The little book of "Jonah" touches the high-water mark of Old Testament theology. No other pre-Christian writer quite reaches the universalism which it implies. Yahweh, Israel's God, is seen as the God of the heathen too, concerned for the Assyrian, the most cruel and rapacious power in the world, calling a great pagan city to repentance, and accepting the signs of contrition. Meanwhile the Israelite is presented as shrinking from the missionary enterprise, and when his message of doom was delivered, bitterly annoyed because Yahweh in His mercy had spared the heathen. Here the prophetic message rises above the particularism of Israel, and God appears as the God of all flesh, calling all to repentance. ...
There can therefore be no doubt about the religious and theological value of this book. And furthermore it teems with human interest: the action of the pagan sailors, and their conversion, are a beautiful study in soteriology, reminding us of the legend of St. Ursula. The great heathen city, and its docility and obedience to a prophetic message, are finely conceived. The very cattle joining in the penitence, and the Lord caring for the cattle as well as the innocent children, give a broad humanitarian atmosphere to the composition. ...
The story gives its own moral: the impossibility of evading the divine purpose; the natural piety of men who know not the true religion; the power of God to deliver; the desire of God to bring all to repentance; the readiness of God to forgive the penitent; the rebuke to a prophet who is more concerned with the establishment of His word than with the saving of men; the humanity of God who cares for men and babes and cattle. These are truths which are never out of date. They were preached in this brief pictorial sermon by a man of genius; and the little book will be read and loved as long as men have childlike hearts.—From "The New Century Bible."
