Jonah 1:1-17a

Jonah Tries to Run Away from God

1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 "Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me." 3 But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

4 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 The captain came and said to him, "What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish."

7 The sailors said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, "Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?" 9 "I am a Hebrew," he replied. "I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." 10 Then the men were even more afraid, and said to him, "What is this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them so.

11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you." 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. 14 Then they cried out to the LORD, "Please, O LORD, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man's life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you." 15 So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

17 But the LORD provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; (Jonah 1:1-17a, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated with supplement here from October 12, 2004, two years ago (Tuesday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two):

In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Jonah is a part of “The Twelve,” that is the one book which is comprised of (contains) the twelve Minor Prophets. Ehud Ben Zvi calls attention to the uniqueness of Jonah within this collection.

[Jonah] is unlike all the other prophetic books in many and diverse ways. For one thing, the book of Jonah is a narrative, whereas the others are not, though they may include some narrative sections. Prophetic books tend to allocate a large share of their text to reports of divine announcements (or ‘oracles’) and of prophetic addresses to a public other than the LORD or the prophet alone. This is clearly not the case in Jonah. Further, none of the other eleven prophets rebels against God and takes practical steps to preempt the fulfillment of the explicit divine will as communicated to the prophet. The motif of Jonah’s active opposition to the LORD’s command and will, and accordingly his reluctance to show honor and reverence to his Master, is overtly emphasized in the text through contrast with the inhabitants of Nineveh and with other non-Israelites. (The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1198 from the Introduction to Jonah)

Ben Zvi also considers several different ways that the Book of Jonah has been characterized, for example, “satire, a story that presents an implicit ideal by means of an exaggerated portrait of its opposite; as a parable, which makes its theological, spiritual, or moral point implicitly through narrative; and as didactic fiction, perhaps a narrative philosophical tractate” (Ibid.). Ben Zvi considers a variety of lessons presented by these different approaches. At one point, he says, “No critical scholar today advocates the historicity of the prophet and his fantastic misadventures” (Ibid., p. 1199). However, the present writer recalls a conversation with one of his seminary professors in which he ventured the suggestion that Jonah might be “a parable.” The professor’s response was a reminder that Jesus himself said, “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth” (Mt. 12:40, though this statement is lacking in the parallel passages: Mt. 16:1-2; Mk. 8:11-12; Lk. 11:16, 29-32). For that occasion, at least, his statement seemed to settle the matter.

In the first of three lessons from the Book of Jonah, we review the story up to the point where he is thrown overboard while heading in the wrong direction (Jonah 1:16). The story “features a recalcitrant prophet who flees from his mission and sulks when his hearers repent” ®. Lansing Hicks, NOAB, 2^nd ed.). This may be a “caricature of the biblical prophet” (James S. Ackerman, Harper-Collins Study Bible), but there are serious lessons. God is concerned about the Gentiles (other nations) as well as the Jews. The Ninevites’ repentance may well be an example for the Jews, but some might question that. “The superpower that destroyed Samaria?” In any case, even on the run, Jonah proves to be a prophet in spite of himself. The mariners cried “each to his god” at first (Jonah 1:6), but after they threw Jonah overboard “and the sea ceased from its raging” (v. 15), they “feared the LORD even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows” (v. 16).

Hosea 12:2-14 (Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions; this passages is not included in the current Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary series)

The Long History of Rebellion (Cp Gen 25-32)

2 The LORD has an indictment against Judah,

and will punish Jacob according to his ways,

and repay him according to his deeds.

3 In the womb he tried to supplant his brother,

and in his manhood he strove with God.

4 He strove with the angel and prevailed,

he wept and sought his favor;

he met him at Bethel,

and there he spoke with him.

5 The LORD the God of hosts,

the LORD is his name!

6 But as for you, return to your God,

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

7 A trader, in whose hands are false balances,

he loves to oppress.

8 Ephraim has said, "Ah, I am rich,

I have gained wealth for myself;

in all of my gain

no offense has been found in me

that would be sin."

9 I am the LORD your God

from the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

as in the days of the appointed festival.

10 I spoke to the prophets;

it was I who multiplied visions,

and through the prophets I will bring destruction.

11 In Gilead there is iniquity,

they shall surely come to nothing.

In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,

so their altars shall be like stone heaps

on the furrows of the field.

12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram,

there Israel served for a wife,

and for a wife he guarded sheep.

13 By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,

and by a prophet he was guarded.

14 Ephraim has given bitter offense,

so his Lord will bring his crimes down on him

and pay him back for his insults. (Hosea 12:2-14, NRSV)

Micah describes another of the LORD’s “lawsuits” with his people “The LORD has an indictment (rîv) against Judah, / and will punish Jacob according to his ways, / and repay him according to his deeds” (Hos. 12:2 NRSV = 12:3 Heb.).. This indictment has a historical dimension, going back to the birth of Jacob the person. “In the womb he tried to supplant his brother [Gen. 25:26], / and in his manhood he strove with God [Gen. 32:22-30; cf. 35:5-8]” (Hos. 12:3 NRSV). As the “indictment continues, the reference to striving with God at Peniel apparently becomes striving with an angel (v. 4a), but then the historical thread goes back to the experience at Bethel, “he wept and sought his favor” (v. 4b), at Bethel again, where Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse died and was buried (Gen. 35:5-8). Hosea continues: “he [Jacob] met him at Bethel, / and there he spoke with him” (v. 4, cf. Gen. 28:10-22). One may wonder if these references to Genesis passages about Jacob, often considered blessings, are intended as reports of Jacob’s sins, for which Israel is now under indictment. Gregory Mobley calls Hosea 12:2-13:16 “a divine lawsuit against Israel, which mixes historical retrospection with contemporary critique” (NOAB, 3^rd ed. on Hos. 12:2-13:16). One might then consider these references to Jacob as background for the case. It is as if the LORD said, I blessed you in the past; why are you so rebellious now? But the reference to Jacob the supplanter (v. 3) connects with the lines, “A trader, in whose hands are false balances, / he loves to oppress” (v. 7), which is immediately applied to the Ephraim of Hosea’s day. “Ephraim has said, ‘Ah, I am rich, / I have gained wealth for myself; / in all of my gain / no offense has been found in me / that would be sin’” (v. 8). The LORD’s rebuke follows immediately: “I am the LORD your God / from the land of Egypt; / I will make you live in tents again, / as in the days of the appointed festival” (v. 9). Ephraim apparently claims that its prosperity is “proof of virtue” (Mobley on Hos. 12:8), but the LORD threatens to remove the prosperity, for they will “live in tents again” (v. 9).

God has spoken to Israel through prophets, and “through the prophets I will bring destruction” (v. 10). We may compare words from the LORD’s commissioning of Jeremiah. “See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, / to pluck up and to pull down, / to destroy and to overthrow, / to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:10). But the NJPS translates verse 11 (=Heb.; NRSV v. 10) differently: “For I granted many visions, / and spoke parables (’^adammeh) through the prophets” (v. 11b, c NJPS); a text note (a) cautions that the meaning of the Heb. “is uncertain.”). Ben Zvi says, “The reference to the LORD speaking in parables to the prophets helps us to understand the way in which prophetic words were understood in antiquity” (on Hos. 12:11 NJPS = v. 10 NRSV). After reference to iniquity in Gilead and sacrifices of bulls in Gilgal (Hos. 12:11), the prophet returns to historical retrospection. Jacob fled to Aram, where “Israel served for a wife, / and for a wife he guarded sheep” (v. 12). “By a prophet [Moses] the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt, / and by a prophet he was guarded” (v. 13). According to Mobley, the latter “may be Moses as well, or Samuel (1 Sam. 3:20) or Elijah (1 Kings 18:22)” (on v. 13). This part of the indictment clearly focuses on the “bitter offense” and “crimes” of Ephraim (v. 14).

The following texts and comments are repeated here from August 23, 2005 (Tuesday of the week of the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year One):

Acts 26:24-27:8

The Effect (Results) of Paul’s Speech to Festus, Bernice and Agrippa

24 While he was making this defense, Festus exclaimed, "You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!" 25 But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26 Indeed the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." 28 Agrippa said to Paul, "Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?" 29 Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am--except for these chains."

30 Then the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those who had been seated with them; 31 and as they were leaving, they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment." 32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to the emperor." (Acts 26:24-32, NRSV)

If one of Paul’s objectives was evangelism, to persuade Agrippa “to become a Christian” (cf. Acts 26:16-18, 28), in that respect he did not succeed. An earlier generation of modern revival evangelists found this to be a favorite text. “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28 KJV). A Gospel Song had the title, “Almost Persuaded,” and a line near the end, “Almost, but lost.” But modern translations suggest a different attitude on the part of Agrippa, if not cynical, then at least a bit of sarcasm: “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” (NRSV). “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (NIV). “You think it will not take much to win me over and make a Christian of me” (NEB). The infinitive in Agrippa’s cryptic (6 word) statement (or question, editor’s choice) is “to become” (genesthai) in many of the later witnesses, but “to make” (poiēsai, cf. the NEB translation) in most of the older and better witnesses. In any event, though the speech did not bring Agrippa to conversion, the objectives of witnessing before rulers (cf. Acts 9:15) and defending himself against the accusations had some measure of success. The judgment of the king and his party is that “this man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment” (v. 31). Festus seems to be in agreement, but it is Agrippa who adds, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to the emperor” (v. 32). Agrippa, of course represents something of a “Roman” point of view, in spite of his reputation for promoting Judaism. He was raised in Rome, and in the Jewish War with Rome, he sided with the Romans.

The Beginning of the Voyage to Rome

27:1 When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. 2 Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4 Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5 After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. (Acts 27:1-27:8, NRSV)

This part of the voyage to Rome is from Caesarea to Fair Havens on the southern coast of Crete. Julius, the centurion in charge “treated Paul kindly [at Sidon] and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for” (Acts. 27:3), which suggests that it is not only governors who fail to find fault with Paul, but also Roman army officers. Christopher R. Matthews suggests comparing the centurions of Luke 7:1-10; 23:47; and Cornelius (Acts 10).

The following paragraph is repeated here from October 12, 2004, two years ago (Tuesday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two):

Governor Festus responds to Paul’s testimony: “You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!” (Acts. 26:24). King Agrippa’s response “could be either an ironic insult or a straightforward comment on Paul’s persuasiveness” (Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Harper-Collins Study Bible). The NRSV translation takes it as the former, “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” The NRSV footnote reading likely remains ironic, “Quickly you will persuade me to play the Christian,” but the Authorized (KJ) Version sounds sincere, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” After a brief response from Paul, the meeting concludes and preparations are made to send Paul to Rome, and the journey continues as far as New Havens, near Lasea (on the Island of Crete) in today’s reading.

Luke 8:40-56

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed (Mt 9.18-26; Mk 5.21-43)

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. 43 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. 45 Then Jesus asked, "Who touched me?'' When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you." 46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me." 47 When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer." 50 When Jesus heard this, he replied, "Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved." 51 When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother. 52 They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and called out, "Child, get up!" 55 Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:40-56, NRSV)

Today’ reading from Luke is the third of three episodes that he shares in common with Mark in Mark’s sequence, and which Matthew also has but at different points in the sequence: the Stilling of the Storm (Mt. 8:23-27; Mk. 4:34-41; Lk. 8:22-25), the Gerasene Demoniac (Mt. 8:28-34; Mk. 5:1-20; Lk. 8:26-39, yesterday’s reading), and Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage (M. 9:18-26; Mk. 5:21-43; Lk. 8:40-56) (cf., Kurt Aland, ed., Synopsis of the Four Gospels, 1982, rev. printing, 1985, p. 346). Eric Franklin points out that the “healing of a Gentile [the Gerasene Demoniac] is quickly followed [in Luke, but also in Mark] by an even greater wonder performed for a Jew, ‘a leader of the synagogue’” (The Oxford Bible Commentary, 2001, p. 938 on Lk. 8:22-56). In each Gospel these events are used to demonstrate Jesus’ power. For a comparison of the healings of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the hemorrhage, see the separate file Jairus’ Daughter. The table there demonstrates that Mark’s version of this story is considerably longer that Luke’s, which in turn is considerably longer than Matthew’s. Each contains the salient features, but Luke condenses the material, and Matthew does so even more. For Matthew’s perspective, see the comments of June 3, 2006, which combine material from earlier dates. For Mark’s perspective, see comments of March 30, 2006, which expand material from an earlier date.

The setting of the story, after the return from the exorcism healing of the Gerasene Demoniac, is reported by Mark: “When Jesus had crossed [the lake] again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea” (Mk. 5:21). Luke abbreviates this: “Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him” (Lk. 8:40). In Matthew, where the preceding section is the Question about Fasting (Mt. 9:14-17; Mk. 2:18-22; Lk. 5:33-39), the lead into this account is very brief: “While he was saying these things to them, suddenly . . .” (Mt. 9:18) In Luke, Jairus’ plea for help and the description of her condition are reported indirectly, “He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years old, who was dying” (Lk. 8:41b, 42a). Mark presents this information as a direct quotation, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live” (Mk. 5:23b; cf Mt. 9:18b). Matthew and Mark continue with separate sentences to report that Jesus went with Jairus (Mt. 9:19; Mk. 5:24), but Luke uses a dependent clause, “As he went” (Lk. 8:42b; the Greek is a preposition and infinitive phrase: en de tō hypagein auton). With similar abbreviation, Luke tell’s Mark’s version of the actions of the woman with the hemorrhage and her healing. Luke has her touch the “fringe” (kraspedon) of Jesus’ clothes (Lk. 8:44; cf. Mt. 9:20 and, in another context, Mk. 6:56 = Mt. 14:36), but here Mark has her touch “his cloak” (Mk. 5:27) after saying to herself, “if I but touch his clothes, I will be made well” (Mk. 5:28; cf. Mt. 9:21). When Jesus asks, “Who touched me?” (Lk. 8:45a, cf. “Who touched my clothes?” Mk. 5:30b), Mark has the disciples respond (Mk. 5:31), but in Luke, it is Peter who responds (Lk. 8:45b). Matthew omits this interchange, as Jesus responds immediately to her touch: “Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well” (Mt. 9:22). This reduces the dialogue in Mark 5:30-34 (cf. Lk. 8:45-48) to one verse. Mark and Luke emphasize her fear and trembling (Mk. 5:33) or trembling (Lk. 8:47), but Matthew implies a certain lack of courage when he encourages her, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well” (Mt. 9:22b). The others also mention the faith (Mk. 5:34; Lk. 8:48). The woman’s hemorrhages made her ritually impure, of course, but she demonstrate persistence and faith in reaching out to touch Jesus. Jesus recognizes the difference between the press of the crowds and the woman’s urgency, ignored the nay-sayers (the crowds, Peter), and recognized her faith, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace (Lk. 8:48).

While approaching Jairus’ house, Jesus’ party meets “someone” (Lk.) or “some people” (Mk.) who report that the daughter is dead (Mk. 5:35; Lk. 8:49). In Matthew, where Jairus is never named, when they came to “the leader’s house” (Mt. 9:23; cf. refs. to “the leader [of the synagogue”] Mk. 5:22, 35; Lk. 8:41, 49; Mt. 9:18, 23), they were met by flute players “accompanied by the dirge sung by mourners” (J. Andrew Overman, NOAB, 3^rd ed. on Mt. 9:23), which indicated that people believed the daughter dead. In Matthew, Jesus says, “the girl is not dead but sleeping” (v. 14, cf. the same later in Mk. 5:39; Lk. 8:52, both addressed to those in the house). At this point that is implied in Mark by the words to Jairus, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mk. 5:36b; cf. “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved,” Lk. 8:50). Mark presents more details about dispersing the crowd (Mk. 5:38-40). In Luke, Jesus does not permit the crowd to enter the house (Lk. 8:51). Whereas Matthew has Jesus simply take the girl’s hand and raise her up, Mark uses the Aramaic expression, “Talitha cum,” which he defines as “Little girl, get up!” (Mk. 5:41). Luke omits the “foreign” expression, and simply has Jesus say, “Child, get up!” Mark and Luke report amazement that she was alive (Mk. 5:42; Lk. 8:56). Matthew says, “the report of this spread throughout that district” (Mt. 9:26).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com