Old Testament: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (Epiphany 3: Series B)

Jonah is a distinct book among the prophets because it is primarily a narrative about events in his life rather than a collection of prophetic utterances, like Hosea and Isaiah. The story of Jonah deals with the call of God to repentance and the grace of God in saving the unrighteous. Notice how other prophets like Jeremiah and Moses try to deflect God’s call to deliver the prophetic message while Jonah flat out rejects it. However, after the Lord drives Jonah to repentance by means of the “real big fish” (you could also say, God repented Jonah), he dispassionately delivers an eight-word sermon (six words in Hebrew) which is God’s message to the people. Jonah’s preaching lies at the heart of today’s text (verse 4).

Distinct from other prophets, who preach to Israel so they might repent and return to the Lord, Jonah reluctantly delivers his sermon of impending destruction to the Gentile Ninevites who, unlike Israel, actually and sincerely repent. They repent so hard they make Jonah embarrassed and bitter, leaving him sulking under the vine. How is it that Gentiles “get it” and Israel will not? There are more questions in this book than answers. In fact, the book of Jonah ends with a rhetorical question from the Lord.

Central to our text is the question in verse 9 (although it is not included in the pericopal reading): Who knows?

“Who knows? Who knows the true character of this strange God who rules over the waves and the creatures over and under these waves; who inspires sacred songs even on the lips of those running from his presence; who worries over desert bushes and over great cities and over those sent to be stewards and witnesses to both?”^[1]

One way to preach this is by asking the question, “Who knows?” for each of its primary characters: The people of Nineveh, Jonah, and the Lord. Only the Lord knows, but soon the people of Nineveh know, and Jonah should have known.

The liturgical setting of Epiphany puts us all together with the crowds around Jesus. In Christmas, we see God has become man for us. In Epiphany, we witness this man and the miracles and ask: “Who is He?” Subsequently, in wonder and awe we might reply together with our Jonah reading: “Who knows?”

In the Old Testament, God chose the children of Israel to be His people. The Gentiles could not approach God to worship Him because they were outsiders. Yet, it was always in the heart of God to save all people through Christ, just as He promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:3). This is the message of Epiphany. When the Magi, who were Gentiles, came to worship Jesus, they showed that now all people have access to God. Here, in the third week of Epiphany, we see again how God has grace for the Gentiles in Nineveh. But how can these Old Testament people have access to Jesus? Only through the sign of Jonah. Indeed, if you know Jonah’s story, it really has to be someone even greater than Jonah. If Jonah is full of questions, then hear our prophet greater than Jonah gives the answer. Hear the prophetic word of Jesus:

“But Jesus answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:39–41).

Yet, it was always in the heart of God to save all people through Christ, just as He promised to Abraham. This is the message of Epiphany.

Jonah resisted and God had to repent Him. Talk about passive righteousness! Jesus was actively obedient to the will of the Father for you. Talk about imputed righteousness! If Jonah has questions, Jesus is the answer! “Who knows?” Clearly, only Jesus knows, and knowing Jesus turns on a light of realization and revelation in this dark world. Hear three words from Jesus that turn everything around: “It is finished (John 19:30)!”

But now, the lingering question is: How do we get connected to Jesus’ three day stay in the tomb? Paul sheds light on the answer in Romans 6:3-4:

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried, therefore, with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Jesus is our prophet greater than Jonah and our real big fish! In Christ, we are repented by God and sent out with words to speak. Listen to Peter speak two words of repentance to the crowds in Acts 2:38 when he cries out, “Be baptized!” Jesus, the Word made manifest in the flesh, does everything for you. He is the answer to the biggest question. All who know Jesus, in fact, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). What else is there left to say but one word: “Amen!”

Ideally the “Question Answered Structure” suits the text and the preaching event.

“This structure identifies a significant question for the hearers (in other words, one that cannot be easily answered and that addresses matters that are significant to the hearers) and then theologically considers one or more feasible answers before arriving at a satisfactory resolution.

The question is simple, memorable, and remains the same throughout the entire sermon. It cannot be answered with a “yes or no” but invites the hearers into processing various answers (Nineveh, Jonah, the Lord, Jesus). The movement toward a faithful answer provides the dynamic progression of the sermon. This progression could be a movement from false answers to a true answer or from partial answers to a full answer. The preacher avoids trite false answers that will insult the hearers and he seeks to have a final resolution that proceeds from the Gospel.

The sermon usually opens by depicting the human or textual dilemma that raises the focusing question (“Who knows?”). The answers are then arranged in a climactic scheme, offering more development to the later answers. In dismissing the false or partial answers, the preacher is clear about the theological reasoning that guides the discussion and thereby teaches the hearers how to think through matters theologically. Along the way, the preacher is careful not to raise distracting issues or to change the question. Finally, the sermon concludes by proclaiming the satisfactory gospel-based answer.”[2]

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Additional Resources:

Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Jonah 3:1-5, 10.

Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Jonah 3:1-5, 10.

Text Week-A treasury of resources from various traditions to help you preach Jonah 3:1-5, 10.

Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!

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^[1] Boyce, Richard. “Exegetical Perspective on Jonah 3:1–5, 10,” in “Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year B,” edited by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, volume 1. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008. 267.

[2] https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/thematic/question-answered/