Jonah

What comes to mind when you think of Jonah and his story? Revisit this book to discover the beauty and challenges of humanity's relationship with God.

The book of Jonah is an excellent introduction to the Hebrew Bible—but why does the Hebrew Bible matter for followers of Jesus? See what Jesus has to say.

What does it mean that the Hebrew Scriptures point to Jesus? Consider the connections between the Old Testament and Jesus the Messiah.

What is the Hebrew Bible all about? Find out what Paul has to say about how the Bible communicates its unique message.

The Bible is exquisite literary art designed for a lifetime of meditation. Learn the habits and skills that can enrich this meditative way of studying the Bible.

Does the structure of the TaNaK have anything to do with its meaning? Learn about the organization of the TaNaK and how the biblical authors wove together this enormous collection.

How clear is the portrait of the messiah in the Hebrew Bible? Were the disciples surprised by Jesus being the Messiah? Reflect on the scope and message of the TaNaK.

How does a collection of scrolls become a unified story? Study the seams of the TaNaK to see how the biblical authors united the Hebrew Bible.

Why was the Christian Old Testament organized differently than the Hebrew Bible? Does this affect its meaning? Consider the questions that arise when looking at the TaNaK order.

Check out some hyperlinks in the first two verses of Jonah and begin developing skills to recognize how the biblical authors build patterns.

Why is Nineveh called a “great city?” Explore this question and Nineveh’s role in the rest of the Hebrew Bible.

See how Jonah draws on the rest of the Hebrew Bible to communicate its message. Trace major themes and patterns from the Hebrew Bible as they repeat in the book of Jonah.

Revisit the biblical patterns discussed in the previous session while honing in on the most quoted verse in the Hebrew Bible. Can you guess which verse?

Wrestle with the perceived tension between God’s justice and mercy, and reflect on the portrait of God’s character found in Exodus 34:6-7.

The Bible is like a quilt with many unique pieces united to make one complete picture. See how repeated words link separate scrolls into one story.

Explore the best practices for reading an ancient mosaic text like the Hebrew Bible.

How do the biblical authors build connections in the text? Practice finding key repeated words in Jonah 1 and discuss how they shape the text.

Repeated words connect ideas both within and outside a literary unit. Study hyperlinking examples between Jonah and the rest of the Hebrew Bible.

Learn helpful criteria for identifying hyperlinks in the biblical text.

How does Star Wars show us how different characters can be hyperlinked to convey meaning? Dive in to find out (and may the force be with you)!

How can we avoid chasing connections not intended by the authors? Revisit the topics from earlier sessions and consider the multi-layered meaning of the text.

Explore the portrait of Jonah as the reluctant titular prophet, and learn what it means for him to flee to Tarshish.

Does it make sense for Jonah to flee to Tarshish? See how Jonah is an extreme example in a line of reluctant prophets.

Examine the literary design of the ship scene to discover the narrative features the biblical authors want to highlight.

How much can we know about Jonah’s motives in this story? Reflect on the information included or omitted from the narrative.

Everyone in this story acts contrary to our expectations. Learn how biblical authors subvert expectations to deliver a powerful message.

Trace thematic similarities and unique key phrases to see how Jonah’s story colors the portrait of the self-sacrificing prophet figure.

How often does casting lots happen in the Bible? Compare narratives to see connections developed by the biblical authors.

What’s the significance of Jonah being swallowed by a great fish? Trace the theme of giant sea creatures in the Bible and ancient Near East stories to illuminate this part of Jonah’s story.

Reflect on the meaning of being swallowed by a monster in the biblical imagination.

Are the three days and three nights Jonah spends in the fish just a circumstantial record of time? Trace the meaning of this phrase in the biblical imagination.

Do hyperlinks between scrolls have a sequence? Reflect on the complexities of engaging ancient meditation literature.

Jonah’s song evokes powerful imagery and metaphors for death. Compare his words to other poetry in the Hebrew Bible and learn about the meaning of his song.

Read through Jonah’s prayer in light of its literary and cultural context to discover the connections and questions the authors want us to ponder.

Jonah’s prayer seems pious, but his actions don't. How are we to interpret his prayer? Reflect on this apparent contradiction to learn more.

Scrutinize Jonah’s one-day walk into Nineveh and think through the interpretive possibilities of this easily overlooked detail.

After finally arriving in Nineveh, Jonah gives a five-word message to the people. Examine Jonah’s not-so-typical sermon and the comic contrasts that it creates.

Does God change his mind? Study the meaning of the Hebrew word nikham and God’s consistent and faithful commitment to his loyal love (khesed).

Can we reconcile God relenting from judgment with faithfulness to his purposes? Reflect on the Bible's presentation of God's character.

Why is Jonah so angry? How is Jonah similar to the disbelieving Israelites of Exodus? Study how Jonah 4 is linked to other Scripture.

What does Jonah’s anger show us about the human condition? Consider the themes of justice, vengeance, and mercy as we probe the meaning of Jonah's anger.

Explore the “lived parable” of Jonah’s two shelters and his attempt to create his own little Eden.

What is the meaning of Jonah’s two shelters? Dig into the key terms from chapter four to unpack their significance.

Contrast God’s pity with Jonah’s and examine how Jonah can serve as a symbolic image of the whole story of Israel.

The book of Jonah ends with a question. What are we to make of this conclusion? Contemplate the final verses of the book of Jonah.