Introduction - Logos Bible Software



IntroductionAssyria and Relations with IsraelAn ancient kingdom (Gen 10:11-12)A royal residence by the time of Tiglath-Pileser I (1114-1076)Neo-Assyrian kingdom853 –?a coalition of 12 (or 10) kings fought against Assyria’s march west at Qarwar (ANET, 279)Jehu (841-814) paid tribute to Shalmaneser (858-824) Black Obelisk (ANET, 281)Adad-nerari III (810-783) invaded Palestine (ANET, 281-82)Some believe he acted as a deliverer to Israel (2 Kings 13:4-5), attacking the Arameans in Palestine who were oppressing IsraelHistory of JonahJonah appears in 2 K 14:25 –?interestingly, he is pictured as prophesying the expansion of the kingdom and not preaching against her sins as in Amos and HoseaJonah was from Gath-heper (2 K 14:25) this was in Zebulun (Josh 19:13; Is 9:1-2) Zebulun was one of the first tribes to suffer from invading forces. This may have increased Jonah’s apprehension of foreign nations Some events that may have struck fear in Nineveh and led them to repent: 765-759 – famine affected the country 763 –?solar eclipse Rebellions in cities till 758 BC (D.J. Wiseman, “Jonah’s Nineveh”, Tyndale Bulletin 30 (1979: 29-51); Peoples of the OT World Other sources: Zondervan Pictoral [Edition?] of the Bible, vol 4, p 440-444 Peoples of the Old Testament WorldMethods of Interpreting JonahAllegorical view –?Jonah means dove and is a symbol for Israel (Ps 74:19; Hos 7:11; 11:11) The fish represents captivity; this is a picture of Israel being swallowed in captivity and then spit out However, although being swallowed is symbolic of captivity (Jer 51:34, 44), but being swallowed by the fish was deliverance for Jonah and not a punishmentViewed historically by church fathers (Allen, 178)Allen, 175-181, views it as a parable, but what are indications of this? Did Jesus support the historical nature of the book? (Matt 12:38-42)Jonah in Sirach 49:10 and Tobit 14:4, 8 Jonah 1 Jonah 1:1-3 – Jonah called to preach to Nineveh but does not obey1:1 “And it was” –?several OT books begin this way (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, Esther, Ezekiel) It occurs frequently in narrative to introduce a new incident (Jonah 1:17) “Word of the Lord came to...” –?usually this is the message the prophet is to deliver to the people (Joel 1:1) but sometimes gives specific instructions for the prophet (2 Sam 7:4; 1 K 17:2, 8; 21:17)1:2 Get up and go – imperatives (1 Kings 17:9; 21:18) –?used together they emphasize the importance of a prompt response Great city – Jonah 3:2, 3; 4:11 “Wickedness...” –?a key word in Jonah (Jonah 1:7, 8; 3:7, 10; 4:1, 2, 6) “...has come up” (Gen 18:20-21)1:3 Repetition of “got up” leads us to expect obedience –?reason for disobedience is not given until Jonah 4:2 Moses (Ex 3-4) and Jeremiah (Jer 1) objected, but they obeyed and went Tarshish appears three times in the verse –?Jer 10:9; Ezek 27:12; Is 66:19 Baldwin’s chiastic structure of the verse (553) “From the presence...” –?Genesis 4:16 He does not seem to think he can run away (Ps 139:7-17) The phrase in 1 Kings 17:1; 18:15; Jer 15:19 indicates a willingness to serve God; fleeing from God’s presence might just mean he is no longer doing God’s will or repudiating his prophetic office. Abundance of verbs in this verse show hustle and bustle One commentary suggests he paid the fare for the whole ship It may have taken a year to get there Jonah 1:4-6 – The Lord hurls the storm on the sea1:4 Hurl –?same as Jonah 1:5, 12, 15; 1 Sam 18:11; 20:33 The storm is God’s tool to bring Jonah to his senses. It is not coincidence: subject comes before the verb, which is unusual (Baker, 102).1:5 Each sailor cried to his god –?apparently many gods represented and the only one not praying is the only one whose God could save Fear will be a key theme (Jonah 1:9-10, 15-16) Sleep –?Gen 2:21; Judges 4:21; Dan 8:181:6 Captain’s “arise and call” are the same words in 2 “arise and call” – every word in effect mocks Jonah The captain realizes the need for prayer, only gods can save them, and that you cannot dictate to god “Perhaps” –?his words about God’s freedom are similar to the words in Jonah 3:9 Jonah 1:7-101:7 Casting lots used in Israel (Josh 7:14-21; Prov 16:33) and in other nations to determine the will of the gods Notice the world view assumed by the sailors: the storm is not a random occurrence but is ultimately sent by God (gods) and it is sent to punish someone for wrong.1:8 They want the lot confirmed by answers and overwhelm him with questions1:9 Jonah’s doctrine is correct, and he’s not afraid to tell it. The problem is he doesn’t share the attitudes of God. “I fear” Fear –?Jonah 1:5, 10 There is a difference between affirmation (Ps 95:5) and practice1:10 The unbelievers are astonished that one would seek to run away from God They are afraid (Jonah 1:9) Jonah 1:11-16 –?Jonah is thrown overboard1:11 Increasing intensity of the storm (Jonah 1:4, 11, 13)1:12 Throw me (Jonah 1:4, 5, 15) into the sea Contrast Acts 27 – Jonah’s presence threatens everyone on the ship; Paul’s presence saves everyone on the ship.1:13 Men desperately seek to save Jonah1:14 Innocent blood – Deut 21:8 Use of divine name You have done as you pleased –?God’s control of all (Ps 115:3; 135:8; Dan 4:34-35)1:15 Seat stopped raging –?Ps 65:7; 89:9; 93:3-4; 107:29; Mt 8:23-27 Throw Jonah overboard to save the rest –?application for church discipline?1:16 “Cognitive accusatives” – feared a fear, sacrificed sacrifices, vowed vows (Ps 116:17) Fear Initially feared the storm (Jonah 1:5) Now Gentiles fear the Lord (Jonah 1:10, 16, 17) The listener is led to appreciate GentilesJonah 1:17-2:9 – Jonah prays from the fish1:17 God appoints (Jonah 4:6, 7, 8) a great fish Three days and three nights –?Mt 12:40; 16:4 Jesus and Jonah, J.W. McGarvey The great fish is only mentioned in Jonah 1:17 and Jonah 2:10. Some discount the book because of the miraculous Are there modern day parallels? A.J. Wilson, “The Sign of the Prophet Jonah and its Modern Confirmations” PTR25 (1927); 630-642 Are such parallels necessary?Jonah 2Jonah 1:17-2:9 – Jonah prays from the fish (Cont.)2:1 Jonah was not pictured as praying in chapter 1, but does now (Jonah 4:2)2:2 I called – Jonah 1:2, 6, 14 Prayer of Individual Thanksgiving Sheol?Job 7:9; Ps 6:5; Is 38:18 What is the precise meaning of the term? The KJV translates is as grave 31 times and hell 30 times2:3 While the sailors had thrown Jonah overboard (Jonah 1:15), their part was secondary While such language is used figuratively (Ps 69:1-2, 14-15), here it is literal2:4 Driven from His presence – Gen 3:24 Being driven from God’s presence is lex talionis (Jonah 1:3, 10)2:5-6 The peril is recounted to heighten the impact of God’s deliverance Jonah was hopelessly entrapped with the waters imprisoning him – it was as if its doors were locked But God raised him up (Ps 30:3-4) from the deep (Gen 1:2) Many important sentences in the bible begin with “But God”2:7 I remembered the Lord –?the word order emphasis on the Lord Your holy –?Jonah 2:4; Ps 11:42:8 The ones who cling to worthless (vain – Eccl) emptiness abandon their grave (grace?) Is the idea that they abandon their loyalty to God or that they forsake the grace that could be theirs? “Those who worship idols will discover in the times of trouble how impotent they really are” Baker, 1172:9 Sacrifice...vow –?Jonah is now brought to the point of Gentile sailors in Jonah 1:16 –?see Allen, 219 Acts 15:11 –?Peter believes Jews will be saved the same way Gentiles are (not the other way around). Jonah is saved the same way the sailors were.2:10 The fish vomits up Jonah on dry ground (Jonah 1:9)Jonah 3Jonah 3:1-3 – The Lord calls Jonah to go to Nineveh again3:1 “The first five words are an exact repetition of the opening words of the book” Baldwin, 5763:2 Arise, go, proclaim –?same words in Jonah1:2, first seven words the same3:3 These same verbs used in Jonah 3:2 are used again to stress Jonah’s obedience Exceedingly great city –?NASB “great city to God” Word is “elohim” – can be used as an adjective to express superlative D.W. Thomas, “A Consideration of some Unusual Ways to express the Hebrew Superlative,” VT 3 (1953), 209-24 Gen 23:6; 30:8; Ex 9:28; 1 Sam 14:15; Ps 36:7; 80:11) Thomas believes there are no certain examples of elohim serving as an intensifying termJonah 3:4-10 –?Jonah’s sermon and Nineveh’s repentance3:4 40 days –?Ex 24:18; 34:28; Num 13:25; 1 K 19:8 Nineveh be overthrown Same language of Sodom – Gen 19:21, 25; Deut 29:23; Is 13:19; Jer 49:18; 50:40; Amos 4:11 Of Judah – Is 1:7 The word can mean to turn upside down and may hint at reformation3:5 They believed in God –?trust in (Gen 15:6; 1 Sam 27:12) not a common response in Israel (Num 14:11) The men of Nineveh proclaim in response to what Jonah proclaimed3:6 King – serves same role as captain of Jonah 1:6 A fasting – fasting connected with mourning over sin (1 K 21:27-29; Jer 36:9; Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15) Sackcloth –?Gen 37:34; Esther 4:1-3 Sat on ashes –?Job 2:8; Jer 6:26; Ezek 27:303:7 The animals who would have shared in the judgment share in repentance Some question the historical accuracy of this stating there is no record from Assyria (though there is in Persia) of a king issuing a decree in connection with nobles It may be that such actions were rare and therefore were not recorded – we must be careful against assuming too much about the extent to which Assyrian history is knowable This period of Assyrian history is one of the more poorly documented periods of their history3:8 Each man turn –?not simply a ritual (Isaiah 58) Turn used of man in Jonah 3:8, 10 Used of God in Jonah 3:9 Call on God –?call same as Jonah 3:5 3:9 Who knows? (2 Sam 12:22; Joel 2:14) Compare the words of the captain in Jonah 1:6 We shall not perish –?Jonah 1:6, 143:10 The word evil is used in the sense of moral evil and also in the sense of the calamity to be brought upon the city Is Jonah a false prophet because his prophecy foes not come true (Jer 18:7-10)? Placement of Jer 18 after 17:19-27 (1 Sam 2:30)Jonah 4Jonah 4:1-4 –?Jonah requests death4:1 Same word “evil” (Jonah 3:10) is used twice of the evil of God sparing Nineveh Nineveh turns from their evil; God turns from his evil; Jonah does not turn from his evil. While a different Hebrew word is used for anger in Jonah 3:9, there we see God turning from his anger while here Jonah is angry4:2 Jonah ran because he was afraid this would happen. The people may repent and God would not destroy them –?God’s love for all (Ps 145:9). This statement about God is one of the most often repeated statements in the OT (Ex 34:6-7; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:5; 145:8; Joel 2:13-14) Joel 2:13-14?Joel using this to call people to repentance. He uses the phrase “Who knows?” Is Joel intentionally echoing Jonah? Joel 1:1-2:11 –?Warning (locust plague) Joel 2:12-17 –?Call to repentance Joel 2:18-3:21 –?Promise of Blessing This is the only place where God is criticized for having these attributes How can one who praised God for deliverance resent this opportunity shown to others? Relents – Jonah 3:10 If God says he is going to destroy someone for wickedness, that person changes and is righteous, and God does not destroy him, who really changed? The person did. God did not change his mind; he still punishes wickedness and rewards righteousness.4:3 Parody of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4 – “I” or “my” 9 times in words of Jonah The irony is that if God had not possessed these attributes Jonah would have already died Converse of Jesus: if you are going to spare their life, take mine4:4 God patiently questions Jonah –?God questioned Cain about his anger in a similar way in Gen 4:6 The word for anger (BDB, 354) which is used in Jonah 4:1, 4, and twice in Jonah 4:9 carries the idea of burning and being kindled. It is striking that God challenges his anger by discomforting him with the physical heatJonah 4:5-11 –?God seeks to turn Jonah4:5 “East” –?in OT, to move east usually means to move away from God (Gen 3:24) “Shelter” –?Lev 23:40, 42 “Shade” –?Ps 91:1 God saw Nineveh’s repentance in Jonah 3:10 and Jonah wants to see its destruction4:6 Lord God appointed –?appointed is the same word used in Jonah 1:17 Some have suggested that the plant is the castor oil plant. Other possibilities see Baker, 128-29 Jonah rejoiced with a great rejoicing (Cognitive accusative) (Jonah 1:10, 16; 4:1) “Discomfort” Same word calamity (Jonah 3:10); Jonah longs to be delivered from his calamity. “The shoe Jonah wanted Nineveh to wear was on his foot now, and it pinched” (Allen, 233).4:8 Jonah again requests death Sun smote –?Ps 121:6; Is 49:10; Rev 7:5-174:9 Jonah defiantly states his right to be angry4:10-11 (…) means had compassion is used of Jonah (10) and God (11) and (…) as a verb (10) and as an adjective (11) God shows that Jonah is foolish to have such compassion on a plant but no compassion on all these people Right hand and left –?idiom for truth and justice (McComsky? Baldwin?) Does this sovereign God need Jonah’s permission to show mercy? How did Jonah respond? Sermon: Angry with God’s Grace Jonah Matt 20:1-16 Luke 15:25-32 (5:30; 7:34, 39; 15:1-2; 19:7) Matt 18:21-32 – Those of us who have been forgiven so much must forgive others (Eph 4:31-32; Col 3:13) Theology of Jonah Divine NamesIn the 48 verses of Jonah, YHWH is used 25 times and elohim 15 timesIn the dealings between God and Jonah, God is called YHWH in Jonah 1:1-3:3 and Jonah 4:1-4When Nineveh refers to God, Jonah 3:5-10 elohim is usedIt is interesting to watch the sailors transition from elohim (Jonah 1:5-6) to YHWH (Jonah 1:14, 16)Jonah 4:6 combines both terms as Genesis 2:4-3:24Why the difference? Israel or the nations and intimacy of their relationship with God Variety of names aesthetic Names are interchangeable (Kidner, “Distribution of Divine Names in Jonah,” Tyndale Bulletin, 1970, 126-28) What would we say about God from this book?Jonah 1:9 –?maker of the sea and dry landJonah 3:4-10 –?holds the destiny of cities and kingdoms within his handJonah 1:4 –?hurled the storm on the seaJonah 1:14 –?the sailors recognized the Lord had done as he pleased (Jonah 2:3)Jonah 1:17 –?The Lord appointed a fish to swallow Jonah and in Jonah 2:10 commanded the fish to vomit him “Men have looked so hard at the great fish that they failed to see the great God”Jonah 4:6 –?Lord God appointed a plantJonah 4:7 – God appointed a wormJonah 4:8 – God appointed a scorching east windThe Lord is sovereign over all creatures great and smallHow does Jonah think he can run away from such a God? (Jonah 1:3, 10; Ps 139:7-12; Rev 6:16-17)Jonah 2:2 –?The Lord hears and answers prayer (Jonah 2:7)Jonah 2:3 – The Lord cast him into the sea, but in 2:6 he also brought him up againJonah 2:8-9 –?The emptiness of idols is contrasted with the salvation that comes from the LordWhy would anyone want to run away from such a God? Jonah 4:2 (Ex 34:6-7; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17, 31; Joel 2:13; Psalm 86:5, 15)The Lord longs to show mercy and compassionJonah 1:12-16 –?He shows mercy to the sailorsJonah 1:17-2:10 –?He shows mercy to JonahJonah 3:2 with 1:2 – Jonah is given a second chanceJonah 3:4-10 – He shows mercy to NinevehGod’s mercy is the cause for Jonah’s complaint (Jonah 4:2; Matt 20:1-16; Luke 15:25-32)Why would any who has been given a second chance resent others receiving one? Why would any who have been forgiven so much resent others being shown forgiveness? Allen, 277 parallels between Jonah and NinevahGod demands repentance (Jonah 3:4-10; Matt 12:38-41; 16:1-4; Lk 11:29-30, 32) ................
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