Preface

The God of the universe, who created all human beings, in a similar fashion continues to show providence for all people. Even though in ancient times he appeared to care for the Israelites to a greater extent, he was doing this for the common welfare of all human beings. For just as the one showing special care for Israel did not indicate what was to be done by conversing with each Israelite individually, but by choosing the best one from all of them—at one time the great Moses or Joshua, the son of Nun, but at another time Samuel, and still at another time Elijah—and through each of the individuals mentioned above, he led the people to salvation, either by establishing laws, demonstrating marvels, or conveying a warning, so also God, having set the Israelite people apart from the other nations, demonstrated to the Gentiles by providential care for them, the path towards the knowledge of God through continuous epiphanies {S 1459} and incredible miracles. And he taught us this through the divinely inspired Hosea. For it says, “A prophet is a watchman over Ephraim, along with God ” (Hos 9:8).7 For God appointed the people of Israel as a unique watchman and prophet for the benefit and salvation of other nations. Even so, through the Israelites, Egypt has learned the unspeakable power of the God of the universe. And the report, which conveyed to all people the destruction of the Egyptians, caused everyone to marvel at the justice of divine providence. Consequently, Rahab the prostitute, who received the radiance of the knowledge of God, said to the spies: “…since your fear and trembling fell upon us. For we heard how the Lord God dried up the Red Sea before you and he carried you across because your God is Lord, God in heaven above and on earth below” (Josh 2:9-10).9 And at a much later time the Philistines10, when they beheld the ark, shouted with fear {M 81.1721}_ and trembling: “This is the God who smote Egypt” (1 Sam 4:8).11_ In addition, by striking down those many thousands of Assyrians before the walls of Jerusalem and forcing Sennacherib to flee with a few men, (2 Kgs 19:35), 12 God has made his power clear to all men and women. Also in Babylon, he kept Daniel unharmed after he was handed over to the lions (Dan 6:23)13 and he transformed that most violent flame of the furnace into cool moisture, with the result that those blessed youths {S 1460} formed a chorus in the middle of the furnace and composed a hymn, (Pr Azar 1:27, Dan 3:25).14 God thereby struck an arrogant king with terror; and through that individual, taught his subjects that the God of the Israelites is the only God.15 And in the time of Cyrus the Persian God has made clear once again, not only to the ones who were living nearby but also the ones living far away, that He alone is able to show providence and direct whatever He wills. He granted to his people that well known return from Exile, provided the release from their servitude as a gift to them alone, rebuilt his own temple, and restored Jerusalem to its prior state of well-being. And in the time of the Macedonians, he often showed his power.17 And by performing miracles and predicting the future through the prophets, He guided many of the nations towards truth. That is why the nation of the Syrians feared the great Elisha, at one time receiving from him a cloud of blindness (2 Kgs 6:18)18 but at another time observing the cleansing of Naaman (2 Kgs 5).19 Such great reverence was attached to this prophet that when the king20 became ill, he sent Azael to Elisha, to inquire if he would get well (2 Kgs 8:7-15).21 But, this very prophet anointed Azael himself king over the Assyrians instead. And the king of the Babylonians considered the divinely inspired Jeremiah worthy of such great honor that he gave him a choice of residences (Jer 40:1-6).22 He was leading away all the other kings and rulers as captives, but he gave to Jeremiah alone the choice to live wherever he wished. {S 1461} This is the way the God of the universe chose the blessed Jonah as a prophet for the Ninevites. A long time ago, this was the greatest city and contained the palace of the king of Assyria. For inasmuch as the only begotten Word of God was about to be made manifest to human beings in human nature, and to enlighten all nations with the light of the knowledge of God, even before His own incarnation, He shows his divine care to the nations, in order that He might establish with certainty future events by those which preceded it, teach everyone that He is God not only of the Jews but the God also of the nations, and point out the close relationship between the Old and the New Testament. For if God did not show any providence for the nations before his incarnation, then the Jews would form the opinion that He was another God, on the grounds that He was doing things contrary to the one who had given the law. For the former God only cared for the Jews, and the latter God showed concern for all human beings. For the abominable Marcion 24_{M 81.1724} has suffered from this disease, saying that this God is different from that God—and he says these things, even after observing God’s providence for all human beings in the Old Testament!25 But in order that we might not prolong things beyond measure,26 let us proceed to the interpretation itself of the prophet. 24

Chapter 1:
The blessed Jonah also made other prophecies, but these references are not mentioned in this composition. But, we have learned about those references from the fourth book of Kings ( 2 Kgs 14:25).29 {S 1462} For the scriptures teach us such things about Jeroboam30 who, being third in line from Jehu, ruled the ten tribes. He reestablished the border of Israel from the approach of Emath to the sea on the west, according to the word of the God of Israel which he spoke by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet from Gethophrah. And this prophecy also designates his father in the same way.31 The God of the universe ordered this man to come into the city Nineveh and to announce to them the coming destruction because of their excessive transgression. For it says, “The cry of their evil has come up to me” (Jonah 1:2). 32 That is to say, they drifted away33 into such abundant wickedness so as to exceed the boundaries of God’s patience. But the prophet, after he heard these words, prefers flight over obedience, and he dares to run away to Tharsis (Jonah 1:3).34 With regard to Tharsis—some have supposed Tharsis to be Tarsus from the close connection of its name to Tarsus, but others said that Tharsis is India, since they were not willing to pay attention to the fact that the kingdom of India shares a common border with the Assyrians. For it is the habit for individuals fleeing from the East to go to the West, and for individuals running away from the South to head North. In particular, he went down to Joppa, a city on the shore of Palestine, so that he might sail away from there. And Joppa is located on the sea facing West. And someone journeying by sea would not go to India through this sea. For between our sea36 and the Indian Sea is a very large land mass,37 some of which is inhabited, but some of which is completely desolate. And there are numerous large mountains, after which is the Gulf of the Red Sea38 {S 1463} which joins with the Indian Sea.39 And in order that no one might suspect that we are disguising the truth with faulty reasoning, I will offer the Holy Scriptures as a witness that Carthage, the capital city of Africa, is Tharsis. For in Isaiah the prophet, where the Seventy have said, “Wail, o ships of Carthage because your fortress is destroyed” (Is 23:14)40 Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion have placed “Tharsis” instead of “Carthage.” Also, the scriptures of the Hebrews have this name. And in such a way, when the divinely inspired Ezekiel mentions Carthage, we have found “Tharsis” in the Hebrew and the Syrian (Ez 27:12- 25).41 Because we are guided by these things, we say that the blessed Jonah did not flee to India but to Carthage. And he has done this, both perceiving clearly (since he was a prophet) that the Lord of the universe is everywhere and no place is isolated from his providence; and understanding nevertheless that God makes his manifestation only in Jerusalem. Neither hesitation nor fear was the cause of 44 his flight. But since he knew for certain about the streams of mercy which the one who ordered him to preach uses to govern everything, and since he was assured that if the Ninevites repented they would obtain divine mercy completely, he believed it was unseemly for the prediction to be shown false, and that he be called a liar instead of a prophet. And, that proclamation of threatened punishment instilled this suspicion in him. For he thought that God would not have revealed it in advance if he indeed wished to punish, but the threat of punishment is surely an exhortation to repentance. And in addition to this, he supposed that the wellbeing of the Ninevites would be an accusation against the Jews {S 1464} because the Ninevites had put their trust in an unknown and foreign man, but the Jews continually disobeyed and received no benefit from the thousands of prophets from their own people who prophesied with miracles.45 For these reasons, he did not immediately carry out what God commanded, but instead fled by means of the sea, since he thought that he would be released quickly from such a ministry.46

[4] He even paid the fare for the sea voyage, so the expense from it might not hold him back. But the Maker of earth, sea, and heaven roused billowing waves against the boat and cast bands of waves around the boat. While the other boats were navigating successfully,47 the storm of the sea and the dashing surf were boiling up around Jonah’s boat only. The lot casting of the sailors teaches us this clearly.

[5] For surely, if the rough surf was shared in common, they would not attempt to learn the reason for the rough surf by lot. But since they saw the other ships cutting through the surface of the sea without any danger, and their own ship was being tossed about by waves three times larger than normal, they first turned to prayer, beseeching the one each individual thought was God. Consequently finding no passage of safety, they awakened Jonah who was held fast by sleep. Since Jonah was pricked by his conscience, hit with discouragement, and not bearing the stings of reason,49 he obtained consolation from sleep. And when such a disturbance arose against the boat—the waves breaking against the boat outside, {S 1465} and the sailors fretting inside—he himself did not sleep simply or moderately. But since he was seized by a deep sleep, he also snored, as he himself indicated when he wrote his book.

[6] But after the captain woke him up, he compelled Jonah to offer prayers to his God right away, not realizing that his flight removed such liberty of approaching50 God.

[7] But since the danger did not desist in any way, they were able to learn the reason for the rough water by lot, knowing that in all likelihood (for they had possessed natural knowledge), vengeance is stored up for sinners, and we pay the penalty we deserve for the things we have done wrong. And since the lot was an accuser and witness against the prophet, he is led to the judgment place. The sailors play the role of jurors, and demand a public examination of the way Jonah had lived his life. 49

Verse 8: “For announce to us,” they say, “What is your work and from where do you come? And where are you going, and from what sort of country and what sort of people are you?” Therefore, with absolute precision,55 they were asking questions, since they wanted to learn from every angle the reason for the storm. They order him to say not only for what reason he takes off and where he is going, but also from what sort of people he originates,56 in order that they might learn the life of the man from the common customs of the people. Therefore responding to these questions, Jonah said:

Verse 9: “I am a servant of the Lord. And I worship the Lord God of heaven, who made the sea and dry land.” The prophet is truly admirable and worthy of praise.57 For even when he is awaiting58 the sentence of death, he becomes a herald of the power of the God of the universe, calling him the Maker and Master of all. But the majority of people {S 1466} in that time were serving idols, and they were ignorant about the Creator of all. The blessed prophet had to reveal him to the ignorant. And he also confesses the reason for his flight: “Since I was influenced by folly, I supposed I could escape the one who I know is the Maker and Master not only of earth and sea, but also heaven.” 55

Verse 10: And they said to him, “Why have you done this?” They are saying: “How do you, who know these things and have been entrusted to teach the others, bring yourself 67 to flee a God who is present everywhere?” Not yielding to God bears such great shame. For indeed the prophet, the teacher of others, received the judgment by men who were trapped in ignorance. But nevertheless, even after hearing his words, blaming him severely and feeling resentment, the sailors are not prepared to carry out a death sentence. But, they wait for him, as a prophet, to show what should be done.

Verse 11: For they say: “What shall we do to you so the sea will abate from us? For the surf became more intense after casting lots. So finally the blessed prophet, since he recognized divine wrath, condemned himself to death.

Verse 12: “Lift me up and cast me into the sea, and the sea will abate from you since I know that this great surf is upon you because of me.” 66 But when the sailors heard these words, they did not immediately carry out his command, but they waited,70 expecting there would be some cessation to their troubles. And using the oars, {M 81.1729}_they tried to bring the boat to shore. But since the force of the sea was preventing them from doing this, first having propitiated God in prayer, they handed Jonah over to the sea without waiting any further.

Verse 14: For they say: {S 1467} “By no means, Lord, let us be destroyed on account of the life of this man, and do not place innocent blood on us. Because you, Lord, whatever you wish, you have done.” And clearly, since they have learned that the sentence against him was decreed by God, they pray that in assisting with the sentence, they not pay the penalty. “For do not place,” they say, innocent blood on us.” That is to say, “we will not pay the penalty, O Master, for innocent blood.”

[15, 16] And after the prophet was handed over to the sea in this fashion,71 the squall of the high surf was calmed. The souls of the men who saw this were instilled with fear72 so that they offered sacrifices to God after they returned to the shore, and they believed that this one is the only Lord of all.

Chapter 2:

[1] And by divine assent, (for it says this: God commanded), a very great whale81 entrapped Jonah, and did not mutilate him with its teeth.82 The belly of the whale also became the prophet’s home for as many as three days and nights,83 and the digestive process was also prevented from working.

[2] The prophet spent time in such a large spacious place that he even offered a prayer to God:

Verse 3: “For I cried out,” it says, “to the Lord in my affliction, and he heard me. From the belly of Hades my cry.” For I, he says, formerly thinking that he appears to prophets only in Jerusalem, also found him present in the belly of the whale. And offering supplication, I benefited from84 his beneficence. He called the belly of the whale, “the belly of Hades”{S 1468}. Both the beast is capable of bringing death, and he was a dead man by virtue of what had happened to him, but he lived by God’s grace alone._ Above all, as a type of the Lord Christ, who spent three days and nights in the heart of the earth (Matt 12:40),89 he states reasonably that he had been in the belly of Hades. And the most amazing thing of all is that the one who truly tasted death said he would be in the belly90 of the earth three days and three nights, but the one who was under the shadow of death calls the belly of the whale “belly of Hades.” For Jonah, life was not in his control; but for the Lord Christ, both his death was voluntary and his resurrection was willed. On account of this, in the text where there is “Hades” and death, it is designated “the heart of the earth;” but here in the text, where there is Hades, it is designated “the belly of the whale.” “You heard my voice,” he says, “since I would not have continued to live even up to the present.”

Verse 4: “You cast me into the heart of the sea, and rivers encircled me.” Again, the mention {M 81.1732} of “heart” indicates that the shadow is similar to the truth.91 But, he calls the assault of the waves “rivers.”92 “All your swells and your waves passed over me.

(verse 5) And I said, ‘I have been cast away from your eyes.’” When I was caught by the unpredictable nature of calamities, formerly being borne above the high sea by the waves, and now being confined in the belly of the whale, I knew that I was stripped bare of your providence. And because of this, I endure each of these things. “Will I gaze again on your holy temple?

(verse 6) Water surrounded me up to my soul, the deepest abyss encircled me.” For being encircled by the abyss itself, having been in the middle of such great waters, I am wavering, and I fear that {S 1469} I will be completely deprived of the beloved sight of your temple.

Verse 7: “My head sunk down into the clefts of the mountains, and I went down to the earth, whose everlasting bars are holding it down.” For I see myself being encircled by some great mountains and being hemmed in from all directions by some unbroken bars. And he hints98 through this not only at the magnitude of the whale, but also at the inescapability of the troubles which are confining him. But it is also reasonable that he calls the things hidden under the sea waters “mountains,” against which boats are sometimes dashed and destroyed. The sailors clearly know these things hidden under the sea, and are eager to flee the underwater rocks 99 “And let my life ascend to you from corruption, O Lord my God

(verse 8). When my life was leaving me, I remembered the Lord, that my prayer may come to your holy temple.” Since, he says, I did not allow myself to forget about you while being at the very gates of death, Lord, free me from this corruption and bring me back to life again, so that I might offer the customary prayers to you in your hallowed temple.”

Verse 9: “The ones who pay attention to vain and false things relinquished their mercy.” Because the ones who have been instructed in vain and false things, he says, were obedient to the casting of lots, they surrendered me to the sea without clemency.

Verse 10: “But I, with a voice of praise and thanksgiving, will offer a sacrifice to you. As many things as I vowed, I will give to you, O Lord, for my salvation.” Having been freed from the terrible things holding me down, I will bring before you sacrifices of salvation, recounting both the greatness of your beneficence {S 1470} and the penalty for my flight. And promising these things, the blessed Jonah fulfilled them and transmitted them all in writing, so that not only the people of that time might learn about the events which happened to him, but also the ones who came after him. The blessed David has made a written record of his sin, proclaiming the mercy of God and indicating the cure for sinners by repentance. {M 81.1733} So also the revered Jonah has written down in a narrative his flight, the punishment which was laid upon him, and the salvation freely granted

[11] And the benevolent master, after he received the prayer, led forth the prophet from the belly of the whale, as from some sort of prison. _

Chapter 3: [1-2] But God immediately commanded Jonah again to do these things which he heard earlier, both to go down to that great city and to bear the message of terrible destruction. Having learned by trial the penalty which resisting God brings, he makes his journey as commanded and arrives at Nineveh. And let no one foolishly be excessively concerned as to how the whale vomited him out,110 for all things are possible when God wills them; nor let anyone be excessively concerned as to what kind of shore God led him out, for this is also characteristic of excessively curious people. But may all who are devout be content with the teaching of the Spirit. 110

Verse 3: “And Nineveh,” it says, was a great city to God, about a walking journey of three days.” God places great value upon the salvation of this city, it says, because he fashioned many men and women in it. And with regard to “about a walking journey of three days,” some have understood the meaning as the area which came under the jurisdiction of the city being a three day’s journey {S 1471}according to both its length and breadth. But, others have understood the meaning as the one who was preaching was able to wander around the whole city in three days. But whether someone accepts the meaning one way or the other, he does not cause any injury to the truth. Nevertheless, it seems to me that the second interpretation is more reliable, and what follows compels me to choose this version.

Verse 4: “For Jonah began,” it says, “to enter the city about a one day’s journey.” Not immediately passing through the city, but wandering through the marketplaces, highways, and byways, preaching that “in yet three days Nineveh will be destroyed.” 113 But Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion said “forty,” and both the Syrian and the Hebrew114 agree with these. But this number (forty) is the most likely. For at one time, Jonah wandered through the entire city in three days. At another time the Ninevites, offering to God that painful repentance, had the benefit of the salvation from him. And at still another time, Jonah, sitting in front of the gates, awaited the outcome of his prophecy. Therefore, it seems to me that the forty days is more reliable. It is likely that the Seventy had put down the number which agrees with the othersAnd, that the ones who first wrote it down erred concerning this number, thus the rendering existed in this way in all the copies. 119

[5] And the Ninevites, although they saw an ignorant and foreign man making a harsh proclamation, neither became annoyed, nor shot him down; but believing in his prediction and wearing sackcloth, they brought their supplications to God, both the people abounding in wealth and the ones living in poverty. For it says this: “from the small, even up to the great of these.” {S 1472}

[6] And when the king himself heard and obeyed 120 these words, he left behind his gold plated and gem studded throne, stripped off his purple robe as useless, and took on the garment of sackcloth instead of this.

[7-8] He commanded not only the men and women to observe a fast, but also the various types of animals not to have benefit from any nourishment, so that when oppressed by hunger, some lowing and others bleating, each one making use of its individual voice, then the humans would offer more fervent tears and open up the springs of God’s mercy. Not only using sackcloth and fasting did they offer supplications to God, but “each turned from his evil way and the injustice in his hands,” saying:

Verse 9: “Who knows whether God might turn around and relent, and turn away from the wrath of his anger and we will not be destroyed.” For this is the definition of true repentance, for it says, “Turn away from evil and do good” (Ps 33:14)125, and again, “Cease from your evil ways; learn to do good” (Is 1:16-17).126 Therefore, the Ninevites, after they ceased from their previous sin and accepted the change of character for the better, benefited from divine favor.

Verse 10: For it says, “God saw their deeds, that they turned away from their evil ways, and God changed his mind about the evil which he said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” 127 He did not pay attention to their fasting, but to their abstinence from evil. Therefore, God grants repentance by repentance, not changing his mind similar to us (for God does not will this now but that later). {S 1473} But, he called the change from the threat “repentance.” On account of this, he made the threat. If he wishes to chastise, he would not have offered a threat, but he would have inflicted that punishment himself. Since he rejoices in salvation alone, he threatens painful things in order that he might not inflict pain. And he called that threat “evil,” not since it is evil by nature, for how could the thing bringing the end of evil and the acquisition of virtue and good order be evil?_ But the divine scriptures, employing expressions which are used customarily by us, called the threat of punishment “evil,” on the grounds that it is able to result in evil and create trouble. The prophet, when he observed this benevolence of God, is saddened and troubled, since the prophecy is refuted and appears false. Then praying to God and explaining the reason for his flight, he says:

Chapter 4:

Verse 2: “Were these not my words, when I was still in my country? Because of this, I anticipated 135 fleeing to Tharsis.” Because I understood these things (For I saw you demonstrating much forbearance, also concerning Israel, because you are merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in mercy, and relenting from harm),136 I made that flight; then, having been handed over to the rough surf and the whale, I beseeched you to return to life again. But now I entreat the opposite.

Verse 3: “Lord God, take my life from me, because it is better for me to die than it is for me to live.” 137 For I prefer death over a life of shame. {S 1474} I am dishonored138 and I hide my face in shame,139 _ _since I am being called a liar for so many reasons.145 But the good Lord answers and says to the prophet:

Verse 4: “Have you grieved excessively?” Symmachus translated this more clearly, for he says, “Did you grieve justly?” But the rest have said, “Did you grieve well?” Therefore, look at yourself, whether you have just causes146 for anger? And here, God exhorts him with reasoning to find consolation from his anger. But in the outcome of the prophecy, God also proves that Jonah’s anger is not good, and demonstrates the rationality of his own decree.

Verse 5: “And after he left the city, Jonah sat opposite of it, made a tent for himself, and sat under it until he could see what will happen to the city.” This event which took place first, the prophet has placed last. After he narrated the repentance of the_ Ninevites, he wanted to associate divine benevolence with this repentance and the dejection in him which resulted from this repentance. And here Jonah tells the things which happened in between—that after he preached, he went out of the city, and having pitched a tent, he waited for the outcome of the prophecy. And this clearly happened before the dejection.147 But after the completion of the determined days, when he saw that the city endured nothing, he offered the prayer to God with distress. 145 AnotherBut nevertheless, God again devises comfort for this one. By means of a certain gourd plant, (as he himself willed), which immediately sprouted, spread out, and grew as much foliage as possible so that it made shade, he offers him cooling refreshment.154

Verse 6: “The Lord God commanded the gourd plant.” The prophet has put down the phrase, not signifying here a divine voice, {S 1475}, but teaching, that at the same time God willed it, the plant was also brought into being. Thus he says earlier, “God commanded the whale” (Jon 2:1), which does not say this happened by divine voice but by divine will. For he calls will “command.” Thus the blessed Jonah received good cheer instead of grief.

[7] But again at dawn, God, having destroyed the root of the gourd plant by means of a certain worm, caused it to wither by the assault of the sun. And when this happened, and the sun’s rays were striking against his head more excessively than usual,

Verse 8: “God commanded a wind burning with heat, and the sun beat down upon Jonah’s head.” Again the prophet returned to great mean spiritedness155 and distress, and was put in the position of preferring death over life.

[9] But again, the one who cares for sinners and shows consideration for the just, asked the prophet, whether he has grieved excessively for the gourd plant?

[10,11] And when he acknowledged that he felt this way, so as to prefer death over life on account of this, God says, “Let me put you in the position of judge. Now consider if it is right that you grieve for the gourd plant, over which you had not been a cultivator, (for neither did you grow it, nor did you water it, but it came into being at dawn. On the next day it became a victim of the worm and sun),158 but I treat so great a city without clemency, a city which took its existence from me, in which more than 120,000 people dwell, who do not know their right hand from their left, and many cattle.” Therefore, considering this, be amazed at the benevolence, how it is reasonable. Some have understood the phrase, “they did not know their right hand from their left,” {S 1476} with reference to their ignorance. But it seems to me that it hints at the multitude of young inhabitants. And, the subject matter159 of the things just said leads us to this thought. For if it were not necessary, it says, to receive the repentance of sinners, then at least it would have been necessary to take some pity on so many thousands, in whom the knowledge of right and left was not yet placed because of the youth of their age. And in addition to these youth, the city possesses an exceeding number of cattle, who themselves do not owe any penalty for their sins. So just as he adds “cattle,” for this reason he adds the “underaged,” since the penalty for sins cannot be exacted160 fairly from either the former or the latter. 158So this is the end of the prophecy. And let us sing hymns about our good Lord, who, not wishing death for the sinner so that he might turn and live,161 sometimes allows the holy men to suffer, and extends his mercy when they do not feel like it. So when Elijah withholds the rainy weather completely, God himself, just as some ambassador, a certain ambassador,162 approaches his servant saying, “Go and appear to Ahab, and I will give the rain upon the face of the earth” (1 Kgs 18:1). 163 Therefore, since we benefit from such great gentleness, let us display a character that befits good deeds, and let us conduct ourselves according to his divine laws, so that we might pluck the good and desirable fruits of these. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father belongs glory, along with the Holy Spirit, now and forevermore. Amen.