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| | Eventually Jonah arrives at Nineveh and warns them of God's coming wrath. They repent and God has compassion on them.<ref>{{hnb|Zondervan|2002}}, JHN 3</ref> Jonah becomes angry that God would forgive Nineveh and not destroy them. God causes a vine to grow and shield Jonah from the hot sun, then the next day he has the vine perish so the sun beats upon Jonah again. Jonah is angry the vine and its shade are gone and tells God that he wishes to die. God reminds Jonah that he is concerned over a vine that he did not tend or cause to grow, so how much more should God be concerned about 120,000 people who 'do not know their right hand from their left'? <ref>{{hnb|Zondervan|2002}}, JHN 4</ref> | | Eventually Jonah arrives at Nineveh and warns them of God's coming wrath. They repent and God has compassion on them.<ref>{{hnb|Zondervan|2002}}, JHN 3</ref> Jonah becomes angry that God would forgive Nineveh and not destroy them. God causes a vine to grow and shield Jonah from the hot sun, then the next day he has the vine perish so the sun beats upon Jonah again. Jonah is angry the vine and its shade are gone and tells God that he wishes to die. God reminds Jonah that he is concerned over a vine that he did not tend or cause to grow, so how much more should God be concerned about 120,000 people who 'do not know their right hand from their left'? <ref>{{hnb|Zondervan|2002}}, JHN 4</ref> |
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| | === Jesus speaking on the story of Jonah === | | === Jesus speaking on the story of Jonah === |
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| | === Jewish thought on Jonah === | | === Jewish thought on Jonah === |
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| − | Jewish thought of course does not tie in the story of Jonah to the life of Jesus, and has come up with other possible meanings. Some believe it is a [[Midrash]] <ref>http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Prophets_1460/TOLiteraryProphets/MinorProphets/JonahSimon.htm</ref> and some even a [[satire]].<ref>http://seminary.csl.edu/facultypubs/TheologyandPractice/tabid/87/ctl/Details/mid/494/ItemID/40/Default.aspx</ref> | + | Jewish thought, of course, does not tie in the story of Jonah to the life of Jesus, and has come up with other possible meanings. Some believe it is a [[Midrash]] <ref>http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/bible/TO_Prophets_1460/TOLiteraryProphets/MinorProphets/JonahSimon.htm</ref> and some even a [[satire]].<ref>http://seminary.csl.edu/facultypubs/TheologyandPractice/tabid/87/ctl/Details/mid/494/ItemID/40/Default.aspx</ref> |
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| | According to some rabbinical traditions, the great fish that swallowed Jonah had been created in the beginning for the purpose of swallowing Jonah.<ref>{{hnb|Ref=CITEREFHirschBuddeSchechter2002|Hirsch, Budde, and Schechter|2002}}</ref> | | According to some rabbinical traditions, the great fish that swallowed Jonah had been created in the beginning for the purpose of swallowing Jonah.<ref>{{hnb|Ref=CITEREFHirschBuddeSchechter2002|Hirsch, Budde, and Schechter|2002}}</ref> |
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| | + | === Other thoughts === |
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| | + | Some skeptics assert that a whale cannot swallow a human being, but it has been proven that whales do swallow whole creatures larger than men, such as colossal squids. Moreover, the [[Book of Jonah]] never makes reference to the great fish being a whale.<ref>http://www.edwardtbabinski.us/whales/shore_whaling_industry.html</ref> |
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| − | === Other thoughts ===
| + | The first digestive chamber of most whales is merely mechanical, without the secretion of any gastric fluids. Accordingly, survival for a period of time seems possible. |
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| − | Some skeptics note that a whale can not swallow a human being, but of course the text never makes reference to the great fish being a whale.<ref>http://www.edwardtbabinski.us/whales/shore_whaling_industry.html</ref> Nevertheless, how Jonah would have survived the normal digestive process as it is understood for most creatures is a mystery. Perhaps it is, as Jesus alluded to, a miracle.
| + | Jesus alluded to Jonah's survival as a miracle |
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