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Jonah 4:1-2 Jonah 4:1-Jonah Is Infuriated with God's Decision To Jonah 4:1-2 Jonah 4:1-Jonah Is Infuriated With God’s Decision To Spare The Lives Of The Ninevites Chapter four contains the sixth and seventh scenes in the book of Jonah. The first scene appeared in Jonah 1:1-3, the second in 1:4-16, the third in 1:17-2:10, the fourth in Jonah 3:1-3a, the fifth in 3:3b-10, the sixth in 4:1-4 and the seventh and final scene in 4:5-11. This chapter thus contains two divisions. The first appears in verses 1-4, which records Jonah’s angry reaction to the Lord sparing the Ninevites. The second appears in verses 5-11. This pericope has a chiastic structure. A Report of Jonah’s anger and a question (4:1–2). 1 Report of Jonah’s anger (4:1). 2 Jonah’s question (4:2). B Jonah requests death, and God questions Jonah (4:3–4). 1 Jonah requests death (4:3). 2 God questions Jonah (4:4). C Jonah responds, and God provides (4:5–6a). 1 Jonah builds a hut (4:5). 2 God provides a plant to save Jonah (4:6a). C′ Jonah responds, and God provides (4:6b–8a). 1 Jonah rejoices with great joy (4:6b). 2 God provides a worm to kill the plant and a scorching wind to afflict Jonah (4:7–8a). B′ Jonah requests death, and God questions Jonah (4:8b–9a). 1 Jonah requests death (4:8b). 2 God questions Jonah (4:9a). A′ Report of Jonah’s anger and a question (4:9b–11). 1 Report of Jonah’s anger (4:9b). 2 Yahweh’s question (4:10–11). This outline is composed by Lessing, which is based on the analysis of Fretheim, “The Message of Jonah” (page 117) (Concordia Commentary: Jonah; page 346). In chapter four, we see for the first time a conversation between the Lord and Jonah whereas in Jonah 1:1-3, only the Lord speaks and in chapter 2, only Jonah speaks. In contrast to chapter 2, which paints Jonah in a positive light, chapter 4 paints the prophet in a negative light. The conversation between the Lord and 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 Jonah in chapter 4 gives the reader insight into the character of both. In chapter 1, the captain and the crew ask Jonah questions (1:6, 8, 10-11) and in chapter 3, the king of Nineveh poses a rhetorical question (3:9). However, the questions in chapter 4 are different than these since both Jonah and the Lord ask questions of each other (4:2). The rhetorical questions that the Lord poses to Jonah seek to persuade the prophet to accept the justice of His decisions as a gracious and merciful God who justifies sinners through faith (Lessing, pages 347). In the first and third chapters, the Lord issues only commands (1:2; 3:2). However, in chapter 4, He only asks questions and makes statements. In the first and third chapters, the Lord is directing Jonah’s actions through commands but in chapter 4 He is seeking to persuade him to change the prophet’s attitude towards the Ninevites through questions and statements (4:4, 9a, 11). Jonah’s angry reaction to the Lord sparing the Ninevites is an example of Israelite national pride and self-righteousness. The question posed by Jonah in 4:2 expresses the prophet’s convictions that the Lord should by no means refrain from destroying the Ninevites since in his opinion they are too wicked. Jonah is comparing himself to the Ninevites and concludes that he and his Jewish countrymen are superior to the Ninevites. However, he fails to see that God concludes that both groups have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and that there is none righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10). Jonah is not judging himself and Israel according to God’s perfect holy standards but rather he is comparing himself to the Ninevites. In chapter 4, the Lord is teaching Jonah that He has compassion for all men including the wicked Assyrians and not just Israel. Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by suffering or misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the pain or remove its cause. The Lord expressed a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for the Ninevites who were stricken by the curse of sin and who were enslaved to Satan and his cosmic system. Thus the Lord attempted to remove the curse of sin in the lives of the Ninevites by sending Jonah to preach the Gospel which according to Romans 1:16 is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior. Jonah’s attitude is indicative of the nation of Israel at that time. The nation of Israel failed in evangelizing the world. They were to be the instruments that God employed to present the Gospel to the unbelieving Gentiles. They failed. There is an application for the church today that this story of Jonah teaches us. The Lord sets forth the Church’s manifesto in Matthew 28:16-20. Matthew 28:16, “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (NASU) The Lord Jesus Christ had to deal with this negative and antagonistic attitude toward the unbelieving Gentiles during His First Advent. The Pharisees who were the leaders of the Jewish people in our Lord’s day thought that they were superior to the tax-collectors and the prostitutes who were coming to the Lord in great numbers to hear His teaching of the kingdom. They were self-righteous and arrogant just like Jonah. Our Lord delivered several parables that directly rebuked the Pharisees for their self-righteous attitude. Luke 15:1, “Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ 3 So He told them this parable, saying, 4 ‘What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. 11 And He said, ‘A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. 13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country and he began to be impoverished. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men. 20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
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