> Book of Matthew ( KJV )
> 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was
> condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of
> silver to the chief priests and elders,
>
> 3 tote idwn ioudas ho paradidous auton oti katekriqh metamelhqeis
> apestreyen ta triakonta arguria tois arciereusin kai tois presbuterois
>
>I would appreciate a better understanding of what Judas was doing. Was
>it repentance or remorse?
Hi, Thomas,
Zerwick says that the verb metamelomai means literally "change what one has
at heart (MELEI)". Louw and Nida give two senses for the verb:
25.270 METAMELOMAI: to feel regret as the result of what one has done - 'to
regret, to feel sad about, to feel sorry because of.' hOTI EI KAI ELUPHSA
hUMAS EN THi EPISTOLHi, OU METAMELOMAI 'for even if that letter of mine made
you sad, I do not regret (having written it)' or 'for even if I made you
sade by my letter...' 2 Cor 7.8.
31.59 METAMELOMAI: to change one's mind about something, with the probable
implication of regret - 'to change one's mind, to thik differently.' hUMEIS
DE IDONTES OUDE METEMELHQHTE hUSTERON TOU PISTEUSAI AUTWi 'even when you saw
this, you did not change your minds later on and believe him' Mt 21.32;
hWMOSEN KURIOS, KAI OU METAMELHQHSETAI 'the Lord has made a vow and will not
change his mind' He 7.21.
So the verb itself can mean both repentance ("change one's mind") and
remorse ("feel regret"). Let's look to the context: Judas not only felt
remorse, he also changed his mind and wanted to return the money.
Jonathan
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