jonah

Background

Author.   Since the entire prophecy is in the third person, some suggest that Jonah did not himself write it. This possibility is neither verifiable nor refutable, nor is it of any consequence.

Regardless of who actually wrote it, the prophet himself is the only person of whom significant data is known. Even so, other than his father’s name, Amittai, all that is known of him (aside from the story of this prophecy) is what is recorded in 2 Kings 14:25. There it is reported that his home town was Gath-hepher (not more than about 3 miles north of Jesus’ town of Nazareth). He apparently prophesied that Israel would reclaim much or all of her territory lost to Syria under Jehu (2 Kings 10:32f).

Date of composition.   It is also from 2 Kings 14 that his dates are learned. He was associated with the reign of Jeroboam II whose years were 793-753. He was therefore probably a contemporary of both Amos and Hosea.

Historical setting.   See Amos and Hosea.

Historicity.   The stupendous story of the storm and his being swallowed and vomited by a sea creature, the unprecedented repentance by Nineveh, and the seemingly fanciful episode with the plant and the worm have led many to scoff at the idea of this being anything more than a fairy tale with a moral. In fact, while the extraordinary coincidence of such events would at first blush tend to stretch credulity, none of the details in themselves are impossible, nor for that matter is their coincidence.

On the other hand, two important (and related) facts argue for the factuality of the whole. First, were the story contrived, this book would be unique in the Old Testament and quite out of place. The very theology of the OT is dependent on the historicity of the Egypt-Red Sea-Mt. Sinai experience. Second, the New Testament alludes several times to the book and the story, and never with the slightest question of its historical reliability. (See especially Luke 11:29-32.)

Argument

Jonah is unique among the biblical prophets, in that his prophecy amounts to a recital of an event—without question the most outstanding event—from his life. The story of Jonah is simple and straightforward. The real issue is the interpretation of the story as prophecy to Israel (most likely the northern kingdom in particular, his home).

The key to the interpretation of the prophecy is that the episodes from the life of Jonah are to be understood as a parable in which Jonah represents the nation Israel. He is seen unwilling to represent Yahweh to the sinful Ninevites (chapter 1). And even when he manifested a degree of obedience, he proved concerned about his own comfort and not about the welfare of the Ninevites (chapters 3—4). By important contrast Yahweh not only was willing to forgive and restore to service his reluctant servant, but he also shows his great concern for “innocent” people, thus rebuking his people Israel for being very unlike their God.

Structurally the book is quite formal with a high degree of balance and chiasmus (for which structure see the outline).

God’s commission to Jonah was very like that to Israel: to be a light to the nations (1:2; cf. Isa. 42:6[1]). The climax of the section on his flight comes at the center of the chiasmus, verse 9, where Jonah confesses Yahweh to the heathen sailors: “I fear Yahweh.” Where the sailors are first seen “fearing” for their lives and crying out to their own gods (1:5), they are last seen “fearing” and sacrificing and vowing to Yahweh (1:16). God had mercy on the sailors, and used his servant to do so, in spite of his state of disobedience. (This chapter closely parallels the third.)

Because of his state of disobedience God intervened to put his servant back on the trail of his commission. Only when he found himself in the desperate situation in the fish did Jonah turn to God for help (2:7). Without further chastening God mercifully delivered him.

Then he recommissioned him with the identical mission as before (3:1; cf. 1:2). When he proclaimed the message God gave him (3:3-4), there was a great response of repentance (3:5-9).

At this juncture the great lesson of the prophecy begins to draw to a focus. The point is made literarily around the repeated complaints of Jonah and the rhetorical rebukes by the Lord (4:1-4, 8-9). Jonah complained first because “God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it” (3:10). By the rhetorical question God rebuked Jonah for his attitude. Jonah complained next because the plant that shaded him (provided by the mercy of God) had died, and he was in relative discomfort (4:6-8). By the parallel rhetorical question God showed the parallel between the two situations (4:9), which he made explicit in the closing. Where Jonah had shown concern for the survival of a mere plant—for his own comfort—God had shown concern for the survival of multitudes of innocent people (4:10-11). And ever so abruptly the prophecy ends.

Israel’s priorities were diametrically contrary to God’s: Israel was self-centered; God loved even the godless Assyrians. If Israel was to become like her God, she would have also to learn to live for the salvation of others.

Outline

I. The first word of the Lord to the prophet  1—2

A. The rebellious disobedience of Jonah  1:1-16

1. God’s word to Jonah  1:1-2

2. Jonah’s response: faithless flight  1:3-16

a) Embarkation  1:3

b) Storm  1:4-16

(1) The sailors’ fear  1:4-5a

 (2) The sailors’ prayer to their gods  1:5b

  (3) The sailors’ unloading the ship  1:5c

   (4) The captain’s speech to Jonah  1:6

    (5) The sailors’ word to each other  1:7a

     (6) The sailors’ question to Jonah: Who are you?  1:7b-8

      (7) Jonah’s confession  1:9

     (8) The sailors’ question to Jonah: What have you done?  1:10a

    (9) The sailors’ question to Jonah: What shall we do?  1:10b-11

   (10) Jonah’s words to the sailors  1:12

  (11) The sailors’ rowing of the ship  1:13

 (12) The sailors’ prayer to the Lord  1:14

(13) The sailors’ fear of the Lord  1:15-16

B. The plight and (thanksgiving) psalm of Jonah  1:17—2:10

1. Jonah’s plight: in the fish  1:17—2:1

2. Jonah’s psalm of praise  2:2-9

a) Introductory testimony recalling distress  2:2

b) Portrayal of affliction  2:3-6a

c) Cry for help and answer  2:6b-7

d) Concluding acknowledgement and vow  2:8-9

3. Jonah’s restoration: out of the fish  2:10

II. The second word of the Lord to the prophet  3—4

A. The reluctant obedience of Jonah  3:1-9

1. God’s word to Jonah  3:1-2

2. Jonah’s response: faithful preaching  3:3-9

a) Proclamation  3:3-4

b) Penitent reception  3:5-9

(1) Spontaneous humility  3:5-6

(2) Mandated humility  3:7-9

B. The tender mercy of God (for people)  3:10—4:11

1. God’s compassion toward the Ninevites  3:10—4:4

a) Disaster forestalled  3:10

b) Jonah’s complaint  4:1-3

c) God’s rhetorical rebuke  4:4

2. Jonah’s compassion toward the plant  4:5-9

a) Jonah’s shelter  4:5-6

b) The plant’s demise  4:7

c) Jonah’s complaint  4:8

d) God’s rhetorical rebuke  4:9

3. The contrast made explicit  4:10-11

a) Jonah’s compassion for the plant  4:10

b) God’s compassion for the people  4:11