John Calvin Commentary Jonah 1:3

"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah." — Jonah 1:3 (ASV)

Jonah now relates how he sought hiding places, so that he might withdraw himself from the service of God; not that he deceived himself with such a crude notion that he would no longer be under the power of God after having crossed the sea, but he intended to shun, as it were, the light of this present life by going to a foreign country. He was, no doubt, not only in a disturbed state of mind when he formed such a purpose but was utterly confused.

It may be asked why Jonah thus avoided the command of God. The Jews, indulging in superficial trifles in divine things, say that he feared lest, when he came to Nineveh, he should be deprived of the prophetic spirit, as though he were not in the same danger by crossing the sea: this is very frivolous and childish. Furthermore, they blend things of no weight when reasons sufficiently important present themselves to us.

First, it was a new and unusual thing for Prophets to be drawn away from the chosen people and sent to heathen nations. When Peter was sent to Cornelius (Acts 10:17), though he had been instructed about the future call of the Gentiles, he still doubted; he hesitated until he was, as it were, forcibly driven by a vision.

What then must have come to the mind of Jonah? If Peter's mind was disquieted on account of only one man, so that he thought it an illusion when he was sent as a teacher to Cornelius, what must Jonah have thought when he was sent to such a populous city?

Therefore, novelty, doubtless, must have violently shaken the courage of the holy Prophet and induced him to go elsewhere, as one lacking understanding. Again, doubt might have had an influence on him: for how could he have hoped that a people, who were notorious for their licentiousness, would be converted?

He had indeed previously experienced the hardness of the chosen people. He had been faithfully engaged in his office; he had omitted nothing to confirm the worship of God and true religion among the people of Israel, but he had effected little. And yet the Jews had been called from the womb.

What then could he hope when the Lord removed him to Nineveh? For unbridled licentiousness ruled there; there was also extreme blindness; they had no knowledge of divine worship. In a word, they were sunk in extreme darkness, and the devil reigned there in every way. Doubt, then, must have broken down Jonah's spirit, so that he disobeyed God's command.

Furthermore, the weakness of the flesh must have hindered him from following his legitimate call: “What then? Even this: I must go to the chief city of that monarchy, which currently treads the whole earth under its feet. I must go there, an obscure and despised man; and then I must proclaim a message that will excite the greatest hatred and instantly kindle the minds of men into rage. And what must I say to the Ninevites? ‘You are wicked men; God can no longer endure your impiety; therefore, a dreadful vengeance is near at hand.’ How will I be received?” Jonah then, still being surrounded by the infirmities of the flesh, must have given way to fear, which dislodged the love of obedience.

And I have no doubt in my own mind that Jonah discussed these things within himself, for he was not a log of wood. And doubtless, as I have already said, it was not for no purpose that he mentions that the city was great. God indeed sought to remove what might prove a hindrance, but Jonah, on the other hand, reasoned thus: “I see that I am to have a fierce contest; indeed, that such a number of people will fall on me, enough to overwhelm me a hundred times, as the Lord has not in vain foretold me that the city is great.” And though he might have had some hope, if they had been chastised, that they would give God His due honor, yet he confesses that this hindrance came to his mind, which prevented him from proceeding in the course of his calling.

Therefore, doubt, as well as the fear of the flesh, made Jonah stumble, and novelty also, as I have already said, must have perplexed him, so that he preferred to go down, as it were, to the grave, rather than undertake an office which apparently had no reason in its favor.

For why were the Prophets sent, except to achieve something by their labor and to bring forth some fruit? But of this Jonah had no hope. Some authority was also allowed the Prophets; at least they were allowed the liberty of teaching. But Jonah thought that all entrance was closed to him. And furthermore, Jonah thought that he was opposing the covenant of the Lord, who had chosen one people only. He also thought that he was, as it were, fixed to his own land, as he was appointed a Teacher in his own country; therefore, he could not move elsewhere without feeling great repugnance.

I therefore think that Jonah disobeyed the command of God, partly because the weakness of the flesh was a hindrance, partly because of the novelty of the message, and partly because he despaired of fruit or success in his teaching.

But he doubtless transgressed grievously: for the first rule, regarding all our actions, is to follow the call of God. Though one may excel in heroic virtues, yet all his virtues are mere fumes, which shine before the eyes of men, unless the object is to obey God. The call of God then, as I have said, holds the first place regarding the conduct of men; and unless we lay this foundation, we are like one who would build a house in the air.

Then the whole course of our life will be disordered, unless God presides over and guides us, and raises up over us, as it were, His own banners. Since Jonah then subverted the first and only firm foundation of right conduct, what could have remained for him? There is then no reason for us to extenuate his fault, for he could not have sinned more grievously than by forsaking God, in having refused to obey His call: it was, as it were, to shake off the yoke; and this he himself confesses.

Therefore, those who wish to be his apologists write very childishly, since he twice condemns himself: Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of Jehovah—to go to Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah. Why does he repeat, a second time, “from the presence of Jehovah”? He meant, no doubt, to express his fault more distinctly here; and the repetition is indeed very emphatic. And it also clearly proves that it was not a slight offense when Jonah went elsewhere when he was sent to Nineveh.

He could not, indeed, have departed from the Lord, for God fills heaven and earth; and, as I have said already, he was not captivated by such a crude error as to think that, when he became a fugitive, he was beyond the reach of God’s hand. What then is it to flee from the face of Jehovah, except it is that which he here confesses: that he fled from the presence of God, as though he wished, like runaway servants, to reject the government of God? Since Jonah was carried away by this violent temptation, there is no reason why we should now try, by some vain and frivolous pretenses, to excuse his sin. This is one thing.

With regard to the word Tharsis, or Tharsisa, I do not doubt that it means Cilicia. There are those who think that it is the city Tarsus, but they are mistaken, for it is the name of a country. They are also mistaken who translate it as “Sea,” for Jonah intended not only to go to sea but also to cross over into Cilicia, which is opposite the Syrian Sea. But the Jews called that the Sea of Tarshish, as it appears from many passages, because there was very frequent sailing to that place. Since that transmarine country was more known to them than any other, and as they carried their merchandise there and in turn purchased their goods, they called that the Sea of Tarshish, as is well known, it being near it.

Jonah then intended to flee into Cilicia when the Lord would have sent him to Nineveh. It is said that he rose up to flee, and then, that he went down to Joppa, that he found a ship there which was crossing over to Tarshish, that he paid the fare, that he went down into the ship to go with them into Cilicia: now by all these expressions Jonah intimates that he was wholly fixed in his purpose, and that it was necessary for him to be brought back by a strong hand, for he was touched by no repentance during his journey.

Many things may indeed come to our minds when the call of God appears too burdensome to us. There is none of us, when service is to be performed to God, who does not turn this and that over in his mind: “What will be the outcome? How will you reach the place where you expect to be? See what dangers await you.”

For Satan always comes forward whenever we resolve to obey God; but we are to struggle in this case and then repel what we see to be contrary to our calling. But Jonah shows that he was obstinately fixed in his purpose of fleeing, for he not only intended to go to Tarshish but he actually went down to the city Joppa, which was near Judea. And therefore some think that Tarshish was Africa; but this is strained.

Others surmise it to be Thunetus or Carthage, as though these cities were indeed built at that time; but men are very bold in dreaming. But what need is there to give a new meaning to this word against the most common usage of Scripture when it is evident enough that Tarshish is Cilicia?

Now, when Jonah went down to Joppa, it was evident that he intended immediately to migrate from the land of Judah and to cross the sea. But by saying that he paid the fare, that he went down into the ship, that he might go—by this gradual progress, he sets before us, as I have said, his own perverseness more fully, so that he admits that he not only resolutely purposed to reject the call of God but that he also confirmed himself in it. And though there were many things to be done which might have sometimes forced him to stand still, he yet constantly followed where his perverse and blind impulse led him. There is no doubt then that Jonah, in these distinct words, sets himself forth as a fugitive, not only by one act but by many acts.

Now, regarding his flight, we must bear in mind what I have said before: that all who do not willingly obey His commandments flee from the presence of God. This is not because they can depart farther from Him, but because they seek, as far as they can, to confine God within narrow limits and to exempt themselves from being subject to His power.

No one, indeed, openly confesses this; yet the fact itself shows that no one withdraws himself from obedience to God’s commands without seeking to diminish and, as it were, to take from Him His power, so that He may no longer rule. Whoever, then, does not willingly subject himself to God, it is the same as though he would turn his back on Him and reject His authority so that he may no longer be under His power and dominion.

It is worthy of notice that as Jonah represents himself as guilty before the whole world, so he intended by his example to show how great and detestable a sin it is not to submit to the commands of God, and not to undertake whatever He enjoins, but to evade His authority. So that he might then enhance the atrocity of his sin, he shows by his own example that we cannot rebel against God without seeking, under some pretense or another, to thrust Him from His throne and, at the same time, to confine Him within certain limits so that He may not include heaven and earth within His empire.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You have not sent a Jonah to us when we were alienated from every hope of salvation, but have given Your Son to be our Teacher, clearly to show us the way of salvation, and not only to call us to repentance by threatening and terrors but also kindly to allure us to the hope of eternal life and to be a pledge of Your paternal love—O grant that we may not reject so remarkable a favor offered to us, but willingly and from the heart obey You; and though the condition which You set before us in Your Gospel may seem hard, and though the bearing of the cross is bitter to our flesh, yet may we never shun to obey You, but present ourselves to You as a sacrifice; and having overcome all the hindrances of this world, may we thus proceed in the course of our holy calling until we are at length gathered into Your celestial kingdom, under the guidance of Christ Your Son, our Lord. Amen.