Jonah’s Sermon Method In Nineveh: A Contextual Study Of Prophetism And Emotion In Nigeria

Abstract

There are a number of tensions evident in Jonah’s character and the lessons to be drawn from the canonical book bearing his name. Modern studies of the characterization of Jonah tend to view him negatively, but this study will debate that assessment as too ‘flat’ or simplistic. Jonah is a complex, ‘round’ character whose spiritual struggles are able to inform the character formation of God’s servants, Christian ministers, today. Many scholars have argued that the book of Jonah has much to teach Christian ministers about the struggle to understand God’s purposes, to obey God’s command and the spiritual dynamics of responding to a call from God. Less attention has been to the human emotions that could have possibly triggered Jonah’s flight to Tarshish against the divine command to go to Nineveh and his method of sermon and reaction. The study adopted textual and contextual approaches in interrogating the prophetic mission of Jonah as it relates to the assignment on a foreign mission to Nineveh. This method of research takes the text primarily and contextualizes it in the sociological understanding. The study shows that God is always consistent,whatever He says, He means it, in contrast to Jonah's hypocritical inconsistency. The study therefore challenges and charges Nigerian clerics to live above personal and tribal prejudice in discharging their divine mandates and religious calling, making sure that the will of Yahweh (Allah) prevails over their human weaknesses.

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