John Calvin Commentary Jonah 1:5

"Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep." — Jonah 1:5 (ASV)

This narrative, in which Jonah relates in order so many circumstances, is not without its use; for, as we will soon see, he intended to show his own insensibility and to lay it before us as if painted before our eyes. The comparison, which is implied in the circumstances, greatly illustrates the lethargic and almost brutal security of Jonah.

He says first that the mariners were afraid, and then, that each cried, that is, to his god, and that they cast out into the sea the cargo of the ship. Since they were all so concerned, was it not astonishing that Jonah, on whose account the sea was stormy, was asleep?

Others were busy; they ran here and there in the ship and jettisoned their goods so that they might reach the shore in safety. They indeed chose to strip themselves of all they had rather than perish; they also cried to their gods. Jonah cared for nothing; indeed, he lay asleep. But from where did such carelessness as this come, except that he had not only become torpid, but also seemed to have been deprived of all reason and common feeling?

There is no doubt then that Jonah, to show this to have been the case, has here enumerated so many circumstances.

He says that the mariners were afraid. We indeed know that sailors are not usually frightened by small or common storms, for they are a hardy race of men, and they are less afraid because they daily see various commotions in the air. When, therefore, he says that the sailors were afraid, we conclude from this that it was not a moderate tempest, for such a storm does not terrify men accustomed by long experience to all sorts of storms. They, then, who had been previously hardened, were disturbed by fear.

He afterward adds that they cried, each of them to his god. Jonah certainly ought not to have slept so soundly, but should have been alert enough to rouse himself at almost any moment, for he carried in his heart his own executioner, as he knew that he was a fugitive. For we have said before that it was not a slight offense for Jonah to withdraw himself from the presence of God; he despised his call and, as far as he could, cast off the yoke so as not to obey God.

Since, then, Jonah was ill at ease with himself, should he not have trembled, even while asleep? But while others cried to their false gods, he either despised or at least neglected the true God, to whom he knew he was disobedient and against whom he rebelled. This is the point of the comparison, or of the antithesis.

But we see at the same time how in dangers men are compelled to call on God. Though, indeed, there is a certain natural impression concerning God on the hearts of men, so that everyone, willingly or unwillingly, is conscious that there is some Supreme Being; yet by our wickedness we smother this light, which ought to shine within us.

We indeed gladly cast away all cares and anxieties, for we wish to live at ease, and tranquility is the chief good for people. Thus it happens that all desire to live without fear and without care; and thus we all naturally seek peace. Yet this peace generates contempt. Therefore, hardly any religion appears in the world when God leaves us in an undisturbed condition.

Fear compels us, however unwilling, to come to God. What is said is indeed false: that fear is the cause of religion, and that it was the first reason why people thought that there were gods. This notion is indeed wholly inconsistent with common sense and experience. But religion, which has become nearly extinct, or at least covered over in the hearts of people, is stirred up by dangers.

Jonah gives a remarkable instance of this when he says that the sailors cried, each of them to his god. We know how unrefined this type of people is; they are disposed to shake off every sense of religion. They indeed drive away every fear and deride God himself as long as they can. Thus, that they cried to God was no doubt what necessity forced them to do.

And here we may learn how useful it is for us to be disturbed by fear; for while we are safe, lethargy, as is well known, soon creeps over us. Since, then, hardly anyone comes to God on his own, we need goads; and God sharply pricks us when He brings any danger, so as to compel us to tremble. But in this way, as I have already said, He stimulates us; for we see that all would go astray, and even perish in their thoughtlessness, if He were not to draw them back, even against their own will.

But Jonah does not simply say that each cried to God, but he adds, to his own god. As this passage teaches that men are compelled by necessity to seek God, it also shows, on the other hand, that people go astray in seeking God unless they are directed by heavenly truth and also by the Spirit of God. There is then some right desire in people, but it goes astray; for no one will keep the right way unless the Lord directs them, as has been said, both by His word and His Spirit.

We learn both these particulars from the words of the Prophet: The sailors feared; men hardy and almost iron-hearted, who, like the Cyclops, despised God—these, he says, were afraid. And they also cried to God; but they did not cry by the guidance of faith. Thus it was that everyone cried to his own god.

When we read this, it should first come to our minds that there is no hope until God compels us, as it were, by force; but we ought to anticipate extreme necessity by seeking Him willingly. For what did it benefit the sailors and other passengers to call once on God?

It is indeed probable that, shortly after, they relapsed into their former ungodly indifference. After being freed from their danger, they probably despised God, and all religion was regarded by them with contempt. And so it commonly happens with ungodly people, who never obey God except when they are compelled.

Let each of us, therefore, offer himself willingly to God, even now when we are in no danger and enjoy full peace. For if we think that any pretext of thoughtlessness, error, or ignorance will serve as an excuse, we are greatly deceived. No excuse can be admitted, since experience teaches us that some knowledge of God is naturally implanted in all, and that these truths are engraved on our hearts: that God governs our life, that He alone can remove us by death, and that it is His special role to aid and help us.

For how was it that these sailors cried? Did they have any new teacher who preached to them about religion and who regularly taught them that God was the deliverer of humankind? By no means. But these truths, as I have said, had been by nature impressed on their hearts. While the sea was tranquil, none of them called on their god; but danger roused them from their drowsiness.

But it is therefore sufficiently evident that whatever excuses may be offered by those who do not ascribe to God His glory, they are all frivolous. For there is no need of any law, no need of any Scripture, in short, no need of any teaching, to enable people to know that this life is in the hand of God, that deliverance is to be sought from Him alone, and that nothing, as we have said, ought to be looked for from any other quarter. For invocation proves that people have this conviction respecting God; and invocation comes from nothing else but from some hidden instinct, and indeed from the guidance and teaching of nature (duce ac magistra natura). This is one thing.

But let us also learn from this passage that when we seek God, we ought not to trust our own understanding, for we will in that case immediately go astray. God then must be supplicated to guide us by His word; otherwise, everyone will fall into his own superstitions, as we see here that each cried to his own god.

The Prophet also reminds us that the multiplicity of gods is no modern invention, for humankind, since the fall of Adam, has ever been prone to falsehood and vanity. We know how much corruption must occupy our minds when everyone invents for himself hideous and monstrous things. Since it is so, there is no wonder that superstitions have always prevailed in the world, for the mind of man is the workshop of all errors.

(quia ingenium hominis officina est omnium errorum) And from this we may also learn what I have recently touched upon—that nothing is worse for us than to follow the impulses of our flesh; for everyone on his own advances in the way of error, even without being pushed on by another; and at the same time, as is commonly the case, people lead one another on.

He now adds that the wares were cast out, that is, the cargo of the ship. We know that this is the last resort in shipwrecks, for people, to save their lives, will willingly deprive themselves of all their goods. We therefore see how precious life is to a person, for he will not hesitate to strip himself of all he has so that he may not lose his life.

We indeed shun want, and many seek death because extreme poverty is intolerable to them; but when they come to some great danger, people always prefer their life to all their possessions. For what are the good things of this world but certain additions to our life? But Jonah tells us for another purpose that the ship was lightened, specifically for this: that we may know that the tempest was no ordinary commotion, but that the sailors, apprehensive of approaching death, adopted this as the last resort.

Another clause follows: Jonah had gone down into the sides , or the side, of the ship. Jonah no doubt sought a retreat before the storm arose. Then, as soon as they sailed from the harbor, Jonah withdrew to some remote corner so that he might sleep there. But this was no excusable insensibility on his part, as he knew that he was a fugitive from the presence of God. He then ought to have been agitated by unceasing terrors; indeed, he ought to have been to himself the imposer (exactor) of anxiety.

But it often so happens that when anyone has sought hiding-places, he brings on himself an almost brutal stupor; he thinks of nothing, he cares for nothing, he is anxious for nothing. Such then was the insensibility which possessed the soul of Jonah when he went down to some recess in the ship so that he might there indulge himself in sleep.

Since it thus happened to the holy Prophet, who of us ought not to fear for himself? Let us therefore learn to remind ourselves often of God’s tribunal; and when our minds are seized with lethargy, let us learn to stimulate and examine ourselves, lest God’s judgment overwhelm us while asleep. For what prevented ruin from wholly swallowing up Jonah, except the mercy of God, who pitied His servant and watched for his safety even while he was asleep? Had not the Lord then exercised such care over Jonah, he must have perished.

We therefore see that the Lord often cares for His people when they do not care for themselves, and that He watches while they are asleep. But this ought not to serve to nourish our self-indulgence, for each of us is already more indulgent to himself than he ought to be.

But, on the contrary, this example of Jonah, whom we see to have been so near destruction, ought to excite and urge us, so that when any of us has gone astray from his calling, he may not lie secure in that state, but, on the contrary, run back immediately to God. And if God cannot draw us back to Himself without some violent means, let us at least follow in this respect the example of Jonah, which we will notice in its proper place.