Introduction to Jonah

Jonah is the only narrative included in the books of the Minor Prophets. It tells the story of God commanding the prophet Jonah to preach in Nineveh, but Jonah decides to run the other way by boarding a ship. After God orchestrates a storm and a great fish swallows Jonah, he obeys God’s command. But when Nineveh—a major city of the Assyrian Empire and Israel’s enemy—repents after listening to Jonah, he is infuriated. The book’s lesson becomes clear in the end: God’s care extends to all who call on Him—even those who previously stood against His people. His mercy is truly for all.

Background

The book of Jonah does not name its author. The title character is a prophet—Jonah, son of Amittai—who was active in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II (ca. 786–746 bc; 2 Kgs 14:25).

The main question complicating the interpretation of Jonah is that of genre: whether the book should be read as a historical narrative or a satiric parable. Some ancient sources, including the New Testament, could be understood as interpreting the narrative as historical (e.g., Matt 12:39–42; 3 Macc 6:8; Josephus, Antiquities 9.208). However, the same question of genre affects how those references should be interpreted. The primary issue is not whether the events in the story could have happened. A God who performs miracles could certainly cause a great fish to swallow a human being (Jonah 1:17) or cause a vine to grow and wither in a matter of hours (Jonah 4:6–7). Instead, the issue is what the author intended. Those who argue that the book is a satirical parable interpret its exaggerated elements as comic devices used to lampoon the Israelites, who take pride in their privileged status but do not respond to God’s prophets. These exaggerations include the huge size of Nineveh, the short sermon Jonah gives, and that even the animals of Nineveh repent in sackcloth and ashes (Jonah 3:8). Whatever the story’s genre, the theological lesson remains the same: God’s love and mercy extend to all people who trust in Him.

Structure

The book of Jonah has four chapters, which correspond to its four sections. In ch. 1, God orders Jonah to preach to Nineveh, but Jonah flees aboard a boat to Tarshish. When a storm surrounds the ship at Yahweh’s command, the sailors choose to throw Jonah into the sea and a huge fish swallows him.

In ch. 2, Jonah recites a poetic prayer inside the fish, acknowledging that Yahweh heard his call and rescued him. Jonah promises to obey God’s command. God then orders the fish to vomit Jonah on dry land.

Chapter 3 takes Jonah to Nineveh, where he proclaims, without elegance or tact, that the city will be demolished after 40 days (Jonah 3:4). Surprisingly, the Ninevites’ response is repentance and belief in God—and Yahweh decides not to destroy the city (Jonah 3:10).

In ch. 4, Yahweh’s compassion incites anger in Jonah, who focuses on his own life difficulties, like his lack of shade in the heat of the day. In response, Yahweh makes a plant for shade grow and then die. Jonah complains, and Yahweh reminds him of the great irony of the situation. Jonah mourns a plant, for which he did not labor or make grow, but he does not care for the great city of Nineveh (Jonah 4:10–11).

Outline

• God calls and Jonah flees (Jonah 1:1–17)

• Jonah’s prayer in the fish (Jonah 2:1–10)

• Nineveh repents at Jonah’s preaching (Jonah 3:1–10)

• Jonah’s anger and God’s response (Jonah 4:1–11)

Themes

The main theme of Jonah is that God’s grace and love extends to outsiders and even oppressors. The Israelites, as God’s people, should regard the love of God not as something earned, but as something gifted by God.

Jonah also illustrates the narrowness of nationalistic pride and the wideness of God’s mercy. Jonah begrudges God’s grace to Nineveh; many of us have similar, despicable feelings, which must be dealt with and changed. Jonah complains to the God who saved him from the depths of the ocean—while ultimately being forced to recognize his own lowly place before the Maker of all. Being judgmental and the need to find humility often go hand in hand.

The book of Jonah reminds both Jonah and us: God’s love is for all people. Insiders like Jonah need to recognize that God’s grace is not theirs by right, nor anyone’s for that matter—we should gladly participate in the sharing of grace. The book of Jonah confronts us and asks whether we will embrace God’s mercy or run from it.

Further Reading

The Minor Prophets

Interpreting Jonah

Jonah, Book of CLBD

Jonah the Prophet CLBD