The Message of Jonah: A Theological Commentary by Terence E. Fretheim

by Terence E. Fretheim

The Message of A Theological Commentary

Genres: Nonfiction

Mass Market Paperback

First published June 22, 1977

Reviews

[Zachary Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me appreciate the value of theological commentaries. Fretheim is a powerhouse and a clear thinker. You can tell that his theology is solidly based on exegesis without having to see the details of that work.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short and easy but enlightening read on Jonah. It is arranged topically. The author emphasizes the theological conflict between Jonah and God rather than his lack of faith or disobedience, highlighted by the fact that the conflict continues when Jonah obeys. Jonah's error is his belief that God ought not indiscriminately love whomever he will. This indiscriminate grace theme is also said to be more important than Jonah's nationalistic impulse, because the story does not seem to focus on the Ninevites' race but their sin and violence. There is also some good material on the ironic and satyric nature of the story. There is a chapter on historicity or, as Fretheim says, "happenedness," where he argues that the value and message do not depend on historicity and comes down against the events happening, arguing that it seems much more like imaginative literature written with didactic intent.