The Book of Jonah: A Quirky, Short but Powerful Story
Introduction to Jonah
Unique Focus: Jonah’s story is not centered on his preaching but on him as a character.
Not a Hero: Jonah is not presented as a great spiritual hero but as a compromised figure, which allows us to learn how to relate to God.
Jonah’s Call and Rebellion
God’s Voice: Jonah hears the voice of God, like Abraham and other figures, but the voice is challenging, calling him to confront Nineveh, the enemy of Israel.
Jonah’s Reaction: Jonah flees in the opposite direction, showing human resistance to God’s disruptive voice, which is often channeled through conscience.
The Flight and the Storm
Resistance to God: Jonah’s attempt to flee results in a storm, showing that resisting God’s will brings chaos, not just for Jonah but for others around him.
Spiritual Physics: Just as Adam and Eve’s rebellion led from the garden to the desert, Jonah’s disobedience leads to storms.
Jonah’s Impact on Others
Interconnectedness: Jonah’s resistance affects others, reflecting how our spiritual decisions influence those around us.
Jonah Takes Responsibility: Jonah admits his fault, and after being thrown overboard, the storm calms.
The Great Fish and Jonah’s Transformation
The Fish: Jonah is swallowed by a great fish, symbolizing how his rebellious will must be confined and corrected. This restriction of his freedom is actually what sets him free to follow God’s will.
A Prayer of Despair: Jonah prays honestly from the belly of the fish, expressing his distress but placing it in God’s presence. This prayer represents turning suffering into a moment of reconnection with God.
Jonah’s Return to God’s Path
God’s Mercy: After Jonah’s repentance, the fish spews him out where God wants him to be, showing that God’s plan will bring us to the right place, even through suffering.
Jonah’s Sermon: Jonah finally delivers a short sermon to Nineveh, leading to the city’s repentance, showing the immense power of aligning with God’s will.
Jonah’s Frustration with God’s Mercy
Unexpected Reaction: Instead of rejoicing, Jonah is angry that God is merciful to Nineveh. He wanted punishment for the enemies of Israel.
Jonah’s Reluctance: Jonah reveals that he fled because he knew God would be merciful, and this frustrated his desire for judgment against Nineveh.
The Lesson: Jonah’s story highlights the challenge of accepting God’s universal mercy, even toward our enemies.
The Deeper Spiritual Meaning
Jonah’s Story and Us: Jonah’s struggle reflects the common human resistance to God’s mercy, especially when we want judgment instead of forgiveness.
God’s Universal Love: Jonah’s frustration serves as a judgment on all of us who struggle to accept the depth of God’s love, which extends even to those we consider enemies.
Jonah in Literature
Moby Dick: Melville’s novel offers one of the best sermons on Jonah, exploring its deep spiritual truths.
Transition to the New Testament: Preparing the Ground
The Importance of the Old Testament
Understanding Jesus: To understand Jesus fully, we must understand the Old Testament. The Old and New Testaments are deeply connected, and God speaks through both.
Rejecting Marcionism: The early Church rejected Marcionism, which proposed separating the Old Testament from the New. The Church affirmed that the same God is present in both.
Israel’s Institutions and Messianic Longing
Covenant and Torah: The institutions of Israel (Torah, covenant, Temple, prophecy) were meant to reconcile divinity and humanity.
Messianic Hope: Over time, Israel began to long for a new David, a Messiah, who would fulfill these promises and bring God’s full presence to His people.
The Dual Expectation
Human and Divine Messiah: The Old Testament anticipates both a human figure (the new David) and God Himself coming to shepherd His people.
Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Old Testament
Jesus: Son of David and God Incarnate
Davidic Lineage: The New Testament presents Jesus as the son of David, fulfilling the messianic expectations.
Divine Identity: Jesus is also revealed as God incarnate, not just another prophet but the God of Israel in human form.
High Christology in the Gospels
Forgiveness of Sins: Jesus forgives sins, an act reserved for God alone, revealing His divine authority.
Authority Over the Torah: Jesus teaches with authority, saying, “But I say to you,” placing Himself above even the Torah.
Lord of the Sabbath: Jesus declares Himself the Lord of the Sabbath, a claim to divinity.
Theological Clarification: The Nature of Christ
Early Christological Debates
Monophysitism: This view held that Jesus was only divine, with His humanity being an afterthought.
Nestorianism: Nestorius viewed Jesus as a super-saint, a human with a special relationship with God.
Arianism: Arius argued that Jesus was a demi-god, not fully divine but a high creature of God.
The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD)
Two Natures in One Person: Chalcedon affirmed that Jesus is fully divine and fully human, two natures united without confusion or mixing.
The Burning Bush Analogy
Divinity and Humanity: Just as the burning bush was on fire but not consumed, Jesus’ humanity is fully present and elevated by His divinity without being destroyed.
The Christmas Story: A Subversive Tale
The Birth of Jesus
Contrasting Kingship: Luke contrasts the power of Caesar Augustus with the humble birth of Jesus in a manger, showing that true kingship is found in weakness and vulnerability.
The Shepherds: Lowly shepherds receive the announcement of Jesus’ birth, symbolizing God’s preference for the humble and lowly.
The Army of Angels
Heavenly Host: An army of angels announces Jesus’ birth, signaling that true power belongs to God, not the worldly rulers like Caesar.
The Battle Between Two Visions
Jesus and the World’s Opposition
Clandestine Arrival: C.S. Lewis describes Jesus’ entry into the world as a clandestine mission, slipping behind enemy lines to confront the powers of the world.
Herod’s Reaction: The birth of Jesus causes fear and violence from Herod, representing the world’s opposition to God’s plan.
The Climax: The Cross
The Ultimate Battle: The conflict between the world’s powers and Jesus’ mission culminates in the cross, the supreme battle where divinity and humanity fully confront evil.
Conclusion
Subversive Christmas: The Christmas story is not merely sentimental; it sets the stage for the battle between worldly power and the divine mission of love and salvation that Jesus brings.