The style of the book of jonah is distinctive among the prophetic books. Faussett introduction jonah was the son of amittai, of gathhepher in zebulun called gittahhepher in jos 19. Understanding the book of the bible that plays a central role on the jewish calendars holiest day. Book of jonah overview insight for living ministries.
Best jonah commentaries updated for 2020 best bible. So if you are interested in studying jonah, bookmark this page, and check back soon. Jonah is identified as a prophet and servant of god during the reign of king jeroboam ii of israel 2 kings 14. Enduring word bible commentary of the whole bible with. The enduring word bible commentary is structured by each book of the bible. Consider that god could have stilled the storm without jonah having to be thrown into the sea and being swallowed by the fish. Best commentaries and books on jonah logos bible software. Study jonah using john calvins bible commentary to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. This commentary has been through advanced theological checking. Book of jonah, destruction and captivity by the assyrians. The book of jonah is the most beautiful story ever written in so small a compass, only 28 english. There are a number of helpful commentaries on jonah, and the following are five of the best. Jonahs reluctance to bring that message mirrors the israelites equally stubborn disinterest in the relation of the assyrians to god. Do you consider the fish swallowing jonah to be punishment or salvationlaw or gospel.
The main theme of the book of jonah is gods sovereignty over all people and his divine plan to extend his gift of mercy and salvation beyond israel to include the gentile nations. Book of jonah matthew henrys bible commentary concise. Top 5 commentaries on the book of jonah ligonier ministries. Jonah signifies a dove, a proper name for all gods prophets, all his people, who ought to be harmless as doves, and to mourn as doves for the sins and calamities. Unfortunately, many christians thoughtlessly cast aspersions upon this important book in the canon of scripture without realizing that they are playing into the hands of the critics and innocently becoming the dupes of the skeptics. The book of jonah is filled with valuable information and timeless lessons. You can find the best commentary on jonah for you using the tools on the right side. Best commentaries on each book of the bible tim challies. Jonah 1 bible commentary matthew henry concise christianity.
But, as every bible student knows, his plans were soon thwarted. F2 but, of course, such criticisms are apparently founded in ignorance of the truth that, this is a common formulary linking together revelations and histories. Study jonah 1 using matthew henrys bible commentary concise to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. The nwt study bible is complete with cross references, maps, and an accurate bible dictionary. As the grace commentary on jonah is written, posts will be added to the chapters below. Jonah s experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. Study jonah using matthew henrys bible commentary concise to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning.
I am currently writing commentary on the book of jonah. An easyenglish 2800 word vocabulary commentary on the book of jonah. We have provided this method as a convenience to our users. Book of jonah lesson 1 welcome to the study of the book of jonah. Over the past couple of years i have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the bible. It concerns a disobedient prophet who rejected his divine commission, was cast overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish, rescued in a marvelous manner, and returned to his starting point. Apr 12, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of jonah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Study guide for jonah 2 by david guzik blue letter bible. Allen as an amazon associate, if you use the link above, we receive a small percentage from qualifying purchases. Introduction jonah is one of the most ridiculed books by liberal scholars. The book of jonah is unique among the books of the prophets.
The story of a fish swallowing a man and the man living sounds impossible, and since most liberal scholars deny the possibility of the supernatural, they reject the book of jonah as anything but a fairy tale. In all the book of god we scarcely find a servant of the lord and such a one we are sure jonah was, for the scripture calls him so so very much out of temper as. For those reasons and others i will never have a huge library. The book of jonah, therefore, is a statement made through the wonderful medium of the story of jonah of gods compassion even of a pagan people like the ninevites who were enemies of the jews. Jonah was the son of amittai, of gathhepher in zebulun called gittahhepher in jos 19. Introduction jonah is the book of the bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. The book of jonah the story of jonah has great theological import.
Aside from portions of the book of jeremiah and daniel, all of the other prophetic books focus primarily on the message of the prophet. Perhaps it is bothgods punishment of jonah while also saving him from drowning in the sea. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading jonah brazos theological commentary on the bible. He was the son of amittai and was of gathhepher in galilee north of nazareth. Jonah prayed to the lord his god from the fishs belly. You will also find options for commentaries on jonah that help pastors, teachers, and readers with application of the bible, commentaries that approach the scripture versebyverse, classic christian commentaries, and much more. Mercy triumphs over judgment commentary on the book of jonah.
Click the commentary tab or pulldown menu for a full selection of commentaries over any bible passage you are researching. Commentary on the book of jonah relevant bible teaching. Commentary on the book of jonah by matthew henry old. Now he obeys and goes to nineveh, the capital of israels ancient enemy. He went down to joppa and found a ship bound for tarshish. In the new testament, no other old testament prophet is named by jesus more than the prophet jonah. Jonah is perhaps one of the least understood books of the bible, with most people unable to get by the whale actually, dag gadol, or great fish. This series is not ment to be an exhaustive, indepth. A free bible commentary on the book of jonah in simple english.
Parting with our money will not pacify the conscience, the jonah must be thrown overboard. Go to the great city of nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. Not only does sasson go phrase by phrase through the fourchapter book of jonah, discussing the book, discussing sources, but he provides us with an excellent translation, and lengthy introduction and postscripts. This page provides a method to go directly to a commentary by a specific author. Perhaps jonah thought that if he were dead then god would stop punishing the ones around him. David guzik commentary on jonah 1, where jonah receives a call from god, but decides to run from him, which god prevents by sending a storm. Jonah therefore is the only prophet of the ot revealing the grace of god towards the heathen. This book of jonah, though it be placed here in the midst of the prophetical books of scripture, is yet rather a history than a prophecy. When the call of god came to him, jonah could not see beyond his own selfish desire for god to punish the assyrians. Apple, september 2005 revised september 2007 added notes from pastor leake hope bible church in columbia md the sovereign disposition of god s mercy and grace exposes the pride and jealousy of judgmental believers. Read and study jonah, including book summary, with the versebyverse bible commentary. Study the bible online using commentary on jonah 1 and more. Dive into an intriguing tale of mercy in the book of jonah.
God spoke to jonah in his own unique and powerful way and he told jonah to do two things. The gloss on jonah relies almost exclusively on jeromes commentary on jonah c. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Jonah free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. Jonahs experiences form the main contents and purpose of the book. The narratives conclusion reveals an even deeper problem. This instructive account, together with the inspired new testament commentary which discusses it. The theme of repentance nominates it for being read on yom kippur, but it has less to say about repentance than it. The book of jonah is a subversive story about a rebellious prophet who. Using human logic many so called scholars, have questioned the authenticity of the book of jonah, because they find it hard to believe a fish could shallow and man and the man live. The disobedience of the prophet jonah s missionary call. Jonah brazos theological commentary on the bible kindle.
It tells of a hebrew prophet named jonah son of amittai who is sent by god to prophesy the destruction of nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission. He was gods instrument to carry out gods will on earth. Nov 20, 2012 this is a project that has been on my mind for over four and a half years outlining all the books of the bible, from genesis to revelation. So the book of jonah ends with an insight into god who is gracious, who is merciful, who is slow to anger, who does not want to bring judgment upon evil people, who has great compassion and interest in children and in the animal kingdom that he has created. Perhaps we could reflect upon a few of these matters. Jonah is still in the belly of the fish but he knows it is enough that the lord has heard his cry you heard my voice. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. Jonah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. The bible tells us that god prepared a great fish which swallowed jonah. However, we do not feel this is the best method for using the blue letter bible. Read jonah 1 commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. Jonah, whose name means dove, lived in gathhepher, located.
The ordinary gloss, or glossa ordinaria, was the most important christian commentary on the bible in the later middle ages. Study scripture verses with commentary, concordances, and use highlighting, underlining, take notes in the bible. Study guide on the book of jonah, on line bible commentary for book of jonah, niv commentary jonah, free jonah commentary. Jonah 1 niv bible the word of the lord came to jonah son. Agape bible study the book of jonah the main theme of the book of jonah is gods sovereignty over all people and his divine plan to extend his gift of mercy and.
The lord had prepared a great fish to swallow jonah. To help your study time, each chapter has the main point extracted from the text. The prophetic significance of this book not only lies in the short message in nineveh but also in the entire history of jonah described in his book. Following the lead of the hebrew masoretic text, the title of the book is derived from the principal character, jonah.
The book of jonah is about divine mercy, divine justice, and gods freedom to offer each to whomever he chooseswhether israels oppressive enemy, a rebellious prophet, or gods elect people. Verse 1 now the word of jehovah came unto jonah the son of amittai, saying, now enemies of this book do not hesitate to take the ax to the very first word in it, affirming that, jonah is a fragment, the continuation of a larger work. God sent jonah to preach to nineveh, the capital city of israels prime enemy, assyria. Designed for the pastor and bible teacher, the zondervan exegetical commentary on the old testament brings together commentary features rarely gathered. Jonah brazos theological commentary on the bible kindle edition by cary, phillip. Zondervan exegetical commentary on the old testament. We have just added many new sources, including the expositors bible commentary, bengels gnomon, langes commentary, hastings great texts and many more. The assyrian power was looming threateningly on the northern horizon, and a flash or two had already broken from that cloud. When conscience is awakened, and a storm raised, nothing will turn it into a calm but parting with the sin that caused the disturbance. Some question if this could happen as the bible says it did.
This little book therefore contains very practical lessons for every reader. First, we should note that this marvelous narrative has suffered the brunt of the critics barbs for a long while. The book of jonah stands as an important link in the prophetic chain, giving readers a glimpse of christs death and resurrection hundreds of years before they actually occurred. The book of jonah is more than just a delightful story for children. This old testament book describes at least part of the ministry of a prophet called jonah, the only prophet who attempted to run away from god. Jonah is one of the most striking examples of a heart in need of expansion. The bible is full of men and women who, despite their best efforts, suffer from a chronic lack of love. As the sections are completed, this is where they will get posted. Now the word of the lord came to jonah the son of amittai, saying. Jonah sees this to be the punishment of his iniquity, he accepts it, and justifies god in it. Jonah 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. John calvins bible commentaries on the books of jonah, micah, nahum. Aug 10, 2010 yonah is a strange prophet, and sefer yonah the book of jonah a strange book.
Study guide for jonah 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. Jonah 1 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. Additionally, the main point is then organized in an easy to follow outline that flows through the bible text. We read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of nineveh. When i add a book i almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity.
Jonah is the book of the bible which perhaps has been criticized more than any other. As soon as jonah was tossed into the water the storm broke and everything was calm. Jonah chapter 1 coffmans commentary of the new testament. The prophet jonah a dove is already mentioned in 2 kings 14. The book contains fascination interaction between men and god, which sasson brings out well. Even the truth of god pleases the human heart often only as long as the own importance can be stressed by it. Unfortunately, many christians thoughtlessly cast aspersions upon this important book in the canon of scripture without realizing that they are playing into the hands of the critics and innocently becoming the dupes of. Excerpt from this recommended resource apple quotes from many excellent resources here is an example from pastor thomas leake of hope bible church. I used to think that god never gave reasons for what he does but now i am convinced that god always makes commentary to jonah rev. In the midst of the obscure prophecies before and after this book, wherein. The book of jonah is a book of the neviim prophets in the hebrew bible.