Jonah

• Introductory Matters
• • The prophet
  • • Jonah, son of Amittai, also mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25 - this Jonah was a contemporary of Amos and Hosea
    • 1:1 adds no further information
    • Name means "dove"
  • Date
  • • If Jonah is the same Jonah as in 2 Kings 14:25, the date of the book would be in early 8^th century B.C.E. - at this time Assyria would be on the rise seeking to become a world empire
    • Some scholars argue that book was written later
    • • Reasons for
      • • References to Nineveh are vague
        • • Author used title "King of Nineveh" rather than "King of Assyria" which would have been more correct
          • Nineveh not become capital of Assyria until long after time of Jonah mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25
          • If reference to Nineveh is historical, city would be only the small capital of a small city-state and not huge capital of a world empire as is stated (1:1, 3:3)
        • Language and customs of story are more appropriate for 5^th and 4^th centuries B.C.E.
        • Author of 2 Kings seems not to have been aware of the story - one might argue back, however, that Kings is unaware of or unconcerned with most of the canonical prophets
        • Opposes narrow nationalistic views of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah so must have been composed after their time
      • Those who are convinced by this evidence date the book to the 5^th or 4^th century B.C.E.
    • Sirach 49:10 and Tobit 14:4,8 in the Apocrypha mention Jonah so the book must have been written before the 2^nd century B.C.E.
  • Believability of the story
  • • Problems
    • • Almost no historical information is recorded in book - When does it take place? Who is king of Nineveh? Who is king of Israel?
      • Unusual story elements
      • • How likely is it that a man would be swallowed by a large fish, survive in its belly for three days and nights, and then be disgorged on shore?
        • How likely is it that a plant large enough to shade a man would grow up overnight and then in another night be chewed through by a worm, wilt, and die?
    • Some scholars argue the story is entirely true while others argue it contains an historical nucleus around which legendary elements have become attached - the story is more like a parable
    • Arguments for or against the believability of the story should not obscure the point or points the story makes - the story does not depend on the miracles
  • Form of the book
  • • Divides itself into two sections (1-2 and 3-4)
    • • 1:1 is quite similar to 3:1 - both introduce their sections by confronting Jonah with the word of God
      • Jonah's failure in 1 contrasts with his "success" in 3
      • Jonah's song of thanksgiving in 2 contrasts with his complaint in 4
    • Some scholars believe the song of thanksgiving in 2:2-9 is a later addition but as the book now stands the poem is an integral part
• Message of the Book
• • Unlike other prophetic books, the Book of Jonah is a narrative - this has led to a variety of interpretations based on its structure (e.g., is it to be interpreted as legend, fable, parable, allegory, midrash, satire, didactic fiction or as simply parable-like?)
  • Possible interpretations
  • • Concerns false prophecy
    • • When the people of Nineveh repent and God forgives them, He does not punish the people like He had told Jonah and Jonah had proclaimed
      • Jonah's preaching of judgment did not come true so he seemed to be a false prophet - yet he had spoken God's word as instructed
      • Perhaps this story was told to force Israel to deal more in depth with the question of true vs. false prophets
    • Israel has a missions responsibility
    • • Israel should not keep God and His word to itself
      • Israel must preach God and His word to the nations, even to the enemy nations since God also works with them (cf. Amos 9:7)
    • God's love far outweighs His anger (4:2)
    • • Jonah would rather have a God who keeps His word, even when it means destroying repentant people, than a God who loves and forgives
      • For God, love, grace, and forgiveness are supreme - He is ready to forgive and restore when people repent (cf. Jer. 18:1-8)
    • Divine freedom
    • • May be the central issue - the interpretations above center around this one
      • God has the freedom to go beyond limits that mankind sets for Him - God is not bound by our words, opinions, or theology
  • Some interesting interpretive points
  • • The Hebrew text suggests the ship Jonah boards is going toward Tarshish and causes the reader to suspect it may not make it
    • The song of thanksgiving seems strange coming from someone still trapped in the belly of a fish - however, the hymn praises God for delivering Jonah from drowning (2:3-6) by providing the fish
    • The mention of the number of cattle in Nineveh who would also perish if the city was destroyed emphasizes God's love - God is not just interested in people, He is interested in all of His creation and does not want to destroy anything

Artwork by Michelangelo from the Sistine Chapel