Overview of the Book of Jonah
Author: The author is unknown.
Purpose:
To encourage the Israelites to embrace God's call to extend his mercy to the nations.
Date: 750-613 B.C.
The reign of Jeroboam II (786-746 B.C.) provides the setting for the Jonah story. This monarch was one of the strong military leaders of Israel's history. According to 2 Kings 14:25-28, Jonah supported Jeroboam by prophesying blessings on Jeroboam's kingdom, specifically the expansion of Israel's territory into Damascus and Hamath, thereby restoring Israel's northern boundary to the place it had been in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 8:65). It is clear that Jeroboam's reign, together with that of his Judahite contemporary Uzziah (783-742 B.C.), ushered in a period of remarkable peace and prosperity. The kingdom enjoyed population and territorial expansion, commercial growth and flourishing industrial activity. By all outward appearances the nation was enjoying the blessing of God. The future looked bright.
Even so, the prophets Hosea and Amos declared that the kingdom of Israel was in a state of social, moral and religious decay. Their messages consisted, in part, of condemnation, indictment and judgment for religious syncretism and social injustice (Hos. 1:2-8; 2:1-13; 4:1-5:14; 6:1-6; 7:11-16; 8:1-9:17; 11:1-12; 12:1-8; Amos 2:6-16; 3:9-15; 5:21-27; 7:7-17).
In this historical context Jonah resisted God's call to Nineveh. He obeyed reluctantly after experiencing God's judgment and eventually learned God's outlook on the value of the Ninevites. The God of Israel intended to spread his Kingdom to all nations. Yet given the unique relationship between the Lord and his covenant people, Jonah and many of his countrymen were held in the grip of intense nationalism and ethnic particularism, which blinded them to the purpose of Israel's election.
Through Jonah, God offered Jeroboam the blessing of military victory in retaking lost portions of God's Kingdom, including Syria (2 Kings 14:25-28). The events recorded in this book, however, show that Jonah also learned the importance of repenting of his disobedience and extending the mercy of God to other nations. The readers of this narrative were to learn from Jonah's experience that they were to repent of their own disobedience and help to bring God's blessings to all nations (Gen. 12:3).
Four basic interpretive strategies have been posited for the book: allegory, midrash, parable, and historical narrative. An allegory is a technique of creating or interpreting literature so as to convey more than one level of meaning. The text of Jonah lacks typical indications that would call for an allegorical understanding-the text is presented in the form of historical narrative.
Midrash refers to a type of interpretation of Scripture that is basically expository in nature. As applied to Jonah, this approach treats the book as a commentary on passages such as Exodus 34:6-7 (Jonah 4:2) - a commentary in which the events referred to are not necessarily historical. Such an approach is out of step with credible defenses of the book's historicity, not to mention the witness of Christ (Matt. 12:39-42; Luke 11:29-32).
Interpreting Jonah as a parable is perhaps the most common approach. A parable is an extended metaphor or simile, a brief, fictitious story that illustrates moral, religious, or spiritual truths. The concept of parable is best illustrated in the teachings of Jesus (e.g., Matt. 13:45-46; Luke 10:29-37; 15:11-32). Second Samuel 11 is a good example of an Old Testament parable. This view understands the narrative as a moral story with a didactic aim. There are a number of objections to a parabolic interpretation, such as the unusual complexity and length of the story, and the identification of its main character (Jonah) as an actual historical figure (2 Kings 14:25). Most importantly, this interpretation has a tendency to deprive the book of its historical foundation, contrary to the New Testament's witness.
In spite of its surprises and sensational elements, the work should be understood as historical (prophetic) narrative. The story centers on a specific, historical figure and is presented as a trustworthy narration of a factual set of events. Jewish tradition regards the narrative as history, and Christ's allusions to the story (Matt. 12:39-42; Luke 11:29-32) lend further credibility to the historicity of the work. Yet like all historical narratives in Scripture, this book was written for a purpose other than simply preserving data. Jonah was designed to teach its readers how to live faithfully before God.
Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr. is Co-Founder and President of Third Millennium Ministries who served as Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary and has authored numerous books.