Bible Seminar | Rev. Daniel K. Listijabudi, Ph.D

The book of Jonah occupies a unique position in the Old Testament corpus. Unlike the other prophetic books that focus on a collection of prophecies, the book of Jonah is almost entirely a narrative. Furthermore, it features a prophet who acts paradoxically: he rejects the divine call, runs away from the prophetic mandate, and openly protests against God's merciful actions. These peculiarities suggest that the book of Jonah is not intended as a prophet biography or historical report, but rather as a theological text that is both reflective and polemical.

 

The main tension in the book is not between Jonah and the Ninevites, but between the theology lived by the character Jonah and the theology articulated by the book of Jonah itself. In this sense, the book of Jonah can be read as an internal critique of religious exclusivism within a particular faith community, as well as an affirmation of the universality of God's grace.

 

The Problem of Historicity and the Misplaced Focus of Interpretation

The history of interpretation of the book of Jonah shows a strong tendency to focus on issues of historicity, particularly regarding the story of Jonah in the belly of the fish, the mass conversion of Nineveh, and the geographical description of the city. Such approaches are usually polarized between the maximalist camp, which assumes the literal historicity of the text, and the minimalist camp, which views it as an allegory, allegory, or parable.

However, this debate often fails to distinguish between historical truth and theological truth. The book of Jonah does not show a serious interest in historical accuracy; instead, it exhibits factual inaccuracies that hint at literary intent. As such, maintaining a literal historical reading of the book of Jonah risks closing off access to the theological message the text is trying to convey.

 

Methodology: Ideological Critique in Diachronic and Synchronic Perspective

Methodology.

To read the book of Jonah adequately, the ideological criticism approach offers a relevant methodological framework. Ideological criticism departs from the assumption that the biblical text is not a neutral product, but rather the result of a struggle of ideas within a particular social and religious context. The text becomes an arena of "the battles of ideas", where various theological visions are negotiated and debated.

 

In the diachronic dimension, ideological criticism traces the socio-historical setting of the text's formation: the time of writing, the context of the initial reading community, and the traditions that influenced its composition. In the synchronic dimension, attention is drawn to the narrative structure, characterization, irony, and rhetorical strategies of the text as it appears to the reader. These two dimensions are not opposed, but rather understood as complementary.

 

Diachronic Context: Time of Writing and Purpose of the Book of Jonah

Diachronic Context.

Although the book of Jonah attributes its character to Jonah the son of Amitai (2 Kings 14:25), the majority of scholars agree that the book of Jonah was written long after the time of that prophet. Linguistic analysis shows the use of post-exilic Hebrew with a strong Aramaic influence, which places the text in the Second Temple period, possibly around the 3rd century BC.

 

Furthermore, the indication that Nineveh is described as a past entity (Jonah 3:3) as well as the mention of the “king of Nineveh” instead of the king of Assyria corroborate the notion that this text was written after the destruction of Nineveh in 612 BC. Thus, the book of Jonah is not meant to describe contemporary events, but rather uses historical figures and symbols to address the theological issues facing the post-exilic community, particularly regarding identity, divine election, and relations with other nations.

 

Literary Character: Satire, Irony, and Humor as Theological Strategies

Literary Characters.

In terms of genre, the book of Jonah is best understood as a work of theological literature with satirical and ironic overtones. Elements that seem “implausible” historically, such as a large city repenting completely in a short period of time, animals participating in a fast, or a prophet psalmizing in the belly of a fish, serve as rhetorical devices to sharpen the theological message.

 

Irony reaches its peak when an Israelite prophet comes across as the least reflective of God's will, while a pagan nation responds to God with humility and repentance. In this framework, Jonah becomes a mirror reflecting the religious exclusivist tendencies of the reading community, rather than a model of faith to be emulated.

 

Theology of Jonah: Exclusivism as a Major Problem

Theology of Jonah.

Jonah's motivation is only explicitly revealed in chapter 4, when he confesses that his escape was driven by the knowledge of God's loving and merciful character. This statement shows that Jonah was not a prophet who failed to understand God, but rather a prophet who rejected the ethical implications of his knowledge of God.

 

In Jonah's operative theology, God's mercy is supposed to be particular and selective. God is expected to act according to the categories of "us" and "them", "chosen people" and "enemies". Thus, Jonah's anger reflects resistance to God acting beyond the boundaries of religious and national identity.

 

Theology of the Book of Jonah: The Universality of God's Grace

Contrary to Jonah's theology, the book of Jonah consistently presents God as sovereign and free in His love. God is portrayed as caring not only for Israel, but also for foreign nations, even for creatures other than humans. The open ending of the book rejects simple moral resolutions, instead directing ethical questions to the reader.

 

The book of Jonah thus functions as a critique of theological particularism that claims a monopoly on God and His goodness. He insists that divine election is not meant as an exclusive privilege, but rather as a call to reflect God's merciful character.

 

Theological Implications: From Exclusivism to Critical Inclusivity

A reading of the book of Jonah from the perspective of ideological criticism opens up a wide space for theological reflection. The inclusivity offered by this book is not faith relativism, but a correction to the absolutization of religious identity. The book of Jonah challenges the community of faith to distinguish between loyalty to God and loyalty to man-made theological constructs.

 

In the context of contemporary faith life marked by religious plurality, identity conflict, and social polarization, the book of Jonah reminds us that God cannot be reduced to a symbol of group justification. Mature faith is characterized by a willingness to let God remain free to be God, even when that freedom shakes our own sense of justice.

 

Closing

The book of Jonah is ultimately not a story of Nineveh's conversion, but of the theological crisis of a prophet and the community he represents. Through a satirical and ironic narrative, the book invites the reader to reflect: to what extent does our theology make room for God's universal grace, and to what extent do we, like Jonah, seek to control it?"

 

It is in this tension that the book of Jonah continues to speak, not just as an ancient text, but as a prophetic voice relevant to the faith and praxis of the church today.

 

“Saying ‘God is good’ is easy, but the question is: can we still say God is good when His goodness is experienced by people we consider opponents, rivals, even people who we think are unworthy? Perhaps we are unconsciously like Jonah, monopolizing God's goodness and even monopolizing God Himself, as if He only belongs to us, to our group, to our theological way of thinking. Whereas if we monopolize God in our concept, what we worship is not God, but the concept of God. So the challenge is tough: free God as God, and let His goodness flow" (Rev. Daniel K. Listijabudi, Ph.D)