Jonah

The drama at sea in the story of Jonah gives us a picture into the thinking of ancient sailors as well as ancient Hebrews. In 1:8 the sailors ask Jonah five questions; Who's responsible? What do you do? Where are you from? What is your country? And who are your people? Though verse 9 doesn't offer all of Jonah's discussIon with the sailors. Yet his brief statement may be his answer for those five questions. "I am a Hebrew!" Surely the men of Joppa knew everything about this strange group of people who lived to their southeast. They may not have met a Jew before but in the time before the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem the exclusive behavior of the people of Israel must have been familiar to their neighbors. We should consider how that one answer addressed all five questions. We should also ponder if there is a message for the church in a similar answer; "I am a Christian."
Stuart