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PROLOGUE TO THE BEGINNING of the prophet Jonah The Hebrews affirm that the holy Jonah was the son of a widow named Zarephath; which Elijah the prophet raised him up from the dead, and the mother told him afterwards: "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and the word of the Lord in your mouth is true. (1 Kgs 17:24)." For this reason, the boy was called "son of Amathi." For Amathi means 'truth' in our language. And it is said, Behold, from the fact that Elijah spoke the truth, he is said to be a son who was raised from the truth. Therefore, it is true that Jonah means truth. So from the truth the dove is born because Jonah the dove cried out. Moreover Jonah is sent to the Gentiles in condemnation of Israel because while Nineveh makes repentance, Israel persevered in wickedness. Indeed, during the time of king Jeroboam of Israel, who forsook God and sacrificed to idols with his people in Samaria, the fourth book of Kings (2 Kings/4 Kings-Vulgate 14:25) shows that Jonah had been a prophet. Despite his prophesy illuminating the sins of the city of Nineveh, he would see them gain the mercy of God; he did not wish to go to warn of the destruction of their city, lest he seemed to be preaching falsehood. For just as God spoke to Abraham about the impiety of Sodom and Gomorrah saying: "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has come to me (see Gn 18:20-21)." so it is said also about Nineveh because the cry of their wickedness had ascended up to Him. And because the sentence of God, once made was not to be revoked, so also Jonah did not wish for the sentence brought forward against Nineveh to be revoked, because he was ignorant of the Divine dispensation which prefers the salvation of men in turning to God rather than destruction (see 2 Peter 3:9). This happened to him as also to the holy Elisha who did not know the son of the Shunammite woman was dead (2 Kings 4:31-2). Jonah, when fleeing before God in humanity, must have thought of David when he said, "Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence?" (Ps 139:7) Here begins the summary. Jonah, the most beautiful dove, prefiguring the passion of the Lord through his shipwreck, calls the world to repentance and under the name of Nineveh declares salvation to the nations. Jonah, which means the 'dove' and the 'grieving' son of Amathi, who was from Gath, which is in Ofer, is sent to proclaim to the nations. Having been sent, he scorns God's command; scorning, he flees; fleeing, he sleeps. Because of him the ship is endangered, Fate finds him hiding. After being thrown overboard, a whale devoured him and regurgitated him back out as he was praying. Having been regurgitated, he spoke of ruin of the city, but grows depressed in the repentance of the city and is jealous of the salvation of the Gentiles. He rejoices in the shadow of the green vine and grieves when it suddenly withers. Whose grave is mentioned to be in a tomb in one of the cities of Gath, which is in the second mile from Sephora, on the journey to go on to Tiberias. No one is a better interpreter of his own type than He who inspired the prophets and which marked out the lines of the truth of the future for its servants. He who said to the Jews, who were ignorant of Christ the son of God, said: "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonah. And behold a greater than Jonah here.(Mt 12:41)". The carnal Jew is condemned while the world believes, while Nineveh does penance, the unbeliever perishes. __________________________________________________________ |