(2) Figurative or spiritual turning. — In this sense both <TTpi(pw and iiriffTp^<pu3 are employed, but the former only once (Mt 18^). The noun iTTLcrpocp-q, corresponding to i-maTpefjxi} in its spiritual sense, does not occur in the Gospels, and is found only in Ac 15*. Both in the Gospels and elsewhere in the NT the AV frequently renders these vbs., when they denote a spiritual turning, by ' convert,' and in Ac 15* it renders evLo-Tpocprj by ' conversion.' RV retains ' conversion ' in the last-mentioned passage, and 'convert ' in Ja 5^®- ^o (where the vb. is active and transitive — ' convert a sinner ') ; but otherwise it has substituted ' turn ' for ' convert ' — a wise course, in view of the fact that in modern religious speech ' conversion ' has come to be used in a con- ventional sense that does not always correspond to the meaning of the original. In another im- portant respect the RV has corrected a wrong impression produced by the AV renderings. The latter, through the influence of the Vulg. {converter), not only uses the vb. ' convert,' but renders the reflexive crrpiKpeadaL, ^iridTp^cpeadai as if they were genuine passives, and instead of ' turn ' has ' be converted.' A still more glaring mistranslation appears in the quotation from Is 6^" [LXX] given in Mt 13l^ Jn 12'»", Ac 28^^ (cf. Mk 4^% In Is 6i» AV, correctly enough, has 'lest they convert' — 'convert' in the time of King James being used intransitively. But in the NT passages, though the Gr. vb., except in Jn 12'^", is in the active form, just as in the LXX, the 'convert' of Isaiah is changed into 'be converted.' Both in the last- mentioned passages and in those cases in which, in accordance with the ordinary usage, the vbs. though passive in form are certainly reflexive in meaning, RV has changed the ' be converted ' of AV into ' turn ' (see Mt W^ 18*, Mk 4^', Lk 22*2, Jn 12-'», Ac 319 28-7). It is with this spiritual turning or ' conversion ' that we shall be occupied in the remainder of the article.
2. The NT facts.- (1) So far as the term 'turn' or ' convert ' is concerned, the Gospels can hardly be said to aflbrd sufficient data for a doctrine of conversion in the modern sense of the word. In Mt 1315, Mk 412, Jn 12^« an OT prophecy (Is 6i«) is referred to ; but both in its original use and its NT application it is a national rather than an indi- vidual turning that is meant. Again, the notable passage, Mt 18* ' Except ye turn, and become as little children,' etc., though often taken as a funda- mental utterance of our Lord on the subject of conversion, can hardly be used for this purpose when read in the light of the context. For it was addressed directly to the Twelve at a time long subsequent to their call to the Apostolate ; and, with the exception of Judas, who will venture to say that the Apostles at this period were ' uncon- verted' men? Moreover, the turning which Jesus demanded of them was not that absolute turning from sin in order to follow Himself which tlieword ' conversion ' is used to denote, but a turning from those foolish, unworthy ambitions which had just prompted the question, ' Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ?' (v.^), and a recognition of the truth that in God's Kingdom humility is the real badge of greatness. Similarly, when our Lord says to Peter, ' When once thou hast turned again (AV ' When thou art converted '), stablish tiiy brethren' (Lk 22*^), it seems evident that the Apostle did not lack conversion in the technical meaning of the word, but that he was being sum- moned beforehand to a fresh and more devoted return to his Master's service after ids fall.
Wlien we pass to Acts, however, we do find iwLaTpe<f>w and iwLaTpofp-q in a sense that corresponds
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TUKNTNG
TURNING
to the familiar use of the term 'conversion.' When St. Peter, preaching to the multitude in Solomon's Forch, says, ' Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out' (Ac 3'^), the turning he demands is unquestionably the kind of turning that conversion implies. When it is said of the inhabitants of Lydda that they ' turned to the Lord ' (9''^), it is their conversion that is referred to. So likewise at Antioch, when ' a great number that believed turned unto the Lord' (11-^) ; and when Paul and Barnabas preached to the people of Lystra that they should ' turn from these vain things unto the living God' (14^®); and again when the same Apostles passed through Phoenicia and Samaria ' declaring the conversion of the Gentiles,' and causing great joy unto all the brethren (15* ; see, further, v.i« 2618- 20).
In the Epistles the use of the figure of turning to denote the great spiritual change that consti- tutes a man a Christian is infrequent ; but we have it in 2 Co S'^, and notably in 1 Th 1» ' How ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God.' And this use of the word 'turn,' we must remember, was not only a natural figure to denote a great spiritual transformation, but one that was especially familiar to every pious Jew. The prophetic writings are full of it. And no- where, Avhether in the OT or the NT, is there a finer expression of the idea than in the words of Deutero-Isaiah : ' Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon ' (Is 55' ; cf. 6'o, Ps 51'», Jer 3'^ Ezk 33", Hos 126, ji 2i2£-, Zee P^-).