Repentance in Luke  24:47

44     And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45     Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46     And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47     And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48     And ye are witnesses of these things.

Subject Repenting, not repenting, etc.:        All nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  (Note, though the terms are geographic, the greater context of the New Testament in general advises us that this message is one to individuals.  The term "all nations" is best understood as the extent of the preaching, not the subject who is invited to repent.)

Object of that repentance:           Not expressly stated.  Since repentance means "a change of mind," we can only inferentially determine the object of repentance by determining the concepts or propositions about which men must change their mind.  The context speaks of Christ suffering and rising from the dead (verse 46), and suggests that this was the focus of Jesus' teaching when he taught them about Himself from the Psalms and the4 prophets and the Law of Moses (vs. 44-45).  The context therefore suggests that repentance is related to the message of Jesus' suffering and resurrection.  Parallel accounts of the other gospels refer to the commission as preaching "the gospel," to the nations.  Therefore, both internal context and external concordance with the rest of Scripture point in the same direction.  To object about which the hearer is to "repent" is Jesus Christ, and specifically, the message of Jesus atoning death for the sins of mankind, and His victorious resurrection.

Consequence of repentance:                 The consequence is explicitly the "remission of sins."  In view of the fact that the great commission is generally regarded by Catholic and Protestant, liberal and conservative, "bilateral contract" ("lordship" Salvationists) and free grace, that the great commission is related to the proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ, it stands beyond credulity that some maintain the word "repent" is never used in a soteriological context within Scripture.

Repentance in Luke 24:47