STUDIES
If I had to pick just two books of the Bible to read for the rest of my life, they would be John’s Gospel and Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Romans could justifiably be called Paul’s Gospel. John provides the clearest picture of the divinity of Jesus. Paul introduces core Protestant doctrine. Martin Luther said this of Paul’s letter,
‘This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is the purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian’s while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy oneself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.’
John Wesley attributed his understanding of salvation to a sermon from Romans that he heard. At last, he understood that justification must come before sanctification. Until then, he believed he had to clean up his life before Jesus would accept him. Perhaps, for the first time, Wesley understood the meaning of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9, ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.’
When you think of the name ‘Jonah,’ what comes to mind? If you have ever attended Sunday school, you might recall the teacher using a little paper man and a whale on a flannelgraph while telling the story. If you are younger, you may be familiar with the VeggieTales version. Even if you haven’t had any church experience, chances are you know the story of the man who spent three days in the belly of a huge fish or whale.
Do you know how he ended up there? This lesson will fill in the gaps of the narrative, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s all there is. This is more than just a child’s tale. In fact, this small book, only about a page and a half long, contains more theology per paragraph than any other Old Testament work.
Jonah was a real man, a prophet who lived during the time of King Jeroboam in Israel. Apart from the brief prophesy recorded in this book, his only other prophesy is found in 2 Kings 14:25. Since there is no extrabiblical evidence to verify the events recorded in his book, some consider Jonah to be a myth or allegory. However, one person who didn’t view it that way was Jesus, who compared what happened to Jonah to what awaited him. Why not discover for yourself what this little book has to say to you?
Jonah Study Questions
Please download the questions prior to the first session, if possible.