Lecture 6

Lecture 6

[THE TEXT] VERSE 8. They that wait upon lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Verse 9. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

[Calvin] Here Jonah first says that men wretchedly err when they turn aside to their own superstitions, because they thereby deprive themselves of their chief happiness. For he calls “mercy” whatever aid or help toward salvation is to be desired. The sense, therefore, is that as soon as men turn away from the true God, they are immediately estranged also from life and salvation, and no hope remains with them — because, of their own accord, they cast from themselves whatever good thing might be hoped for or wished for.

Some gather here a contrary sense — that superstitious men, when they return to goodness, leave their shame behind them, for the Hebrew word is sometimes taken for “reproach.” These, therefore, think that here is described the manner of true repentance — that when God calls men back from their error into the way of salvation, and gives them a sound mind, they then cast off all their vices. This, truly, is a true thing in itself, but the sense here is too much strained. Others restrict it to the shipmen who had vowed sacrifice to God, as though Jonah meant that they soon fell back again into their former foolish ways, and let go of God, who by his mercy had delivered them from shipwreck — and so these expositors interpret “their mercy” to mean God himself; but this too is too much restricted.

I do not doubt that Jonah here sets his own piety against the wicked inventions of men, because a little after it follows: “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of praise.” Therefore, before Jonah professes that he will be acceptable to God, he triumphs over all the feigned inventions which men have wickedly devised for themselves, and by which they are drawn away from the true God and his sincere religion. For “lying vanities” he calls all the devices of men, whereby men deceive themselves — for it is certain that these are mere fallacies and deceits which men frame for themselves without the word of God, because there is one only and simple truth, which the Lord has revealed to us by his word. Whosoever, therefore, departs from it, this way or that, even by one jot, deliberately brings upon himself a kind of deception, whereby he destroys himself.

They, therefore, who follow such vanities, says Jonah, forsake their own mercy — that is, cut themselves off from all happiness. For there is no aid or help to be hoped for elsewhere but from God alone. But this place is diligently to be noted, for hence we gather what account is to be made of all superstitions — that is, of all the opinions or imaginations of men when they will, at their own pleasure, institute a religion — for Jonah calls them lying, or deceitful, vanities. There is, therefore, one only true religion, which the Lord has delivered to us in his word.

Again, this is to be noted: that men busy themselves in vain while they follow their own inventions. For the more vigorously they run, the further they depart from the way, as Augustine says. But Jonah here takes a higher principle — that God alone contains in himself all fullness of good things. Whosoever, therefore, seeks after God rightly, and with sincere religion, shall find in God whatsoever is to be desired unto salvation. But God is not truly sought except in obedience and faith. Whosoever, therefore, dares so to loosen the rein upon themselves that they follow this or that without the word of God — because they depart from God, they also, at the same time, deprive themselves of all good things.

But superstitious men think that they profit much while they labour at their own inventions — but we see what the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of Jonah, here pronounces — even as the Lord himself also said by Jeremiah: “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have dug for themselves cisterns, yea, broken cisterns that can hold no water,” etc. God there complains of the elect people, who turned to wicked superstitions. When, therefore, men wander outside the word of God, they, in a sort, drive God himself away from them, or bid him farewell. And so it comes to pass that they are deprived of all good things, because, apart from God, there is no hope or salvation to be found.

Very fittingly, therefore, Jonah immediately adds: “But I, with the voice of praise, will sacrifice unto thee.” As if he should say: “Since men cast themselves into exile when they give themselves over to their errors, therefore unto thee alone, O Lord, will I sacrifice.” All this is to be diligently marked by us — for since our wits, or dispositions, are prone toward lies and vanities, every superstition will easily carry us away at the first, unless we are held in check by this — that we are surely persuaded that perfect salvation, and whatsoever help or aid is to be looked for, rests in God alone. And when this is well and thoroughly imprinted in our hearts, then shall true religion not easily depart from us — although Satan, on every side, lay his deceitful snares for us, yet shall we continue in the true and right religion of God.

And so much the more diligently is this place to be marked, in that Jonah here would confirm himself in the right course of piety. For he perceived that he, like all mortal men, was prone to like of lying vanities, unless he should encourage himself to constancy. And he confirms himself by pronouncing that whatsoever superstition men invent amounts to the deprivation of chief happiness, of life, and of salvation. And hereby it comes to pass that we abhor all error, if we are persuaded that we leave the true God, and, along with him, cast away from ourselves our salvation and whatsoever good thing may be wished for, when we do not obey his word.

“I will, therefore, sacrifice unto thee with the voice of praise,” says Jonah. And here again is to be noted that the true worship of God chiefly consists in praise and thanksgiving, as is said in Psalm 50. For there God shows that he makes no account of any sacrifices unless they tend to this end and purpose — that his name may be celebrated and praised. He would, in the law, have sacrifices offered to him indeed, but to another end. For God was never content merely with the sacrifice of calves, oxen, goats, and lambs, but would also be acknowledged as the author of all good things — and therefore in that psalm he says, “Sacrifice unto me the sacrifice of praise.”

So again Jonah here, when he might have said more simply, “I, O Lord, will acknowledge that thou hast saved my life,” says instead, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of praise.” But if this was of force under the shadows of the law, the same is much more to be marked by us — that we go about, not in a crude manner, to worship God, but spiritually, when we confess that our life depends upon him and proceeds from him alone, that we are in his hand, that we are indebted to him for all good things — finally, that he is the author and fountain of salvation, and not of salvation only, but also of wisdom, righteousness, and virtue.

Then afterward he adds his vows: “I,” he says, “will pay my vows.” In what manner we ought to understand the term “vows,” we have spoken of in another place. For the holy fathers did not make a bargain with God, as the Papists are accustomed to do at this day, who endeavour to please God with their trifles — when one abstains for certain days from eating flesh, another clothes himself in haircloth, one undertakes a pilgrimage, and another puts forward some other device to God. Nothing of this kind was found in the vows of the holy fathers — their vows were pure thanksgiving, a testimony of gratitude. And therefore Jonah here joins his vows with the sacrifice of praise, whereby we gather that they are not contrary to one another, for he repeats one thing twice. Jonah, therefore, named his vows to God for no other purpose than to bear testimony of his thankfulness — and therefore he adds: “Salvation is of the Lord” — that is, it belongs to God alone to save. For here “the Lord” is put in the dative case, the sense being that salvation belongs to him. Well, “salvation is of the Lord,” that is: the office of salvation belongs to no other than the most high God.

Seeing it is so, how mad they are we may see, who transfer praise and thanksgiving to any other — as happens whenever every man frames for himself an idol. Since, therefore, there is one God alone who saves, it is fitting to refer all our praises unto him alone, that we defraud him not of his right — this is the sum. Now it follows.

[The Text] Verse 10. And the Lord spoke unto the fish, and it cast out Jonah upon the dry land.

[Calvin] Here is the deliverance of Jonah described to us in few words, but it is very necessary to weigh the matter diligently. This was a wonderful miracle — Jonah alive and safe, lying in the bowels of the fish for the space of three days. How did it come to pass that he was not a thousand times suffocated or choked by the waters, as we know fish daily take in water? Certainly Jonah could not breathe there, and the life of man without breath can scarcely endure a moment of time — therefore, contrary to nature, Jonah was there preserved. Again, how could it be that the fish should vomit up Jonah upon the shore, unless God, with a wonderful power, had drawn the fish thither, and, again, against nature, had opened both its bowels and its mouth? This coming forth out of the fish’s belly is full of wonder — yea, of many miracles.

But Jonah, that he might the more extol the immeasurable power of God, uses the word “spoke,” whereby we gather that nothing is laborious to God, because with his mere word he could bring to pass so great a matter as far surpasses all our understanding. If Jonah had said that he was delivered by the benefit and grace of God, it would have been less forceful than now, when he uses the word of commanding — “God spoke.”

But seeing that this deliverance of Jonah is an image of our resurrection, this place is most worthy of note, because the Holy Ghost lifts up our minds unto that commandment whereby the world was created, and by which it is still, at this day, marvellously preserved. Therefore, that the restitution which God has promised may flourish and be of force with us without any hindrance or difficulty, let us remember that by his word and command the world was created out of nothing, and is still sustained. But if that general doctrine does not suffice, let this history of Jonah also come into our minds — that God commanded the fish that it should cast out Jonah. Whence, then, was it that Jonah escaped safe and sound? Even because it so pleased the Lord, because the Lord commanded. And that word retains the same power at this day — therefore, according to the power by which it works all things, we too, in time to come, shall be raised up from death. Now it follows.

Chapter 3

[The Text] Verse 1. And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying:

Verse 2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

[Calvin] Here is a notable example of the grace of God set before us — in that he vouchsafed to receive Jonah again into his former degree and honour, though Jonah was unworthy to live. But God not only restored him to life, but again adorned and dignified him with the office and title of a prophet. This, as I have said, Jonah did not obtain except by the rare and singular grace of God. For when he first fled and showed himself disobedient, he deprived himself, in a manner, of all favour from God —that he, therefore, recovered the office of a prophet, certainly did not come to pass through his own merit.

This is to be noted in the first place: that it is said the word of God came “the second time.” And now the manner of speaking is to be marked, because the word of God is directed to men in various ways. For God speaks to every one of us, but he speaks in a special manner to the prophets, whom he wills to be preachers and witnesses of his will. Therefore, as often as God places any man in a particular office, he is said to direct his word to him — even as the word of God is directed to magistrates when they are bidden to exercise the authority committed to them. So also the word of the Lord always came to the prophets, because it was not lawful for them to intrude themselves unless they were called by God.

Now follows the commandment: “Arise, and go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach there the preaching which I command thee.” We see here that God repeats again the same thing he had said at the beginning — that Nineveh is a great city — to the end that Jonah might take to himself an invincible courage, and might go there well prepared. For hereby it comes to pass that many men very boldly exercise their office for a time, but soon after grow faint, because the difficulties were not sufficiently foreseen by them. And then, when men find more trouble than they expected at the beginning, they even faint almost, or at the least are utterly discouraged.

Therefore the Lord here, in good time and very providently, forewarns Jonah how hard his office would be — as if he had said: “I send thee, a man unknown, of base estate, and a foreigner, that thou mayest denounce destruction, not to a few men, but to a great multitude, and that thou mayest have a conflict with a most renowned city, and one so populous that it may seem to be a whole region.”

Now, therefore, we know why the praise of the city was added — that it was a great city — so that Jonah might prepare himself to undertake and pass through this contest, lest he should afterward faint in the midst of his course. But mark that the fear of this very thing — that the city was great and populous — had, at the beginning, wonderfully dismayed him, so that he fled from the calling of God. But now he is nothing moved by the greatness of that city, but constantly follows the Lord wherever he calls him. We see, therefore, how faith, once it has gained the victory in our hearts, mounts aloft over all impediments, and despises all the greatness and glory of this world. Now it is added immediately.

[The Text] Verse 3. So Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.

[Calvin] When Jonah mentions that he took his journey to Nineveh according to the commandment of God, he shows first of all (as I have already said) how great the power and efficacy of faith is. For although Jonah reckons within himself the greatness and pride of the city of Nineveh, yet he is of such great courage that he forgets that he is but one man, obscure and unarmed — but forthwith he takes to himself those weapons which might beat down all the power of the world, because he knows that he is sent by God. He set God on his side, whom he knows to be the author of his calling. And hereby it comes to pass that, with a lofty and fearless mind, he despises all the glory of the city of Nineveh. Whereby we see that John spoke truly, that our victory consists in faith, whereby we overcome the whole world.

And withal Jonah declares how greatly he profited under the correction of God. He was severely chastened, and we know that many unbelievers grow the more obstinate and hard-hearted by punishment, and even spew out their madness and poison against God — but Jonah here, quite to the contrary, shows that this chastisement was profitable to him, because he was reclaimed to the obedience of God. He went forward, therefore, according to the commandment of God — that is, he had regard for nothing else but that he might obey God, and suffer himself to be wholly governed by him. And out of this place also we gather how well the Lord provides for us and our salvation when he corrects our contumacy or disobedience —although his chastisements be very sharp, yet because so great a profit ensues, we know that nothing better can come to us (as David speaks in Psalm 119) than to be humbled under the hand of God.

This alteration in Jonah, therefore, is to us a noble spectacle of the profit which the Lord always intends whenever he handles those who are his rather sharply — for surely, otherwise, neither the arrogance nor the rebellion, neither the dullness nor the sluggishness, of this our flesh can be tamed and reclaimed. Well — now also we know how Jonah gathered to himself such fortitude — even because he had, by experience, proved in the belly of the fish that even in the midst of a thousand deaths there is yet, in God, help sufficient to recover health and safety. And because he knew that the extremities of death are in the government and hand of God, even though the whole world should rise against him, he is not struck with such fear that he should, on that account, refuse the commandment of God. Therefore, the more any man perceives that God is favourable and beneficial toward him, so much the more courageously ought he to proceed in his office, and confidently commit his life and safety unto God, and constantly overcome all the dangers of this world.

Afterward he says that Nineveh was a great city, “of three days’ journey.” Some men labour much here to resolve a doubt where there is no cause, and to untie a knot where there is none — because it seems absurd to them that one city should contain in its compass about thirty of our leagues, or thereabouts. When they, therefore, conceive in their minds a kind of absurdity, they forthwith invent remedies — even that no man could so view the whole city as to survey all its lanes, all its streets, and all its public places in under three days; indeed, they add also that this should be understood not that a man should run through the city, or pass swiftly through it, but that he should slowly contemplate and observe it, pausing along the highways.

But these are childish excuses, for if we are to believe profane writers, Nineveh certainly was of that greatness which is here spoken of by Jonah. For they say it was four hundred furlongs in breadth. Now we know what space four hundred furlongs contain — since a furlong contains a hundred and twenty-five paces, eight furlongs make a mile. If, then, a man reckons, he shall find in a hundred furlongs twelve miles — there are, therefore, in four hundred furlongs forty-eight miles. Very well, therefore, does this agree with the testimony of Jonah. Again, Diodorus and Herodotus also say that there were, within the compass of the city, fifteen hundred towers. Seeing, then, that this was so, certainly the city could not have been less than is here declared by Jonah.

If these things seem to pass common credit, yet these writers did not invent this out of nothing. For, granting that many false things are found in Diodorus and Herodotus, yet as touching those cities, certainly they dared not lie — for Babylon, as it then stood, was in the sight of all men, and the ruined places of Nineveh also stood, although it had long before been overthrown. Again, we shall see, also, toward the end of the book, that the city was so great and populous that in it there were a hundred and twenty thousand children. Whosoever, therefore, will not receive the testimony of Jonah, let him feed himself upon the lies of the devil — for when there were in it so many children, what remains but that we should say the circuit of the city was very great indeed?

But what follows a little after seems to be contrary to this — for Jonah says that when he entered into the city, he finished, in one day, the course of the city, and preached. The answer is easy: that as soon as he entered into the city and began to publish the commandment of God, there immediately followed some conversion. Therefore Jonah signifies, not that in one day he passed through the whole city, but that on the first day he converted to himself part of the city — and then he ceased not to exhort all men to repentance, and so followed the conversion of the whole city — but not on the second, nor yet on the third day, as we may sufficiently gather. Now let us go on to the rest.

[The Text] Verse 4. And Jonah began to enter into the city one day’s journey, and cried, and said: Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed. [Calvin] Here Jonah pursues further what he had said before in one word — that he came to Nineveh according to the commandment of the Lord —where he declares how faithfully he executed the offices enjoined upon him, and so obeyed the word of God. Jonah, therefore, came, and began to enter the city, and to preach on the first day. This swiftness shows all the more how teachable Jonah was, and how greatly he studied to perform his duty toward God. For if any fear had still remained in his mind, he might have surveyed the city as careful and doubtful men do, enquiring what the condition of the place was, what were the dispositions of the men, what easy access there might be to them, what order was most fitting to take, and where the least danger lay.

Jonah, therefore, if he had still been hindered by the thoughts of the flesh, might have stayed three or four days, and then have begun to execute the office of a prophet. Well — this he does not do, but enters the city and cries out. Here we see how prompt and ready he was to obey, who before would cross the seas to escape from the Lord — but now he takes not a moment of time to deliberate, but even at the gate begins to testify that he came for this very cause, that he might obey God.

We see, therefore, how forcefully these words are to be read — the discourse truly is very plain. Jonah here sets down no colours of rhetoric, nor adorns his entrance into the city with any pompous show of speech. “Jonah,” he says, “entered the city.” He who is not fully versed in the Scriptures will say that this is a very cold manner of speech, but when we weigh these circumstances, we see that this simple speech has in it more force than all the pomp of the rhetoricians. Well — he entered the city, one day’s journey, and cried, and said. When he says that he spoke “crying out,” he again describes the boldness of his mind — that he did not creep along like a snail, as men in dangerous matters are accustomed to proceed, cautiously, very softly and gently. He says that he cried out. This liberty which he used declares that he was void of all fear, and endued with such a spirit of fortitude that it lifted him above all the impediments of the world.

And withal this is to be called to mind — how hateful his message was. For he did not reassure the Ninevites of God’s favour with pleasant speech, but threatened them, and seemed to offer them no hope of pardon. Jonah might, therefore, have reasoned with himself that this was a saying which might turn to the destruction of the speaker. “May I,” Jonah might have thought within himself, “denounce destruction upon so populous a city, and not immediately be slain? Will not the multitude, being enraged, stone me?” Jonah might surely have raised such thoughts within himself — but no fear was allowed to hinder him from performing the office enjoined upon him by his master, for he had been manifestly confirmed by the Lord. But it will be needful to join to this the next verse.

[The Text] Verse 5. So the men of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least. [Calvin] One thing escaped my notice in the third verse. Jonah said that the city of Nineveh was “a great city unto God.” This manner of speaking is sufficiently common in Scripture, for the Hebrews call that “divine,” or “of God,” whatsoever excels — so the cedars are called “the cedars of God,” and mountains “mountains of God,” and fields “fields of God,” if in height, or in any other quality, they excel. This city, therefore, is said to be “divine” in that, in comparison with others, it was most renowned. I mention this briefly, because certain men, very subtly, but almost childishly, call it “the city of God” because God took care for it, and in it would show such an example of conversion — but this manner of speaking is simply taken from common usage.

But now I return to the text. Jonah says that the citizens of Nineveh believed the Lord — and hereby we gather that the preaching of Jonah was not so brief that he did not first declare that he was the true prophet of God, and that he did not rashly utter those things which were commanded him. And then again we gather that Jonah so denounced destruction upon them that, withal, he showed that God was the avenger of all offences, and rebuked the Ninevites, and, as it were, cited them before the judgement seat of God, showing them their guilt. For if he had simply spoken of punishment, this certainly could not have prevailed, but would rather have made the Ninevites rise up against God. But when their faults and guilt were set before them, by this means they acknowledged that they deservedly suffered punishment — and this is a preparation for humility and repentance.

Each of these things is easily gathered from this word, when Jonah says that the Ninevites believed God. For unless they had been persuaded that this commandment proceeded from heaven, what manner of faith would theirs have been? Let us know, therefore, that Jonah so thoroughly declared his calling that the Ninevites held it for certain that he was a heavenly preacher — and from this came their faith. Again, the Ninevites would never have so believed God as to put on sackcloth, had they not been admonished of their sins. Hence, there is no doubt that Jonah, while he cried out against Nineveh, laid open, and set plainly before all men, how wickedly those men had lived, and how heinous and grievous their offences against God had been. And hereby it came to pass that they put on sackcloth, and humbly fled for succour to the mercy of God, because they understood that they had been rightly called to judgement for their wickedly led lives.

But it may be asked how the Ninevites believed God, since no hope of salvation was given to them — for there can be no faith without some taste of the fatherly benevolence of God. Whosoever conceives that God is displeased and angry with him must needs altogether despair. Since, therefore, Jonah gave them no taste of the goodness of God, he might rather, a hundred times, have terrified the Ninevites than once have called them to faith. But the expression may be a synecdoche — that is, a part put for the whole. For it is not the whole of faith when men, being called to repentance, submissively humble themselves before God — but it is a part of faith, as the Apostle says in Hebrews 11, that Noah “by faith feared.” There, in ascribing the fear which Noah conceived, upon the oracle of God, to faith, the Apostle teaches that fear is a part of faith, and proceeds from it. And yet the mind of the holy patriarch must have been raised up by some other means than mere threats, to build the ark as a sanctuary of safety for himself.

So also, by synecdoche, may this place be expounded — that the Ninevites believed the Lord — even because, when they understood that God was about to give them their deserved punishment, they submitted themselves to him, and yet, in the meantime, fled to him to seek pardon.

But there is no doubt that the Ninevites conceived, from the words of Jonah, more than a naked terror and fear — for if they had apprehended only that part, that they were guilty before God, and rightly called to pain and punishment, they would have been utterly confounded and dismayed with terror, and would never have aspired to the desire for pardon. Since, therefore, they humbly prostrated themselves before God, they certainly conceived some hope of grace and favour at God’s hand. Therefore, they were not so touched with repentance and the fear of God but that there was mingled with it some taste of grace also — so they believed God, because, although they understood that they were most worthy of death, they did not despair, but had recourse to prayer.

Since, therefore, we see that the Ninevites sought out that remedy, we may certainly think that they profited more from the preaching of Jonah than merely to understand that they were culpable in the sight of God. And this thing is certainly to be held. But we will speak more of it in the next lecture.

[The Prayer]

Grant, O almighty God, seeing that there is so much fearfulness in us, that none of us is fit to follow thee wherever thou callest us — grant that we, being instructed by the example of thy servant Jonah, may prepare ourselves unto perfect obedience; and whatsoever terrors Satan and the world may set against us, may we, being confirmed by confidence in thy power and aid, which thou hast promised unto us, go forward in the course of our calling, and at no time turn aside from it — but that we may so contend against all stumbling blocks and hindrances of this world, until we come to that heavenly kingdom, where we may enjoy both thee and Christ, thine only-begotten Son, who is our strength and salvation. And let thy Spirit cherish us, and confirm all our senses unto thine obedience, so that at length thy name may be glorified in us, and we may at last be made partakers of that glory to which thou invitest us by the same Christ our Lord. Amen.