Parallels between Jonah and Jesus

Here is the latest Bible study and discussion that I led at work this morning. We looked at the parallels between Jonah and Jesus. As you can see, you'll have to do some digging in the scriptures to be able to fill in the blanks :) Enjoy!

Jesus and Jonah

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” (Exodus 34:6).

“The fundamental purpose of the book was to teach its first readers concerning the compassionate nature of their God, and only secondarily did it serve as a sign concerning Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection”

(A.M. Harman, Theology of Jonah in NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pg. 801).

·       He started in Joppa, on the coast of Israel, and headed towards Tarshish near Italy but he was called to go to Nineveh in modern day Mosul, Iraq. Jonah truly “went in the opposite direction” (1:3).

o   To better understand why Jonah did not want to preach repentance to Nineveh (capital of Assyria) read 2 Kings 17:1-23, c.f. 2 Kings 14:25.

·       Jonah the “type,” Jesus the “antitype:”

o   Who was the audience to which the book of Jonah was directed? Who was the main audience of Jesus’ preaching? ______________ (Matthew 15:21-28)

o   Both slept comfortably in ____________ (Mark 4:35-41 and Jonah 1:5)

o   Both were willing to be a substitutionary ______________ for others (Jesus was sinless though, Jonah was not; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Galatians 3:13 and Jonah 1:12)

o   Their ____________ stopped God’s ______________ (Romans 5:6-11 and Jonah 1:15-16).

o   Jesus, like Jonah, will appear _________ after three days (Matthew 12:40 and Jonah 1:17, 2:3-6)

o   Powerful ________________ led to repentance and forgiveness (Luke 11:29-32 and Jonah 3:4-10)

o   God has the Divine prerogative to extend _____________ and forgiveness to whomever he chooses (Matthew 20:1-16 and Jonah 4:4).

o   Jesus came “to _______ and to _________ the lost” while Jonah wanted the __________ to never be found (Luke 19:1-10 and Jonah 4:11; c.f. Luke 9:51-56, James and John’s actions).

·       What judgment seat are we sitting on? (Matthew 7:1-5 and Romans 14:9-13)

o   Honestly ask yourself, who would you like to see God smite?

o   Then ask yourself, is our attitude like Jonah? Or like Jesus?

o   “Regardless of the reason for your hatred, the response should be the same: seeing others as God sees them and loving others as God loves them” (Daily Walk Bible, pg. 1184).

  

“He (God) prefers repentance to judgment, just as he did in Nineveh, and just as Jonah himself grudgingly acknowledges (Jonah 4:2). He has loved the world, not just one nation or people (John 3:16), and our view of his love must never forget that”

(D. Stuart, Word Biblical Themes: Hosea – Jonah, pg.98).

“At odds with God, Jonah typifies those who see the divine attributes of justice and mercy as functioning for their own convenience; mercy for themselves, but justice for their enemies. Fortunately, however, these attributes are not directed by human motives or desires. As the book of Jonah makes plainly obvious, God is sovereign, his justice is totally impartial, and his mercy may extend to anyone” (Desmond Alexander, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, pg. 90).