrangement.” (31) He uses Zechariah 1:1-6 and Acts 26:16-20 to support and illustrate this definition. However, there is not a single text that encompasses all that biblical repentance is. As he examines texts, he is highlighting how they show aspects of repentance and how they fit into the broader biblical theme of repentance. As he surveys the biblical data, he sees how texts relate to dimensions, motivations, purposes, psychology, and the divine enablement/divine disablement of repentance. Much time and space are given to the dimensions of repentance, which include relational, behavioral, affective, and verbal or ritual.

At the end of each chapter comes a short and clear summary of the texts reviewed. These summaries are immensely helpful, as they zoom out from the exegetical details and see how those texts fit into the bigger picture.

Chapter 11 and 13 are the two strongest chapters of the book. They are geared toward synthesizing and summarizing texts and demonstrating how they reveal a theology of repentance. There is overlap between the key terms used to categorize texts between the Old and New Testament that help the reader see canonical unity. These two chapters are pivotal to the organization of the book and turning data into analysis.

Boda’s argument that the relational dimension of repentance is central to the biblical theology of repentance is defended and supported through his exegetical work and use of Scripture. His understanding of repentance, with its emphasis on the relational dimension, guards against legalism and antinomianism. This is a significant contribution to the Church, because it brings balance to a topic that has been hotly debated throughout church history.

The last chapter leaves the reader with ways of applying a theology of repentance to their lives. This chapter took the OT and NT theological summaries of chapters 11 and 13 and distilled them into application and one last analysis of the biblical data. Repentance is at the core of the gospel and in both the Old and New Testament, repentance is a return to covenant relationship with the Lord. Because of Boda’s work, readers can see this in the text for themselves and that will shape how they think and speak about repentance. From the pulpit, pastors will be equipped to teach on repentance in a robust manner with its varying dimensions. In gospel conversations, readers will be equipped to articulate repentance and show its relevance and importance.

While this book serves as a rich resource for anyone looking to dive deeper into the theme of repentance, there are a few points found to be lacking. There were ten chapters dedicated to the OT and two chapters dedicated to the NT. Boda’s work was primarily an OT analysis, as 71% of the chapters were solely focused on the OT. To his credit, Boda is known for his OT work, so it is understandable the book would lean in this direction. Even still, his analysis of the NT was not as thorough as the OT. The work would have benefitted greatly had Boda allotted more time, space, and exegetical work to his NT survey of repentance. Related to this, the OT and NT summary chapters are shorter than expected. Boda did a thorough job of collecting and exegeting texts, and it would have been a valuable resource to have more synthesizing and analysis in his summary chapters.

Overall, Boda’s work on repentance is a significant contribution to classical categories of repentance and to the Church. This book will serve students, congregations, pastors, and scholars. This book was immensely helpful in fostering a robust understanding of repentance, and I am grateful for the academic excellence of Boda and his biblical commitment in crafting this work.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

An indepth, academic consideration of the doctrine of repentance throughout the totality of Scripture. The author does an excellent job of showing the theme of repentance in every book and section. The book was by no means an easy read for this old brain of mine. If one is inclined to want to do an indepth study of the topic of repentance, this would be a source to assist in that evaluation. Several years ago I read the book, "Repentance," by Richard Owen Roberts and I found that study to be much more helpful in providing an understanding of such a topic.

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a volume the New Studies In Biblical Theology (NSBT) series that tackles the theological hot-potato issue of repentance. Author Mark Boda strives to give us “a biblical theology of repentance” with this volume in the series edited by the well-known D.A. Carson.

The most valuable feature of this book is the in-depth tracing of repentance in every part of Scripture. He divides the Old Testament in the Jewish way as he feels that is more sensible for following repentance through the Bible. He has strong convictions about the Word of God, which I appreciate. He feels the typical approach of viewing the subject through the definitions of the words involved is insufficient. Following that theory, he traces more of the big picture of repentance. Repentance is more in some parts of the Bible than others, but he succeeds in finding what degree repentance is there. He is thorough.

It was surprising that the book is 80% Old Testament, but perhaps that is only because the New Testament talks much less of it. I found it easy to agree with many things he said. It seemed a little much to say repentance was a big theme of John when the word is only mentioned once. Still, you felt in the hands of a capable scholar as you read.

He references the theological battles involving repentance, but really does not address them. He seemed to want to lay the data out there so others could take it into the battle and think for themselves. I can not imagine anyone writing on this subject again without consulting this volume. For this volume set out to do, it succeeded all the way.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Guillaume Bourin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, like most of the volumes in this series. Boda is an Old Testament scholar, and it is not surprising that he does not devote sufficient space to the New Testament (he seems to simply assume that the paradigms and the themes he identified in the Old Testament are found also in the new). Nevertheless, this is a good and concise Biblical theology of repentance. A special mention of his approach regarding the Mosaic extent of the divine punishment to the third and fourth generation. Boda did not convince of his federal view on that issue, but he led me to think a lot about it!

[Dan Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerfully revealing and thorough study on this Biblical theme of repentance from Genesis to Revelation! This is the best book I have ever read on the subject and I was a pastor for 17 years and in ministry since 1975. I bought it through Amazon a few days ago and couldn't put it down for two hours! I just finished going through it for the first time. This is a reference manual on repentance and I will be using it for years to come. It is not a one time read.