Jonah and the Whale

[Ohana]

Can anyone help me with this. Our grandson really scoffs at the Jonah and the Whale story, saying that that is impossible. The God can do anything argument just isn’t making it. Then I realized that I really do not know the meaning of that story at all well. I remember it had something to do with Jonah refusing to do something that God asked of him, and the response was the whale swallowing him. I find that a little fantastic myself! I understand that God may discipline, but how did this story evolve. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

 

[OraLabora]

Can anyone help me with this. Our grandson really scoffs at the Jonah and the Whale story, saying that that is impossible. The God can do anything argument just isn’t making it. Then I realized that I really do not know the meaning of that story at all well. I remember it had something to do with Jonah refusing to do something that God asked of him, and the response was the whale swallowing him. I find that a little fantastic myself! I understand that God may discipline, but how did this story evolve. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

At the risk of upsetting many here, I think the story is allegory. Remember that interpreting a Bible passage literally is not the same thing as taking a literalist interpretation of the Bible. The former means interpreting the story at face value (disobey God and you will be punished), the second means you think it is a historical fact as well.

Believing the story to be literal, historical fact, is not de fide. The Church doesn’t require you to believe it to be a historical fact.

 

[Planty_Pall]

One difficulty with making the story allegorical is that Christ is recorded as having said in the Gospel that as Jonas was three days in the belly of the whale, so Jesus would be in the heart of the earth. There is value in allegory. Good lessons can be learned. I am not against allegory on principle. But the correct interpretation of the story is revealed if we can understand how Christ understood it.

Notice the context of the passage. His enemies were demanding that Jesus give them a sign, a sign authenticating His claims. Saying that He would give them the sign of Jonas, how would this work unless one understands the Jonas event to be a miracle? Furthermore, if Jonas is allegorical, what about the Death and Resurrection of Christ? Maybe Jesus intends only to give the evil and adulterous generation allegories rather than a literal miracle? Of course that won’t fit with Catholic doctrine, and I know that few here would contend for the Resurrection as an allegory, but to me that would be where the Jonas allegory theory would naturally lead.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee. Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

—Mt. 12:38-40

 

[OraLabora]

One difficulty with making the story allegorical is that Christ is recorded as having said in the Gospel that as Jonas was three days in the belly of the whale, so Jesus would be in the heart of the earth. There is value in allegory. Good lessons can be learned. I am not against allegory on principle. But the correct interpretation of the story is revealed if we can understand how Christ understood it.

Not necessarily. He could have easily been using a story to make a point. After all He did say “I am the door”, as well as the “bread of life”. Clearly he is not literally a door, but the “bread of life” discourse took place in an entirely different context, that of the Last Supper.

Moreover, the “whale”, in a figurative sense, can signify a prison, yet keep the entire story true.

Theologians are divided on this one, and wisely the Church has not pronounced one way or the other.

My point is that we are not required either believe it in a literalist way. I choose not to believe it in a literalist way (and I think my post was pretty clear that it was my opinion), you choose to believe it in a literalist way. In terms of a faith walk, we are both right, because either way we believe it nourishes, rather than detracts from, our faith

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

My wife read somewhere that it is, in fact, possible to survive in a whale’s belly for up to three days.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Can anyone help me with this. Our grandson really scoffs at the Jonah and the Whale story, saying that that is impossible. The God can do anything argument just isn’t making it. Then I realized that I really do not know the meaning of that story at all well. I remember it had something to do with Jonah refusing to do something that God asked of him, and the response was the whale swallowing him. I find that a little fantastic myself! I understand that God may discipline, but how did this story evolve. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

You should open your Bible and read the entire story yourself and with your grandson. Jonah refused to go to the Ninivites (enemies of the Isrealites) and preach to them. When he tries to run away by sailing off in the opposite direction, God causes a storm at sea and Jonah is then swallowed by the whale (or big fish). Jonah is spit out 3 days later on the shores of Ninivah.

He does preach and the people repent, so God spares the city. This angers Jonah, who then sulks and God needs to teach him another lesson.

The story has quite a bit of application in our own lives as we busily go about avoiding God’s will and thinking we know better than He does. It was well known to Jesus who uses it as an allegory when He talks about His resurrection.

Marine biologists have speculated on what type of whale/fish it might have been and there is actually quite a bit written about that. Maybe an interesting thing to research.

However, whether or not the story is literally true, it is still a story that teaches us quite a bit. And the faith that God can indeed do anything, is something that it would be good if your grandson developed. However, if he is a young child and just being cocky, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

PS-If he is a young child, the veggietales version is hilarious.

 

[edwest2]

I find it interesting that for some, only a naturalistic explanation will do. On Catholic Answers, I see that the Church is counted as wise when it does not require a belief that Jonah was literally swallowed by a whale. While it is appropriate to look at certain things in the Bible as a parable or as a comparison, such as Jesus referring to bread and wine as His body and blood, the Church teaches us that the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus is contained in the Eucharist.

God has the ability to do things we cannot.

Peace,
Ed

 

[HelenRose]

You should open your Bible and read the entire story yourself and with your grandson. Jonah refused to go to the Ninivites (enemies of the Isrealites) and preach to them. When he tries to run away by sailing off in the opposite direction, God causes a storm at sea and Jonah is then swallowed by the whale (or big fish). Jonah is spit out 3 days later on the shores of Ninivah.

He does preach and the people repent, so God spares the city. This angers Jonah, who then sulks and God needs to teach him another lesson.

The story has quite a bit of application in our own lives as we busily go about avoiding God’s will and thinking we know better than He does. It was well known to Jesus who uses it as an allegory when He talks about His resurrection.

Marine biologists have speculated on what type of whale/fish it might have been and there is actually quite a bit written about that. Maybe an interesting thing to research.

However, whether or not the story is literally true, it is still a story that teaches us quite a bit. And the faith that God can indeed do anything, is something that it would be good if your grandson developed. However, if he is a young child and just being cocky, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

PS-If he is a young child, the veggietales version is hilarious.

If he is a not a young child the veggietales version is still hilarious.

I can’t think of a better story in the world to explain what it means to run away from God. When some one runs away for God they are “in the belly of a whale” far from the light of Christ - cold, damp and miserable. I especially like the ending of the story. Poor Jonah went on the limb and told everyone they were going to die (ei - go to Hell) Then this doesn’t happen. He shows us our very human nature by sulking.

 

[meltzerboy]

You should open your Bible and read the entire story yourself and with your grandson. Jonah refused to go to the Ninivites (enemies of the Isrealites) and preach to them. When he tries to run away by sailing off in the opposite direction, God causes a storm at sea and Jonah is then swallowed by the whale (or big fish). Jonah is spit out 3 days later on the shores of Ninivah.

He does preach and the people repent, so God spares the city. This angers Jonah, who then sulks and God needs to teach him another lesson.

The story has quite a bit of application in our own lives as we busily go about avoiding God’s will and thinking we know better than He does. It was well known to Jesus who uses it as an allegory when He talks about His resurrection.

Marine biologists have speculated on what type of whale/fish it might have been and there is actually quite a bit written about that. Maybe an interesting thing to research.

However, whether or not the story is literally true, it is still a story that teaches us quite a bit. And the faith that God can indeed do anything, is something that it would be good if your grandson developed. However, if he is a young child and just being cocky, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

PS-If he is a young child, the veggietales version is hilarious.

And G-d does teach Jonah another lesson by means of a tree which is eaten by a worm. The meaning of the present tale–which, by the way, is read on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in the synagogue–is what you stated: we are often asked to accomplish things by G-d yet refuse to listen to Him, preferring the comfort and security of our surroundings. The fact that G-d had asked Jonah to save the people of the Assyrian city, Ninevah, by telling them to repent, was not appealing to Jonah, because the Assyrians were the enemies of the Jewish people and would in fact wage war against them, as Jonah prophesies. Furthermore, the Jews also needed to repent at the time as they were drifting away from G-d. G-d shows us, however, His enduring love and mercy for ALL his creation, not just the Jews, by making this request of Jonah. Like Jonah, we must all make a new beginning and exercise our free will in the service of G-d, rather than avoiding what we know we must do in favor of our own earthly pursuits and comforts.

 

[gferrer]

My wife read somewhere that it is, in fact, possible to survive in a whale’s belly for up to three days.

Here’s a (skeptical) link about the most famous story, that of James Bartley.

 

[Miriam1947]

And G-d does teach Jonah another lesson by means of a tree which is eaten by a worm. The meaning of the present tale–which, by the way, is read on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in the synagogue–is what you stated: we are often asked to accomplish things by G-d yet refuse to listen to Him, preferring the comfort and security of our surroundings. The fact that G-d had asked Jonah to save the people of the Assyrian city, Ninevah, by telling them to repent, was not appealing to Jonah, because the Assyrians were the enemies of the Jewish people and would in fact wage war against them, as Jonah prophesies. Furthermore, the Jews also needed to repent at the time as they were drifting away from G-d. G-d shows us, however, His enduring love and mercy for ALL his creation, not just the Jews, by making this request of Jonah. Like Jonah, we must all make a new beginning and exercise our free will in the service of G-d, rather than avoiding what we know we must do in favor of our own earthly pursuits and comforts.

Beautiful answer.

 

[HelenRose]

I really do think that this story is a parable just like the stories that Jesus told to get his message across to the people.

 

[mark_a]

Can anyone help me with this. Our grandson really scoffs at the Jonah and the Whale story, saying that that is impossible. The God can do anything argument just isn’t making it. Then I realized that I really do not know the meaning of that story at all well. I remember it had something to do with Jonah refusing to do something that God asked of him, and the response was the whale swallowing him. I find that a little fantastic myself! I understand that God may discipline, but how did this story evolve. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

I heard Karl Keating say on a Catholic Answers Live show once that there are (I presume documented) cases of persons surviving a whale swallowing.

 

[Warrenton]

At the risk of upsetting many here, I think the story is allegory. Remember that interpreting a Bible passage literally is not the same thing as taking a literalist interpretation of the Bible. The former means interpreting the story at face value (disobey God and you will be punished), the second means you think it is a historical fact as well.

Believing the story to be literal, historical fact, is not de fide. The Church doesn’t require you to believe it to be a historical fact.

I am curious. How are we to decide what is “allegorical?” Are the 10 commandments allegorical? What about the entire book of Exodus? What about Uriah, his wife, and Goliath? King David?

What about the blessed Virgin, St. Joseph? It would explain nicely why there are no graves for these folks, no?

Perhaps, really, all we have is a divinely inspired story, in which only the message is important.

Perhaps, though, divinity itself is an allegory. But for what? What if allegories are simply themselves allegories, and everything is a symbol, in an infinite regression toward complete, total, invinceable disbelief.

 

[Timothysis]

I am curious. How are we to decide what is “allegorical?” Are the 10 commandments allegorical? What about the entire book of Exodus? What about Uriah, his wife, and Goliath? King David?

What about the blessed Virgin, St. Joseph? It would explain nicely why there are no graves for these folks, no?

Perhaps, really, all we have is a divinely inspired story, in which only the message is important.

Perhaps, though, divinity itself is an allegory. But for what? What if allegories are simply themselves allegories, and everything is a symbol, in an infinite regression toward complete, total, invinceable disbelief.

The Church herself acknowledges that some books of scripture are written in different styles that, while not literally “true,” serve to teach or instill a certain perspective or lesson. The bible is not a history book in the sense of what we call history today. Jesus used parables to explain Himself, and certain books of the bible do the same.

 

[Timothysis]

I heard Karl Keating say on a Catholic Answers Live show once that there are (I presume documented) cases of persons surviving a whale swallowing.

I wonder just how many documented cases of whale swallowings exists, least of all how many people who have survived said swallowing.

Why is it always necessary to somehow prove that the bible is “true?”

 

[petrel]

Can anyone help me with this. Our grandson really scoffs at the Jonah and the Whale story, saying that that is impossible. The God can do anything argument just isn’t making it. Then I realized that I really do not know the meaning of that story at all well. I remember it had something to do with Jonah refusing to do something that God asked of him, and the response was the whale swallowing him. I find that a little fantastic myself! I understand that God may discipline, but how did this story evolve. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

It is a true story which was recorded. The veracity of the story is made evident by the fact that it was retained in Holy Scripture by the Jews and by the New Testament church. The idea that it was not a real story but was an allegory is a modernist invention of the late 1800’s.

Perhaps the story of Christ being dead and buried for three days and then being resurrected is also hard to swallow (pardon the pun) but does that mean we don’t believe it? No of course not. What I find hard to stomach (pardon the pun) is the lack of belief shown by Catholics who give lip service to the scriptures, but then whenever they feel it convenient to not believe it they conveniently allegorise it away. Worse still, they invoke the church fathers and the Church teaching in order to justify their unbelief.

Augustine, when faced with the mocking scorn of the pagans when they heard this story replied with this same argument newadvent.org/fathers/1102102.htm See Question 6

Nothing has changed. Unbelief has its stronghold. The only difference is that now instead of the Pagans mocking the story of Jonah and the Whale, now the Catholics are.

 

[MarkThompson]

I am curious. How are we to decide what is “allegorical?”

It is not your job to decide anything at all. From the Council of Trent:
It decrees, that no one, relying on his own skill, shall, – in matters of faith, and of morals pertaining to the edification of Christian doctrine, – wresting the sacred Scripture to his own senses, presume to interpret the said sacred Scripture contrary to that sense which holy mother Church, – whose it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy Scriptures, – hath held and doth hold . . . .
Thus, to the extent it makes a moral or spiritual different, it is the office of the Church to “decide what is allegorical.” In just the same way, the Church tells us which of the commandments of the Old Testament to obey and which to ignore (Decalogue, yes; ban on clothing of mixed fibers, no). This is why the anti-Biblical attack “if you are going to condemn homosexuality, then you have to condemn everything else that is forbidden in Leviticus too, or you are a hypocrite,” however effective it may be against the so-called Bible-based Protestant churches, is logically ineffective against the Catholic Church. One of the functions for which Christ established a Church on earth was to pronounce definitively on such interpretative questions. Likewise, in the slippery-slope sort of dilemma you are proposing.

 

[OraLabora]

I wonder just how many documented cases of whale swallowings exists, least of all how many people who have survived said swallowing.

Why is it always necessary to somehow prove that the bible is “true?”

Although I am inclined to believe the story is not materially accurate, if one does accept it as a historical fact, one does it on the basis of faith alone. There’s no point in trying to rationalize a story like this; if you can rationalize an experience or prove it scientifically, then faith isn’t necessary to believe it.

Faith is belief in something that is beyond proof by rational means. And trying to prove something something like this is really only trying to deconstruct someone’s faith.

Regardless though of whether you belief that Jonah was swallowed by a real whale, or a figurative one, the story itself is true, and true prophecy.

 

[Ohana]

At the risk of upsetting many here, I think the story is allegory. Remember that interpreting a Bible passage literally is not the same thing as taking a literalist interpretation of the Bible. The former means interpreting the story at face value (disobey God and you will be punished), the second means you think it is a historical fact as well.

Believing the story to be literal, historical fact, is not de fide. The Church doesn’t require you to believe it to be a historical fact.

Thanks Oralabora. I think part of the problem here is that our grandson was told the story when he was preschool age. They are pretty literal at that age. I agree it looks to be allegorical.