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3. How does the plot develop in this story? (sequence, tension, climax, resolution)A plot follows a sequence of events. The ‘energy’ in a plot revolves around how tension or conflict is overcome (climax), leading to a state of resolution. In Hebrew narrative, direct speech plays an important role in a plot’s development.

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3. How does the plot develop in this story? (sequence, tension, climax, resolution)A plot follows a sequence of events. The ‘energy’ in a plot revolves around how tension or conflict is overcome (climax), leading to a state of resolution. In Hebrew narrative, direct speech plays an important role in a plot’s development.

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Setting:

A prophet from Judah is told by God to preach a call of repentance to Nineveh

Conflict/Tension

-          Will Nineveh repent?

-          Will Jonah obey God’s will

Complications

-          After Jonah disobeys in running from God’s command regarding Nineveh, God sends a storm to the ship he is attempting to escape on

-          Swallowed by a fish, residing in its belly

Mini-resolutions to complications

-          God saves Jonah, the fish spits him out

Resolutions

-          Jonah does preach, but doesn’t display a right attitude of heart

-          Nineveh does repent and turn to God

Ending

-          Plot closes not on the conclusion of Nineveh’s repentance but focusing on Jonah’s heart, angry and not being satisfied with God’s will and sovereignty in the city’s repentance

Key points:
God sends Jonah, does he obey? No

1:2

Jonah doesn’t obey, instead goes to Joppa for a ship to go toward Tarshish

1:3

God interrupts, sends a great wind on the seas

1:4

Jonah in trouble, the other sailors on the boat after asking one another and casting lots, are told by Jonah about God and worship.

1:7-15

Jonah swallowed and cries out to God

2:1-9

Jonah heard, saved by God and finally goes to Nineveh

2:10-3:5

Nineveh repents

3:6-10

Jonah still has a hot temper toward God

4:9-10

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The guy who was eaten by a whale and lived to tell the tale...! (In NSW) 

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The guy who was eaten by a whale and lived to tell the tale...! (In NSW) 

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https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2017/03/did-a-19th-century-sailor-get-swallowed-by-a-sperm-whale-and-survive/

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6. What literary devices are used? (repetition, themes, allusions, type scenes)

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6. What literary devices are used? (repetition, themes, allusions, type scenes)

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Repetition: Repeated call: 1:2, 3:2

Themes: judgement and repentance, God’s compassion towards Nineveh, people, Jonah, cows (animals, creations) – shows his sovereignty / control

Allusions in Jonah 4:2 – Ex 34:6 about God’s compassion to forgive.  Allusions in Ch 2. to Psalms language.

Type scenes:

the idea of chaotic waters (image of fear and danger), storm weather, nature, big fish (creature) – demonstrates God’s sovereignty over nature. Big sea creatures deviate from the norm of scary things to the thing that God used to save Jonah.
Theophany? (God's revealing himself to the sailors?)

Comparison between Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:16-33 - Gen 19) and Nineveh – how Abraham (God’s man) pleads God to save Sodom while here God pleads Jonah (with his man) to accept him saving Nineveh.

Repentance scene (3:6-9) – Sackcloth and ashes for repentance scene but the differences are it’s a pagan city - not God’s people (Job) – even the animals are called to repent.

Motif: animals & creatures used in Ch. 3 and 4:11 – irony and hyperbole.

God’s name: ‘Yahweh’ and ‘Elohim’ are both used. Yahweh in first chapter, and Elohim in ch 3:5–10, 4:7–11 when it’s about God’s response and Nineveh’s response to God. Does Nineveh refer to God as Elohim because Jonah doesn’t mention Yahweh?

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1.	Who are the characters, how are they portrayed (characterization), and how do they contribute to the story? CHARACTERSJonah – co-protagonist: a reluctant prophet; argued and questioned God; pessimistic; deliberate rebellion (does the opposite of what God asks);  a main character who is shown a great deal of mercy by God and is the means through which God shows mercy to Nineveh. Development: Has a bad, selfish attitude. Even when he is praising and praying to God, it is all about him. At the end we see that his attitude hasn’t changed much. The Lord – co-protagonist: gives a command and follows through, he doesn’t relent when it concerns his will, merciful to other nations (not just Israel/Judah), he is shown as all powerful over the winds and the sea. How does he contribute? He sets the story in motion. Development: Consistent in mercy.Minor characters:Captain & Sailors: portrayed as pagans who, ironically, actually acknowledge and worship God. Interestingly, if not for their polytheism they would never have confronted Jonah and sent him on his way (they were unconsciously used by God to enact his will) They are the catalyst for Jonah eventually going to Nineveh. Sailor’s gods: They’re powerless to change the sailor’s circumstances (calm the storm). They are in direct contrast to Jonah’s God.Fish: The “time out” spot where Jonah is forced to think about the situation and his attitude. The mode of transportation to Nineveh. Ninevites: A wicked people who actually responded/were obedient to God’s message. King of Nineveh: Demonstrates leadership by proclaiming a fast and mourning and instructing people to call on God. Deferring authority to God (that the people should cry out to and trust God rather than himself). Development: the king and his people go from being wicked to being God fearers.Animals: There were a lot of them. They are part of the narrative to demonstrate that ALL of Nineveh’s inhabitants were recipients of God’s mercy. They help demonstrate the depth of the Ninevite’s repentance and God’s mercy. Bush eating worm: the means by which God demonstrates his sovereignty: God can build up and tear down, in accordance to his will. Helps us to see Jonah’s attitude has not changed much from beginning of the story to the end. 

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1.	Who are the characters, how are they portrayed (characterization), and how do they contribute to the story? CHARACTERSJonah – co-protagonist: a reluctant prophet; argued and questioned God; pessimistic; deliberate rebellion (does the opposite of what God asks);  a main character who is shown a great deal of mercy by God and is the means through which God shows mercy to Nineveh. Development: Has a bad, selfish attitude. Even when he is praising and praying to God, it is all about him. At the end we see that his attitude hasn’t changed much. The Lord – co-protagonist: gives a command and follows through, he doesn’t relent when it concerns his will, merciful to other nations (not just Israel/Judah), he is shown as all powerful over the winds and the sea. How does he contribute? He sets the story in motion. Development: Consistent in mercy.Minor characters:Captain & Sailors: portrayed as pagans who, ironically, actually acknowledge and worship God. Interestingly, if not for their polytheism they would never have confronted Jonah and sent him on his way (they were unconsciously used by God to enact his will) They are the catalyst for Jonah eventually going to Nineveh. Sailor’s gods: They’re powerless to change the sailor’s circumstances (calm the storm). They are in direct contrast to Jonah’s God.Fish: The “time out” spot where Jonah is forced to think about the situation and his attitude. The mode of transportation to Nineveh. Ninevites: A wicked people who actually responded/were obedient to God’s message. King of Nineveh: Demonstrates leadership by proclaiming a fast and mourning and instructing people to call on God. Deferring authority to God (that the people should cry out to and trust God rather than himself). Development: the king and his people go from being wicked to being God fearers.Animals: There were a lot of them. They are part of the narrative to demonstrate that ALL of Nineveh’s inhabitants were recipients of God’s mercy. They help demonstrate the depth of the Ninevite’s repentance and God’s mercy. Bush eating worm: the means by which God demonstrates his sovereignty: God can build up and tear down, in accordance to his will. Helps us to see Jonah’s attitude has not changed much from beginning of the story to the end. 

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5. How does the narrator function (covert or overt)?

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5. How does the narrator function (covert or overt)?

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The narrator of Jonah isn’t entirely covert. They don’t just report the straight facts of the events and dialogue but offer commentary in the form of what people’s emotions were, and reveal how God is behind events that happen. The narrator seems to know the mind of God throughout the story. This includes comments that

-Jonah doesn’t just go to Tarshish, but “set[s] out to flee … from the presence of the LORD” (1:3)

-A storm doesn’t just happen, God causes it (1:4)

-While the reader may think the narrative should just be about Jonah, the narrator includes comments about the sailors repenting after Jonah has left the ship (1:16)

-A fish doesn’t just happen to swallow Jonah, God provides it (1:17)

-The fish doesn’t just happen to spit out Jonah, God speaks to the fish to get it to do this (2:10)

-The city isn’t just “not destroyed”, we are told that God “saw what they did” and “changed his mind” (3:10)

-Regarding the bush and the worm, they don’t just happen, we are told that God “appointed” the bush (4:6) and “appointed” the worm (4:7)

The narrator is writing a satirical piece of writing addressing Jews in the 8th century to teach them to love their enemies. The narrator’s comments help us to see that God loves the enemies of Israel, and he will go to absurd lengths to bring people who the readers might see as “evil” people who oppress them to repentance. The message is applicable to us today – we are to love our enemies as well because God loves them, and help bring them to repentance.

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7. How does this story relate to the surrounding context and the larger story it is a part of?

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7. How does this story relate to the surrounding context and the larger story it is a part of?

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In the surrounding context of the prophets (and other parts of the OT), God judges the nations. For example, Obadiah (the book before Jonah) prophesies God’s judgement on Edom. God’s judgement on the nations is often seen as eventually good for Israel/Judah, because they will be rescued from their enemies.

By contrast, Jonah is a prophecy to the Assyrians for their salvation, and they repent much more readily than the Israelites! The contrast of the Gentile repentance with Israel’s hard-heartedness makes Israel look like a joke.

Is Jonah prophesying to Assyria at the same time as other prophets have said that Assyria will destroy Israel? They are going to be God’s judgement on Israel and yet still offered salvation? Is this why Jonah doesn’t like them?

Jonah is unique in the sense of an Israelite going to the nations. More often, the way uses Israel as an avenue of blessing for the nations is by making them a separated people (an example) to display God’s glory (see Gen 12, Exod 19:5).

This story of Jonah relates to the larger salvific narrative in that Jesus uses it to condemn the Jewish leaders for being a “wicked and adulterous generation” in contrast to the repentant Gentiles (Matt 12:38-42). This is then a precedent for the gospel going to the nations (Matt 28:18, Acts 1:8).