Jonah 1:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet, deceived by the malice of the devil, humanity fell into sin, resulting in condemnation and decay. However, even before the creation of the world, Christ was chosen and foreknown for the restoration of all; for it pleased God the Father to bring together all things in Himself, whether they are in heaven or on earth (Eph. 1:10; cf. Eph. 3:9). The fulfillment of this divine plan was entrusted to the Only Begotten Son, who became like us and manifested His glory in the flesh.

To demonstrate His care for the lost even before His incarnation, God desired to prove His attention to those wandering in ignorance through meaningful action. Thus, He directed the blessed prophet to go to Nineveh, a renowned city in the east, described by Jeremiah as the land of the desolate (Jeremiah 50:38). Surrounding Judah were numerous cities steeped in idolatry, such as Tyre and Sidon, along with all Galilee of the Gentiles, who worshipped the works of their own hands and were plagued by countless demons and shrines. Why then, one might ask, does the prophet journey to Nineveh, far removed from these neighboring regions, especially given that its people were particularly ignorant and fervently devoted to the worship of celestial bodies and fire? Moreover, this city was known for its exposure to godless sorcery, as Nahum describes it: ‘the delightful harlot, mistress of witchcraft’ (Nahum 3:4). I believe that the all-knowing God aimed to reveal to the ancient nations that they too had strayed and were ensnared by falsehoods, yet would eventually be led to the truth, despite their wickedness and extreme waywardness. The Word of God possesses all that is necessary to nourish and enlighten the mind, guiding it towards wisdom. Consider Jeremiah's words, ‘Behold, I put My words in your mouth like fire, and these people like wood and they shall be consumed (Jeremiah 5:14);’ And again, ‘Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29).’

Thus, Jonah was not dispatched to the Ninevites without purpose, but rather to foreshadow that divine mercy unique to God, which would eventually be extended to those wandering in ignorance. Simultaneously, this episode served to highlight Israel's shortcomings; they were laid bare as disobedient and insensitive, showing little regard for God’s commands. In contrast, the Ninevites, upon receiving the prophet's message, promptly chose to repent despite their many failings. Meanwhile, the Israelites disregarded Moses and the prophets, neglecting Christ Himself, who, through miracles, made it abundantly clear that He, being God by nature, assumed humanity to save all creation and prioritize the Jews. This incident justly stands as a rebuke to the Israelites, as Christ indicates, stating: ‘The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and indeed a greater than Jonah is here (Matthew 12:41).’ What was present in Christ surpasses that of Jonah's time; while the latter merely warned the Ninevites of impending doom, Christ performed extraordinary miracles that left them in awe. A miracle accompanying a message very often serves as a powerful draw towards faith. Therefore, it is very significant that Jonah was sent to declare to the people of Nineveh, urging them to lift their cries of wickedness to the God of all. Though God is omniscient, when He attends particularly to the sins of humanity, it is said that their cries of deeds have ascended to Him, for He is the righteous Judge of all. It is noted, too, that the blood of Abel cried out against Cain's murder, just as the outcry from the sinful actions of the cities of Sodom is remembered.

Most significantly, he feared that should they respond positively to his message and turn back to God, it could result in total abandonment for Israel. For he recognized through the very Spirit who equipped him for preaching to the Gentiles that the faith of the Gentiles would lead to Israel's desolation. He feared that the fulfillment of this prophecy would occur during his own lifetime.

The Lord spoke to Jonah, son of Amathias, instructing him to arise and go to Nineveh, a significant city, and to proclaim against it, for its wickedness had reached Him. The Septuagint translates this similar to the understanding of the wickedness's outcry reaching God. Jonah's mission to the Gentiles serves to denounce the Israelites who remained unrepentant while Nineveh responded with repentance. The expression that their wickedness "came to Me" parallels earlier biblical accounts, as in Genesis where the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah multiplied (Genesis 18:20) and when God addressed Cain regarding the blood of his brother (Genesis 4:10). In a deeper, allegorical interpretation, our Lord relates to both meanings, as the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and remained, or because He bore our afflictions, weeping for Jerusalem, and through His suffering, we found healing. Indeed, He is the embodiment of truth, sent to the splendid Nineveh—that is, to a creation so beautiful that nothing in our physical sight compares. For the Greeks also referred to the world as χόσμος, deriving from its beauty. At the conclusion of creation, it is noted that “God saw everything He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). He was dispatched to Nineveh, the great city, so that the entirety of the Gentile world might heed Him, given that Israel had turned a deaf ear. This was due to the wickedness that had arisen to God's attention. When God established an exquisite dwelling for humanity to serve Him, mankind chose corruption willingly, continually inclined towards evil from their youth (Genesis 8), reaching towards heaven in pride (Psalm 72:9). After constructing a tower of hubris (Genesis 11), the Son of God descended to humanity, so that those unable to ascend to heaven by means of arrogance might instead find hope in repentance.

Nevertheless, upon hearing these words, the Prophet chose to flee to Tarshish rather than obey, believing he could escape. Some propose that Tarshish refers to Tarsus, while others suggest it identifies with India, failing to realize the proximity of Assyria to India. Typically, those fleeing from the east would head west, and those escaping from the south would go north. Jonah made his way to Joppa, a coastal city in Palestine, intending to sail away. He was at sea, directed toward the west, and from there, no ship could navigate to India due to the vast and largely uninhabited land separating the two seas, filled with towering mountains. Beyond those mountains lies the Red Sea, which connects to the Indian Ocean. To clarify any misconceptions in our reasoning, we turn to Scripture which attests that Tarshish is actually Carthage, the foremost city of Africa. In the book of the Prophet Isaiah, the seventy translators write, "Weep ye ships of Carthage, for your stronghold is perishing" (Isaiah 23:14), and Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion replace Carthage with Tarshish, which aligns with the name in the original Hebrew text. In his prophetic writings, the divine Ezekiel also mentions the Carchidonians, and both the Hebrew and Syriac versions refer to it as Tarshish. Hence, we assert that the blessed Jonah fled not to India but to Carthage. He made this decision knowing as a prophet that the God of all humanity is omnipresent and that no region is beyond His watchful care, yet he believed that His presence was distinctly evident only in Jerusalem. His flight was not due to laziness or fear; instead, he understood the depths of mercy that govern all creation ordained by the One who commanded him to preach. He realized that if the Ninevites turned towards repentance, they would surely receive divine compassion, making it seem unbecoming for his prophecy to prove false, lest he be branded a liar instead of a prophet. The very proclamation of impending punishment led him to this conclusion; he thought that if God intended to punish them, He would not have publicly announced it, as such a threat serves as an impetus to repent. Furthermore, he believed the Ninevites' obedience to an unknown prophet would expose the persistent disobedience of the Israelites, who ignored the numerous and miraculous signs provided by their own prophets. Thus, the Prophet did not immediately obey the command but chose to flee by sea, attempting to escape his duty. He even paid for his passage, ensuring that the cost of non-payment would not hinder his escape. However, the Creator of the earth, sea, and heavens sent a tempest against the ship, tossing it violently upon the waves. While other vessels sailed smoothly, the sea roiled specifically around Jonah’s ship. This clearly indicates the lot cast by the sailors; had it been a general storm, they would not have sought to determine its cause by drawing lots. Seeing the other vessels navigating without trouble, they turned to prayer, each appealing to their respective deities. Failing to find help, they roused Jonah from his slumber. He, burdened with guilt and sorrow, sought refuge in sleep, unable to bear the weight of his conscience. Amidst the chaos on the ship, while the waves crashed in and the sailors panicked, Jonah did not merely take a light rest; he fell into a deep sleep, as he states in his account, "he snored" (Jonah 1:6). The captain, waking the prophet, urged him to pray to his God, unaware that Jonah's flight had robbed him of the courage to do so. As the storm raged on without relief, they cast lots to determine the source of their calamity, as they understood the reality that sin brings about deserving punishment. When the lot pointed to Jonah, he stood accused and brought before the sailors, who acted as judges demanding an explanation for his actions. They asked, "Tell us, what is thy work, and from whence art thou come, and what manner of going, and from what country, and from what people art thou?"

This illustrates the general allowance of public tribulations, though there are exceptional divine interventions. For instance, during communal disasters, the righteous may sometimes experience suffering and death, which does not tarnish their honor, as they inspire others through their endurance, enhance their rewards, and attain eternal life through their passing.

This aligns with the prophecy of Jonah regarding the restoration of Israel’s boundaries, realized through the successful conflict between the Israelites and the Syrians, marking the recovery of territories that had been seized by the Syrians. It remains uncertain whether this prophecy was delivered during Jeroboam II’s 41-year reign (835-791) or prior to his rise to power. Regardless, Jonah's ministry serves as a continuation of the prophetic work initiated by Elisha, under whose guidance Joash, the father of Jeroboam II, triumphed over the Syrians in three battles, albeit without total victory.

In the context of prophecy, Jeroboam II received the word of the Lord through Jonah. The Lord, as the king of Israel, is also sovereign over all nations. While He bestowed special attention upon His chosen people, He also manifested His presence to other nations, as illustrated by Jonah's mission to Nineveh. The Lord instructed Jonah to journey to this significant city. Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, established by Nimrod, was situated on the Tigris River's left bank at its junction with the Lycus River. It is termed a great city due to the vast expanse it covered, as noted in Jonah 3:4, as well as its large population and wealth resulting from extensive trade, as indicated in Nahum 3:16.

Jonah was sent to proclaim that "the cry of its wickedness is come unto Me." In Nineveh, as in other affluent cities, depravity ran rampant, indicative of deep moral corruption. The prophet Nahum condemned the Ninevites for their violence, deceit, greed, excessive indulgence, and obsession with sorcery and divination. The phrase "the cry of anger reached the Lord" illustrates that the escalating sins of the Ninevites had become glaringly evident, demanding the just judgment of the Lord and His retribution, as echoed in Genesis 18:10.