Jonah 3:1-4:11

Conversion of Nineveh

3:1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish."

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

Jonah's Anger

4:1 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." 4 And the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.

6 The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, "It is better for me to die than to live."

Jonah Is Reproved

9 But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?" And he said, "Yes, angry enough to die." 10 Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?" (Jonah 3:1-4:11, NRSV)

The following comments are combined with some revision and supplement from October 14, 2004, two years ago (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), and from February 9, 2005 (Ash Wednesday, Year One):

After the fish “spewed Jonah out upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10), his original call to go to Nineveh and preach is renewed (3:2). And this time, given a second chance, Jonah obeys. He “set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD” (Jonah 3:3a). Many consider the description of Nineveh’s size as greatly exaggerated. “Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three day’s walk across” (v. 3b). Mary Joan Winn Leith says. “Excavations at the site of Nineveh (Tell Nabi Yunus, ‘ruin of the Prophet Jonah’; the name reflects Muslim Jonah traditions) opposite the Iraqi city of Mosul have revealed a city about three miles long with a city eight miles around” (NOAB, 3^rd ed. on Jonah 3:3). Leith adds, “By stressing the vast size of the city the author means to show the extent of Jonah’s success and of God’s mercy. Ehud Ben Zvi, commenting on the NJPS, “Nineveh was an enormously large city [text note b, ‘a large city of God,’ a three days’ walk across” (NJPS v. 3b), says “According to NJPS and many scholars, the text states that the city was a three-day walk across, an impossibly large distance for an ancient city. The text may be stating that the city was at a distance of three days’ walk from Jonah’s place” (The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1202 on Jonah 3:3).

Jonah preaches in Nineveh as originally commanded by the LORD. The message is simple and direct: “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4). Apparently, without any instructions about repentance, “the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth” (v. 5). When the news reaches the King of Nineveh, he joins the fast (v. 6) and supports it with a proclamation (vv. 7-10). Their repentance pleased God, who “changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it” (v. 10). In biblical religion, repentance removes the threat of judgment. But Jonah–the caricature of a prophet–sulks. He says he understands God’s grace and mercy (4:2), but his heart is not in it. “And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (v. 3). At this point, Jonah is subjected to an object lesson. The exchange about the bush which at first provided shade, but then withered, emphasizes God’s lesson for Jonah. “The Lord appointed a bush” which provided shade for Jonah (v 6), but when a worm “attacked the bush, so that it withered” (v. 7), Jonah did more than pout; he expressed a death wish (v. 8). So Nineveh repented, but any repentance by Jonah is left to be inferred. The LORD expresses his concern for even the Assyrian people of Nineveh (v. 11).

Hosea 13:4-8 (Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions; while this passage as such is not included in the current Book of Common Prayer Daily Office Lectionary series, see the comments on Hosea 13:4-14 on Sunday, October 8, 2006, eleven days ago.)

Acts 27:27-44

27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were drifting across the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30 But when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, on the pretext of putting out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift.

33 Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive; for none of you will lose a hair from your heads." 35 After he had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves. 37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six persons in the ship.) 38 After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.

The Shipwreck

39 In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. (Acts 27:27-44, NRSV)

The following comments are combined with some revision and supplement from October 14, 2004, two years ago (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), and from August 25, 2005 (Thursday of the week of the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year One):

Paul’s warnings about travel in late autumn (Acts 26:10) had proven true, to the point that yesterday’s reading found his fellow travelers desperate and fearful. “We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the third day with their own hands, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard” (vv. 18-19). So the ship carrying Paul to Rome was adrift without tackle (cf. Acts 27:19) and in danger of running aground on rocks. “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned” (v. 20).

At this point, the prisoner in effect takes charge. “You should have listened to me,” he says (v. 21), but he offers encouragement, a promise from God delivered by an angel: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you” (v24). The sailors apparently do not trust Paul, and with some indications (soundings) of the approach of land (vv. 27-29), they prepare secretly to abandon the ship (v. 30). Paul warns the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (v. 31). But this time, the centurion and the soldiers listen to Paul and prevent the sailors’ escape (vv. 31-32). So the ship continues to drift (v. 32). Paul continues to lead, telling the people to “take some food, for it will help you survive” (v. 34), and he prays a blessing over the food (v. 35). Then they “lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea” (v. 38). On the approach to land (v. 39), without anchors and ropes for the steering-oars (v. 40), the ship strikes a reef, runs aground and begins to break up, so the chapter ends with a scramble for survival (v. 41). The soldiers are prevented from killing Paul by the grateful centurion (vv. 42-43), and “all were brought safely to land” (v. 44). Paul is preserved for further ministry. The Lord moves in mysterious ways. Luke’s point is clear. The Lord stands by Paul and his apostolic vocation and protects him through the violent storm. The same Lord will stand by us as we seek to fulfill his calling for us.

Luke 9:18-27

Peter's Declaration about Jesus (Mt 16.13-20; Mk 8.27-30)

18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" 19 They answered, "John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen." 20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah of God."

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (Mt 16.24-28; Mk 8.31-9.1)

21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, 22 saying, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

23 Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:18-27, NRSV)

The following comments combine, revise and supplement material from October 14, 2004, two years ago (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 12, Year Two), and from February 26, 2006 (the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two). For comments focused on Matthew’s version of Peter’s confession (Mt. 16:13-20), see the comments for November 11, 2005 (Friday of the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, from Proper 27, Year One) in the archive for 2005.

Luke presents Peter’s “Confession,” in response to Jesus’ question, “But who do you say that I am?” “The Messiah [note, ‘Christ’] of God” (Lk. 9:20), a succinct version as compared with Matthew’s version, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt. 16:16), or Mark’s, “You are the Messiah” (Mk. 8:29), or John’s, “We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6:69, in a different context). For a comparison of these texts, with Peter’s responses in context, see the separate file, Peter’s Confession, First Passion Prediction, Teaching on Discipleship.

In all of the Gospels, Peter’s confession about who Jesus is represents a decisive turning point in the narrative which essentially brings the Galilean ministry to a close (Mt 16:13-21; Mk. 8:27-30; Lk. 9:18-21; Jn. 6:67-71). In all of the Gospels this clear recognition of Jesus’ identity is followed immediately by a clear indication of what awaits Jesus in Jerusalem. The first passion prediction occurs here in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and in John the author interprets Jesus statement, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil” (Jn. 6:70) as a reference to his forthcoming betrayal by Judas (v. 71). From this point on the theme of the meaning of discipleship comes more and more to the fore.

In Luke’s narrative this follows immediately upon the feeding of the five thousand (Lk. 9:12-17), but the indefinite time reference, “Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him” (Lk. 9:18), would allow for intervening events such as the walking on the water (Mt. 14:22-33; Mk. 6:45-52; Jn. 6:16-21), healings at Gennesaret (Mt. 14:34-36; Mk. 6:53-56; cf. Jn. 6:22-25), and other events not included by Luke, including healing the Syrophoenician or Canaanite woman’s daughter (Mt. 15:21-28; Mk. 7:24-30), healing a deaf mute and others (Mt. 15:29-31; Mk. 7:31-37), and feeding of the four thousand (Mt. 15:32-39; Mk. 8:1-10) (cf. Kurt Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels, 1982, rev. printing, 1985, secs. 146-157, pp. 135-149). In Matthew and Mark the scene is set at Caesarea Philippi; in John, it comes after the people wanted to make him king (Jn. 6:15) and the extended discussion of the bread of life, which apparently disappointed many. “This teaching is difficult,” said some, “who can accept it?” (Jn. 6:60). “Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him” (v. 66). As for Peter’s confession itself, Luke’s version, where Peter responds, “The Messiah of God” (Lk. 9:20), is very much like Mark’s version, “You are the Messiah” (Mk. 8:29; cf. “the Holy One of God, Jn. 6:69). Neither includes the discussion with Peter about “this rock” (Mt. 16:18) or “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 19).

Luke moves on to the First Passion Prediction, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Lk. 9:22), and teaching on discipleship, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (v. 23). In the later parts of Jesus’ public ministry, he spends more time on issues of discipleship–not on what we do to earn salvation, but on the way Christian believers do/should live in the world.

In the three Synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ first passion prediction follows immediately (Mt. 16:21-23; Mk. 8:31-33; Lk. 9:22), but Luke’s version is very brief, omitting Peter’s rebuke and Jesus’ reply (Mt. 16:22b, 23; Mk. 8:32-33). The three Gospels then continue with Jesus’ teaching on taking up one’s cross (Mt. 16:24-28; Mk. 8:34-9;1; Lk. 9:23-27; cf. Jn. 12:25). “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it” (Lk. 9:23-24; cf. Mt. 16:24-25; Mk. 8:34-35).. The word “daily” (kath’ hēmeron) stands out in Luke’s version of this saying. Absent from the parallels in Matthew and Mark, it appears to represent Luke’s concern that his readers will commit themselves to such discipleship, taking up their own crosses daily. This exhortation to make a habit of living this way reminds us of a minor difference between Matthew’s and Luke’s version of another of Jesus’ sayings. “Give to him who begs from you (tō aitounti se dos ” (Mt. 5:42a RSV; ‘Give to the one who asks you” NIV). “Give to everyone who begs from you (panti aitounti se didou)” (Lk. 6:30a). The word “everyone” (panti) is in Luke’s version but not Matthew (though the NRSV includes it). Matthew’s imperative verb “give” is in the aorist tense and envisions a single instance, though it might be repeated, “Give to the one who asks you.” But Luke’s version uses the present tense imperative, which implies continued or repeated giving. “Give to everyone who asks you.” Make a habit of it. Luke reports Jesus’ saying in a way that calls for selfless living in his readers.

The three Gospels continue with a reminder of eschatological sanctions. “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Lk. 9:26; cf. Mk. 8:38). There is a positive side: “ But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:27; cf. Mt. 16:28; Mk. 9:1). Matthew puts it a little differently: “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done” (Mt. 16:27).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com