Non-israelites in the book of jonah

And so the writer of jonah told a story of gods expansive mercy for nonisraelites. That is why jonah was sent to nineveh and not a gentile prophet. Jonah exhibits, in a very striking way, the thoughts of his old man, in order that israel might recognise themselves in his image. Dont put god in a box, unless you want to be swallowed by.

Perhaps one of the biggest miracles in the old testament is in the book of jonah. As we saw with the pagan mariners of chapter 1, here again nonisraelites turn to the god of heaven. The book is a critique of the israelite prophecy when it questions whether gods attention is focused narrowly on israelites, along with emphasizing gods goodness and willingness to forgive. My previous posts have looked at several examples of the different ways god interacted with nonisraelite nations. But it displeased jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. Hoping to seal their fate, jonah had originally refused to preach so that the ninevites would not have an opportunity to repent. The book of jonah claims to be a record of events in the life of jonah, the son of amittai, who prophesied the expansion of israel to its former bounds just prior to, or during the early part of, the reign of jeroboam ii, possibly around 790760 ad 2 kings 14. The book of jonah has long been noted for its interest in nonisraelites. Aug 28, 2014 my previous posts have looked at several examples of the different ways god interacted with non israelite nations. Mar 01, 2020 if we keep in mind the timeline in which jonah was alive, we know for sure that non israelites gentiles did not have the kind of unique covenant relationship that israel had with yahweh.

When the conflicts with the ninevites and sailors are granted priority, the interpretation of the book leads. The following are some implications from this reading of jonah for us today 1 the book of jonah like any biblical text must be read in its wider canonical and theological context. Nov 06, 2017 exactly what the book of jonah is critiquing. The concluding openended question of the book is an enduring, haunting rebuke to our tendency to foist our own ethnocentric prejudices on to the almighty. It is an important book to both religious traditions christianity and jewish because of its message of doom upon israels longtime enemy. If we keep in mind the timeline in which jonah was alive, we know for sure that nonisraelites gentiles did not have the kind of unique covenant relationship that israel had with yahweh. The book of jonah is one of the most remarkable books in the bible.

Jonah, or, in hebrew, yonah, was an israelite prophet in the bible who, as told in the book preserved in his name, was divinely commissioned to announce a prophecy of imminent doom to the assyrian people of nineveh jon. Jonah tries to sail to tarshish, in the opposite direction from nineveh, as if by doing that he could escape from the lord, when the lord is the one who knows all about ninevehs wickedness and is involved in all that happens to jonah throughout the book. Ehrlich adds that nineveh was the capital of assyria, an enemy of israel, and the author of this tale wanted to stress. While luther had been careful to maintain that the book of jonah was not written by jonah, calvin. In the book of jonah, the sailors feared the lord, made a. For it begins with a commission to jonah and with jonahs refusal to heed it, in other words, the book of jonah begins. Jonah was mirabilis homo, as one calls him, an amazing man. Despite the frequent attention given in jonah studies to nonisraelites in general, scholars have not always noted the differences between the books presentations of the sailors and the ninevites. He is a prophet who proves that god is concerned about non israelites, and questions israelite nationalism and exclusivism. This lament, though a form of delayed information in the text, sheds light on jonahs two episodic interactions with nonisraelites in the narrative. The book of jonah is interesting and unusual in several ways.

God does this with rahab in joshua and with the ninevites in jonah. Jonah was not a type of christ because he prophesied to nonisraelites, but he was a type of christ because he returned to life again with the resurrection. However, one way in which a foreigner could participate was in the burnt offering leviticus 17. The babylonian talmud, the authoritative book of judaism, was produced there. The status of nonjews in jewish law and lore today. Smithchristopher modern christians frequently assert that early christianity accepted jews and gentiles on an equal basis as potentially righteous people in fellowship with god, in contrast to more xenophobic. Second, jonah is the most unprophetlike prophet in the prophetic writings. Why should christians read the book of jonah theologically. Nonisraelite followers of yhwh in the old testament the good. What is the signifigance of jonah being sent to preach to non israelites. Malgre lattention donnee frequemment aux nonisraelites, dans les. From the outset of the book, the author makes clear that ruth is a moabite 1.

In contrast to daniels reliance on divine intervention to punish the wicked, the book of esther focuses on human initiative in defeating the enemies of israel. View for free online jonah is the prophet of restoration. Jonahs peculiar community, the chosen people, does not merely provide security and prosperity, but aims to shape the souls of its own members, and, eventually, of all human beings. The point of jonah is not to get us to think, oh, can god speak through and use a. Many have questioned whether the book of jonah is historical. God called jonah to minister to nineveh, which had served as the capital of the world for several centuries. The gentile sailors who threw jonah overboard into the sea after he. He is a prophet who proves that god is concerned about nonisraelites, and questions israelite nationalism and exclusivism. Unlike other old testament prophetic books, jonah is not a. Jonah is the only prophet to ever preach to nonhebrews actually hes not called a prophet in his book, but thats clearly what hes protrayed as. They dont give any references to back up their position and i didnt find anything to this. Nonisraelites were not to participate in many areas of the jewish sacrificial system. The short answer is that it was written to convey a theological message, and its historical and literary features serve that purpose. Thus the prophet jonah, like the jews of the day, abhors even the idea of.

The repentance and good deeds of the ninevites pleased god, but they displeased. First, unlike other prophetic books, jonah is primarily a narrative. Jonah or jonas, in the hebrew bible tanakhold testament, is a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel in about the 8th century bce. In the first half of the book, jonah goes from disobedience to thanksgiving. Is this merely a rare case of heathens repenting, and is there any evidence that other heathens ever repented.

Download it once and read it on your kindle device. While jonah eventually did what he was asked to do, the book closes with showing jonah as a bitter man. The book of jonah has long been noted for its interest in non israelites. The book of jonah depicts the tension between justice and mercy. Through some supernatural events, god convinced him to obey and carry out the lords plan. Now my study notes say that this was an ethnic description commonly used in the bible, but was typically intended by nonisraelites or hebrews as a disparaging term. Jonah intro to jonah biblica the international bible society. Book of jonah old testament britannica encyclopedia britannica. T he book of jonah is an old testament story which tells about how the prophet jonah refused to follow the lord.

Other parts of scripture also have positive depictions the book of jonah is replete with them, as are job and ruth. And its actually the nonisraelites, the sailors and the kings, who respond exactly appropriately to god. Feb 23, 2007 god sent jonah because he wanted to see the people repent. God had asked jonah to go to the city of nineveh and preach to them jonah 1.

Ken berding suggested that i compile a list of the nonisraelite. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Nonisraelites encounters with god in the hebrew bible kindle edition by perlstein, david. The story of the jews throughout hebrew scripture is one where god. Jonah 3 very briefly describes jonahs message and then tells us that the people responded by repenting and believing in god luke 11. So long as the nonisraelite is devoted to yahweh, he welcomes them into the covenant. The book of jonah suggests that in all of human history, yahweh has always been sovereign over all people of all nations. Perhaps jonah feared that israel would look bad if nonisraelites repented. There is a paradoxical recognition that the closer one comes to god, the more one becomes conscious of the chasm separating gods wisdom from our own. Jonah a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who hates his god for loving his enemies. Nonisraelite followers of yhwh in the old testament the. Nonisraelites, face to face with a disobedient prophet.

So the book of jonah is actually critiquing a mindset that happens among gods. The status of nonjews in jewish law and lore today questions. But we are not at liberty to say that the prophet represented the people only. Yet amid all this turmoil, it is the heathen sailors, not the prophet jonah, who pray to the lord see jon. How do the non israelites respond to his message both on the boat and in nineveh. Here are some of the red flags that the book of jonah is an exaggerated satire3. The men on the boat cant believe that jonah is ignorant enough to think he could run from the lord. In the book of jonah, the sailors feared the lord, made a sacrifice, and offered vows to god do you think these men were saved. In his mission to nineveh, he is never called a prophet. Gently raise the sacred satire by common consent, a.

The ninevites were converted to the lord without circumcision, an example for the future conversion of nonisraelites. Smithchristopher modern christians frequently assert that early christianity accepted jews and gentiles on an equal basis as potentially righteous people in fellowship with god, in contrast to more xenophobic attitudes toward non israelites in the hebrew bible. The torah depicts many nonisraelites in a positive way, noah is a righteous man gen. We are a nonprofit organization and we would rather spend the money. Ken berding suggested that i compile a list of the non israelite followers of yhwh in the old testament. Of the twelve minor prophets, the book that has been consistently pondered and examined with much fascination is the book of jonah. Oct 21, 2019 why should christians read the book of jonah theologically. But how can that be demonstrated, and how can christians read jonah theologically. Home versebyverse bible commentary jonah chapter 4. Why were nonisraelites allowed to participate in the. They ask the lord to spare them and not have them pay for jonah s stupidity, then throwing him overboard and offering god sacrifice and vows.

This is attributed to its mythical imagery, which illustrates the prophets journey to the land of nineveh. I am studying the biblical book of jonah and plan to write a commentary on the book that will contain a chapter by chapter explanation of this difficult volume, traditional jewish views, nonjewish views which are similar but in which the authors find christian theology, and a rational approach to the difficulties in it based on maimonides guide of the perplexed. Jonah 4, new english translation net the bible app. Nonisraelites encounters with god in the hebrew bible. Prior to that time, not only had israel been considerably reduced in size, but the king of. He understands that jonah felt it was improper to prophesy to nonisraelites. Dont put god in a box, unless you want to be swallowed by a fish.

The book of jonah is a largerthanlife story of every individual who seeks closeness with god. Today, we will complete our study of the book of jonah by looking at jonah chapter 4. Jan 01, 20 this lament, though a form of delayed information in the text, sheds light on jonah s two episodic interactions with non israelites in the narrative. Gods love and compassion for all his people pagans and gentiles as well as his chosen people, the israelites. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible. Jonah knew that if he preached in nineveh, the people might repent and as a result, god might more than likely relent from sending judgment.

He is disobedient and wholly uninterested in serving as a prophet. Ken berding suggested that i compile a list of the nonisraelite followers of yhwh in the old testament. The debate over the credibility of the miracle of jonah is not simply a modern one. God intentionally recorded it this way in order to highlight specific truths about him. Jonahs ridiculous behavior contrasts the softhearted repentant of the gentiles in this story, and so becomes the authors way of challenging the reader to reckon with gods love for their enemies as well. Furthermore, the role these non israelites play in these episodes sheds light on the aim of this project. Our prophet has been on an emotional roller coaster so far. For it begins with a commission to jonah and with jonah s refusal to heed it, in other words, the book of jonah begins with a formal expression of gods sovereign will and with a mans determined opposition. The superiority of the israelites as gods chosen people.

It is on the book of jonah, and, more specifically, the vexing nonichthyological question of why jonah fled from his mission to nineveh. In fact, babylon would become a center of jewish life and thought for the next thousand years. God sent jonah because he wanted to see the people repent. The book of jonah is the fifth book in the christian canons and the jewish tanakh.

The notoriously wicked pagan citizenry of nineveh accept jonahs judgment message with all seriousness. Beyond common assent concerning the prominence of that theme in this short book, however, readers find little unanimity regarding its contours or the best way to integrate it with other theological facets of the book. Jonah actually quotes gods own description of himself from the book of exodus and throws it back in gods face as an insult he says. He is the prophetic witness of the law of cleansing lepers lev.

Aug 31, 2006 im now a firm believer in jonahs story. Secondly it may have been because he did not believe that yhwhs mercy should be available to nonisraelites. In chapter 1, gods word comes to jonah, hes given a. What is the signifigance of jonah being sent to preach to nonisraelites. Despite the frequent attention given in jonah studies to non israelites in general, scholars have not always noted the differences between the book s presentations of the sailors and the ninevites.

It was the enemy of israel, and jonah was not attracted to the assignment until god explained it to him a bit more clearly. Christ was preaching repentance to them, but many were not having it. Just like jonahs days, the preaching of christs message would end up going out to the nonisraelites and offering them forgiveness just like nineveh, while leaving the israelites themselves condemned. It is one of trei asar the twelve prophets in the tanakh, and in christian tradition as oi dodeka prophetai or ton dodekapropheton, greek for the twelve prophets. Compare jonahs explanation when talking with the lord see 4. As one commentator puts it, the humor and exaggeration in the book of jonah help the ancient jewish audience to perceive their own xenophobic attitudes and the ridiculous lengths to which arrogance and prejudice can. Set in the reign of jeroboam ii 786746 bc, it was probably written in the postexilic period, some time between the late 5th to early 4th century bc. Jonah hes fuming mad and he others his second prayer he first tells god why he ran away back in chapter one it was not because he was afraid rather it was because he that god was so merciful and this is great. Why were nonisraelites allowed to participate in the sacrificial system. It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading gods others. Apr 04, 2020 of the twelve minor prophets, the book that has been consistently pondered and examined with much fascination is the book of jonah. The entire city of wicked gentiles accepts what jonah says about judgment as the truth. Jonah overview peter petts commentary on the bible.