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Some random thoughts on Jonah, inspired by a conversation with my student, Brillana McLean.
1) The first chapters of Jonah seem to follow something of an exit-and-return story. Jonah gets in a boat and crosses some water; he is cast out and is swallowed by the waters and by a sea monsters; he is spewed out and then goes to confront the wicked king of a wicked city. This is the same sequence Israel followed in their exile and return: They left the land across the Jordan, were swallowed by the giant fish of Babylon, which later spewed them out, so that they could re-conquer the land.
2) James Jordan suggested years ago that the plant in Jonah 4 is a symbol of Nineveh's over-shadowing protection. Thinking more about the context, that interpretation makes a good deal of sense. Jonah, after all, has just converted the king of the up-and-coming Gentile empire. That empire is going to be solicitous for Israel so long as they remain God-fearers. They are going to provide shade for Israel. This is exactly parallel to the situation at Israel's Babylonian exile: Nebuchadnezzar has been converted, and Jeremiah instructs the people to submit to Nebuchadnezzar because they will find shade and protection there.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 02:51 PM
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