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Values, Issues and Spiritual Pride

By Monica Melanchthon

Introduction

The book of Jonah is one that originated from the wisdom tradition during the Persian period. It is probably one of the more popular books of the Old Testament referred to not only in Jewish and Christian writings but also in Islamic writings. Its popularity lies in the fact that it is a story that is easy to remember, much more than a prophetic oracle or a genealogy. There have been many inconclusive proposals made with regard to its date, form and historicity. The important thing for us however is the content of the book and its message.

The book is about a prophet who disagrees with God's methods. God commissions Jonah and sends him to preach to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrians, the horrid enemy of the Israelites (ch. 1:1-3). Nineveh is in the east, but Jonah embarks in a ship westward. He is running away, sleeping in the hold of the ship, out to sea. God causes a violent storm and the sailors conclude that the storm is the result of someone on board who has angered God. They cast lots and Jonah is singled out; he confesses and suggests that they throw him overboard, which the sailors do

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rather reluctantly after attempts made to row ashore (ch. 1:4-16). However, God causes a fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah stays in the belly of this great fish for three days and tree nights, during which time he prays to Yahweh. God gets the fish to spew him out in the direction of the east (ch. 1:17-2:10). God commissions Jonah again, so off he goes.

When he gets to Nineveh, he preaches that God is going to destroy the city and is very pleased about that. But the inhabitants repent, the king of Nineveh proclaims a fast and repentance, and God changes God's plans to destroy Nineveh (ch. 3:1-10). Jonah is however very displeased with God's actions and wishes to die. God causes a plant to grow over Jonah in order to shade him from the sun, and then God sends a worm to attack the plant, and a sultry wind to sap Jonah's energy. Jonah again wants to die; and God argues from Jonah's experience that the Ninevites should be spared (ch. 4:1-11).

There have been many interesting interpretations given about this short and wonderful but yet curious story. But I would just like us to focus on the last few verses of the book which can only be understood in the context of the rest of the narrative and hence my attempt to recapitulate the outline of the story. It is in these last few verses that we can perceive the pre-eminent purpose of the book.

Text for Study: Jonah 4:6-11

And Yahweh God appointed a plant, and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day. God appointed a worm, which attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose. God appointed a sultry east wind and the sun

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beat upon the head of Jonah so that he was faint; and he asked that he might die, and said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live’. But God said to Jonah, ‘Do you do well to be angry for the plant?’ And he said, ‘You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night, and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many cattle?’

It is clear from the text that through divine resourcefulness and intervention, the prophet experienced some physical comfort. Jonah had built the booth for himself, but it was Yahweh who provided the shade by causing the plant to grow over Jonah. What a luxurious bower! This leafy protective shelter was ideal for Jonah as he waited for the longed for destruction of the despicable Ninevites. So Jonah was exceedingly glad for the plant. Jonah recognized the value of the plant much more a few hours later when Yahweh sent a gnawing worm, the torrid sun, and the sultry east wind to reduce its greenery to a ghost-like skeleton of dried leaves and rough sticks. Jonah's reaction was extreme. He wished death upon himself. God therefore asks Jonah if his anger is justified or rather what the basis of Jonah's anger was. God asks the same question in verse 4 when Jonah expressed anger at the sparing of Nineveh. But Jonah did not answer. But then in verse 9 Jonah retorts back. Why do you think Jonah answered back this time? His anger was certainly burning inside him, but on the outside, the heat of the Mediterranean sun was scorching him. Could it be that the rise in temperature prompted him to respond?

One wonders what kind of a man this Jonah was! He bewailed the untimely withering of a plant while being on vigil at the

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borders of a large population of human beings and cattle whom he would have die in spite of their being forgiven by Yahweh. His values certainly seem upside down. He seems more concerned with personal physical comfort provided by a plant than for the spiritual well-being and lives of a horde of people.

Yahweh's response to Jonah's reaction (w 10-11) is presented in the form of a piercing question, containing multiple inquiries. The question sets in focus one very crucial issue: the contrast between human selfishness and divine love, the choice between values that are human and values that is divine.

How does one answer such a question? Jonah had regard for a plant, a piece of vegetation. Cannot Yahweh be concerned, or should not Yahweh be concerned for human potential and its limitless and varied potential and resources? Jonah had seen value in something upon which he had no personal claim and in which he had no investment, a plant whose seed he was powerless to germinate and whose foliage he could never form. Should Yahweh not see infinite value in human beings who represented the crown of Yahweh's creation, the ones who were also bestowed with the capacity to have faith in Yahweh, love and serve Yahweh? Jonah had displayed the deepest feelings at the loss of a mere physical comfort. Should not Yahweh have compassion on thousands of people and animals?

Issues

The text raises a number of issues in relation to the theme. The Contemporary Problems and Needs of Students in the Universities:

1. The contrast between personal or human values and divine values, which can be identified as the contrast between spiritual and material values. Students face this in todays

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modern world, especially in the context of modern day materialism and consumerism whose value lies only in the physical comfort that they have to offer.

A related matter is that within these times characterized by booming industrialization, technological advance, material progress, and when individuals in most countries enjoy a relatively high amount of personal liberty and occupational leisure, there are many who are disillusioned. While some look for alternative ways of life that will satisfy and for values that will last, others are driven into a state of apathy. The individual is therefore caught between these two worlds, the spiritual and the material, resulting in the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. I believe that this contributes towards the struggle to find identity as an individual.

2. A second but not a very different issue is the fact that the world today is inundated with matters clamoring for attention. They are the modern day Nineveh’s, if I may so call them — the problem of human rights which include the rights of women, dalits, children, the physically challenged, the mentally challenged, indigenous people, racial minorities, ethnic minorities, gays and lesbians, etc., poverty, illiteracy, militarization, nuclear warfare, north-south, east-west, black-white, man-woman, to name just a few. Besides dealing with the rigors of academia, how many other issues should a student get involved in? When I first became aware of these many problems confronting the world, I was overwhelmed. I am in no way suggesting that an individual should not be interested or show concern in these many issues. My suggestion, albeit a little tentative, is that a prioritization of issues is probably necessary.

3. Third, we see in Jonah a spiritual pride that we should all' strive to avoid. Jonah believed that he knew best how God

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works, and even disregarded God's attempts to lead him out of his misconceived presuppositions. We live in a multi-faith community, and we are not free from being spiritually proud, as ones who claim to have answers to everyone's spiritual needs, or solutions to all of life's problems. The individual is confronted with groups on campuses, which do not necessarily believe what we do or have the same world view as us. Yet they all claim to possess the truth.

Resources:

Beyer, B. and J. Walton, Obadiah, Jonah BSC

Grand Rapids, Michigan:

Lamplighter Books, 1988

Limburg, J. Jonah. OTL

Louisville, Kentucky:

Westminster / John Knox Press, 1993.

Salters, R. B. Jonah and Lamentations OTG Sheffield,

England: JSOT, 1994

Questions for Group Study

1. What is the Nineveh’s confronting the students? The Faculty? The Church?

2. Is prioritization of issues a valid requirement? Why, or why not? Who decides on what is not important?

3. In what guises does spiritual pride show itself in our lives and within the church and the Student Christian Movement?