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Post by Josh on Sept 25, 2011 19:36:03 GMT -8
Jeremy and I were talking about this today. I said I'm inclined to see the book of Jonah as a parable rather than a historical account.
Anyone have thoughts on this?
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Post by christopher on Sept 25, 2011 19:57:30 GMT -8
I tend to see it as at least based in history, especially given the references to Jonah outside the book itself in both the OT and the NT. But I'm open to being convinced otherwise. I'll eagerly await your case.
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Post by Josh on Sept 25, 2011 20:10:50 GMT -8
I'm fine with it being history, but so many elements of it seem parabolic.
One could point to the "fish" as something that seems hardly possible, but I know one could easily rejoin that all things are possible with God. But it's the other miracle in the story- the vine that grows overnight to become shade for Jonah- that seems to be just plain silly if not seen as a keen metaphor. (even in the story itself it is seen as a metaphor).
But the main reason I'm doubtful is that we have no record of a major Assyrian repentance of the scale that Jonah seems to indicate. Seems like it would be a major headliner if it really happened that way.
Another reason I'm doubtful is that it was included in the prophets, not in the history books, even though it's almost completely a narrative.
Jonah is an AMAZING book. One of my favorites. But it doesn't need to be historical to be a amazingly prophetic picture of God's purpose and love for all of humanity outside the narrow confines of Israel.
And for Jesus to reference Jonah need not mean he was historical any more than for me to reference Aragorn to make a spiritual point.
But hey, if Jonah is historical, then it's icing on the cake. I just don't expect it to be.
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Post by Josh on Sept 25, 2011 20:13:20 GMT -8
Oh, and I'm agreed there probably was a real Jonah even if the book is a metaphor (2 Kings 14:25). Perhaps the book was written in honor of him?
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Post by christopher on Sept 25, 2011 20:53:52 GMT -8
I would agree. But doesn't this verse sound a LOT like Jesus is speaking of an historic event? "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah [is] here. Luke 11:32 I mean why would he make this point about a fictional tale? It seems to me that it would take away some of the weight of his argument. Don't you think?
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Post by Josh on Sept 26, 2011 9:57:32 GMT -8
It is true, that verse does seem to make a good case for an historical Assyrian repentance. Perhaps later rulers eradicated it's memory?
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