9) Jonah — Jesus
The obvious authority for seeing Jonah as a
divinely-provided prototype of Jesus is, of course, in the words of Jesus
himself: “As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s
belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of
the earth” (Mt. 12: 40).
Reasons have already been advanced for seeing
both of these periods as meaning “on the third day”. Other details
of like significance are these:
Gath-hepher, Jonah’s home, was in the
immediate vicinity of
Nazareth.
The name Jonah ( = Dove) suggests the Holy
Spirit, and the beginning of a New Creation (Gen. 8: 8).
Jonah was willing to die to save his fellows from
certain death.
He died, and revived in the tomb, and emerged to
life again.
Thereafter he offered sacrifice in the presence
of God.
Those whom he saved vowed (and fulfilled) a
self-dedication to God.
There followed a mission to Gentiles, crowned
with remarkable success.
Forty years, and Jerusalem shall be
overthrown.
The details of the storm at sea were very closely
recapitulated in the storm on Galilee (Mt. 8: 24-27).
- Jesus led the way on board ship.
- He
slept whilst
- A great tempest
raged.
- The sailors were terribly
afraid.
- There was an impassioned appeal for
help.
- A great calm and stillness
followed.
All this seems to be intended as typical
anticipation of the saving work of Christ, thus:
Corresponding to his sleep in the ship, there is
his apparent absence from his disciples.
The final storm will be such as to rock the faith
of all those who consider themselves to be his disciples.
When strong effort is made to
‘waken’, him, he will rebuke little faith.
And then with a word he will still the wind and
the sea.
Other significant details in these incidents
are:
- “like to be broken” is, in LXX, s.w. as in Lk. 8:
23: in jeopardy.
- “The sea wrought and was
“tempestuous” (1:11) has the same word, in LXX, as Lk. 21:
25, “the sea and the waves
roaring”
- “Lay not upon us innocent
blood” (1: 18) has the same phrase as was used about Jesus (Mt. 27: 4). A
chapter in “Gospels”, H.A.W., p.747, shows how these words occur in
a variety of prophetic and typical
Scriptures.