So that the terror of death would be even greater, Jonah is not only thrown into the sea, where there was nothing from which he could have hoped for help, be it from God or from men, since he now thought that he would have to die, but is also swallowed alive by the fish, since the Lord provided the fish in such a way, so that he would still be alive in the midst of death. An extraordinarily wonderful history, by which the dear God wanted just that, that we would be completely sure that he is the Lord of death and of life, that everything is in his hand. For it is he who kills and makes alive, makes alive and kills, leads into hell and out again [1 Sam.
2, 6.]. Therefore, we are to learn that we have such a God who can preserve us even in the midst of death, in the midst of sin and hell, but in the same way as He miraculously preserved His Jonah here, who saw nothing else, nor could hope for anything, but death. For this was certainly something frightening for Jonah, that he, now being thrown into the sea to perish by the water, felt another devourer, who swallowed him up with his tremendously large maw. And now that he had been swallowed up, he nevertheless did not perish, but remained alive for three days. No doubt there was an extraordinary struggle of faith in Jonah, since he could not die like that, kept alive in the belly of the fish. He
felt the divine grace, namely since he did not die; he felt that he was blameless, which his song indicates, and that God was present, since he was not consumed, and yet he was still doubtful in his heart; it might happen that he should still be consumed. This was certainly an extraordinary and severe challenge, that hardly any other seems to me more admirable, and if the Holy Spirit had not written such things, I would not easily believe it. But, as I have said, it was all written for our sake, so that we might learn from it to trust in the kind Father, the dear God, in all adversity. For why should we not trust in God, why should we not rely on Him in all adversity, when He sustains His own in the midst of death, in the midst of hell, and has promised that He will sustain them, to such an extent that even death, sin, hell and all evils must serve the good of the godly, and not only not harm them, but also become salutary and serviceable for life, which can be seen quite clearly in this story of Jonah. "Whosoever therefore will not trust in God, let him trust in the devil." So completely true is what the apostle Paul says [Rom. 8, 28/ that all things serve believers for the best.
V. 1. And Jonah was in the body of the fish three days and three nights.
It is marvelous how he could have counted the days, since he neither saw nor heard anything, when he was closed in the body of the fish. But he remembered the day when he was thrown into the sea and the day when he was finally brought to light again. And without doubt he was not three whole days and nights in the fish, as also Christ did not lie three whole days in the grave, if one wants to make a completely exact calculation. But the scripture uses the figure of the synecdoche, namely by taking a part for the whole etc.
V. 2. And Jonah prayed to the Lord his God in the body of the fish.
It does not take place that you think that the prophet has worked out this his song in such a way.
while he was in trouble, but that only after he was freed did he put in order what he had thought in the adversity and challenge. But it is a fine song and a clear testimony against trusting in works. For he says thus:
V. 3. I cried out to the Lord in my anguish.
For in distress of body and soul there is nothing left but to cry out. Our efforts and our strength are nothing, as Jonah cried out when he was pressed by need. There was no merit, for he had sinned exceedingly grievously against the Lord. Therefore, the only thing that remained was that he cried out, and that was "to the Lord". For it is he alone to whom we must flee as a holy anchor and the only refuge when we think that it is all over for us. But this is the highest thing, that even though we feel that God is against us, and we have an angry God, and we are sinners who deserve wrath and condemnation, we can still call upon God as a kind and forgiving Father, 1) as He always is and never has to be taken otherwise. And so God is to be judged, not by what we see, but by His promises, by which He has promised to be our Father and our God. Thus, if he is kind to us, if he does not look at us or strike us, we should not trust him [for this reason], since he acts differently from what is before our eyes, but should stand in fear. On the other hand, if he strikes us, we must again not mistrust him, 2) not despair, because he acts differently than we think.
And he answered me.
He felt that his prayer was powerful, just as the effectiveness of a right prayer must be felt. For if we do not feel that our prayer has been powerful, we have not prayed rightly. Inevitably, the following follows
1) Instead of P0886 in the two editions will read (depending on ut) p088irnu8. - The Weim. Edition notes: "With posse, the Altenburg manuscript forgets ut."
2) Instead of Läknäurn we have assumed äitLäknäurn.
true prayer feels this inward sensation, just as the preachers of the Word feel the efficacy of the Word they teach. For Christ says Luc. 8, 46: "I feel that a power has gone out of me."
I screamed from the belly of hell.
Thus he adapts the speech to the movements of the heart, since it could not be otherwise to his mind than that he would be kept in hell, as also the Scripture calls such severe temptations hell, as one can see everywhere in the Psalms, and says that those who are in the utmost temptation are in hell etc.
And you heard my voice.
That is, even though there was nothing but ruin and condemnation before the eyes, even though faith had to struggle, it still persevered, and therefore I have been preserved, you have heard me. For faith is preserved by the word, even though there is nothing but condemnation before the eyes, however great the trials may be.
V. 4. You threw me.
Now he describes almost to the end his sinking [into the sea].
Into the depths in the middle of the sea.
In eoräs maris is a Hebrew expression, that is, to the bottom of the sea. This is a frequent expression in the Scriptures, as, in the fifth book of Moses [Cap. 4, 11.]: usque ad cor caeli, that is, "to the midst of heaven". And Ps. 45, 6: "That the nations fall down before thee" in corda inimicorum regis, that is, "in the midst of the king's enemies," where they are strongest and most numerous. So also here: in corde maris, that is, where the sea is deepest.
All your waves and billows went over me.
This is also taken from the Psalm. By the way, instead of gurgites, which we read [in the Vulgate], one should translate more correctly fracturae. For the same word is in the 93rd Psalm, v. 4: "The waves of water (elationes) in the sea are great," where the ancient writers translated: suspensurae. But it actually means-
The first thing is what we Germans call "bulges or waves". It is therefore the opinion: All thunderstorm and all impetuosity of the sea covered me. But he expressly says "yours", that is, my conscience testifies to me that it is you who inflict this punishment, this terror of death and hell. And this is the punishment of consciences, that we feel the wrath of God against us in adversities, who lays out for us these evils and these exceedingly great plagues.
V. 5: That I thought I was cast out of your sight.
Here he meant that it had happened to him body and soul, as if he wanted to say: All this drove me to despair; frightened by these signs, I saw nothing else than that it had happened to me, that I was rejected by you. This is one of the inexpressible groans, this is the highest groan and the highest death in temptation. These are not vain words, and only those understand them who have once suffered in this piece. They know what it means that the conscience feels within itself that it has in truth been rejected by God. For this is how it seems to such consciences 1) that are in distress, as it also seemed to Jonah. For he says, "I thought," as if to say, "I was wrong, and you were wrong, since you acted differently from what I expected to happen. So in the heart of Jonah there was a struggle with despair, but he did not despair completely. For in such temptations despair is so great and so mighty that even faith seems to succumb, but still it endures, and God's power is mighty in the weak, 2 Cor. 12:9. The same is in all the pieces in the 31st Psalm, from which this is taken [v. 23.], "I said in my trembling," it says, "I am cast out of thy sight."
I would not see your holy temple again.
I am entirely of the opinion that [what is affirmatively stated in the Vulgate is] ver-.
1) Instead of 86vt6ntii8, What the Weimar edition offers is to be read with the Erlangen eon86i6ntii8.
noing must be understood and read, so that the opinion is: Do you also think that I will ever see your holy temple? For even to this day the Hebrews do not agree about this word that is written here. It may mean the outward temple at Jerusalem, for that was appointed by God for prayer. Or, to whom this does not please, he may understand the spiritual temple, that is, where God dwells, as the prophets use to nine the dwelling place of God the temple of God etc.
V. 6. reeds (pelagus) covered my head.
The Hebrew word here means either the sea or reeds. Therefore I translate in such a way: Reeds had my head entwined, that is, the sea, which has reeds or rushes at the shores, has become a crown of my head. So much was lacking in it that I could have escaped. So he highlights the challenge and makes it great.
V. 7. I sank down to the mountains' foundations.
To the foot of the mountains, where the mountains have their end, that is, I was at the bottom of the sea.
The earth had locked me eternally.
These are all figurative speeches, as if he wanted to say: It was impossible that I could have gone out, because the earth had completely closed me with bars, as it were; nothing could be hoped for that I would be freed. And this is a great movement of the heart. For this is the way to sinue to all who are in such heavy temptations that they do not think it can happen in any way that they will be redeemed.
But you have led my life out of ruin.
The Hebrew word which the Latin interpreter translated by perditionem, 1) is also found in the 16th Psalm where we read [Vulg.
1) This is not correct, but also here is in the Vulgate: 6k eorruptiorik. The opinion of Luther will be: instead of enrruptionk should be set pkräitionk. This is also offered by the Zwickau manuscript.
V. 10.]: "You will not admit that your saint sees corruption (corruptionem)." This word was by all means a word of faith, and if this be said of nus in truth, it is impossible that we should perish, though we be in the midst of death and hell. And here he prescribes to us the way in which we are to be snatched out of the resurrection, as if to say, If any man be afflicted, if he feel the terror of death, and be in hell, call upon the Lord, as I also have called upon ihu. Remember the Lord, call upon him with confidence, and when he has been called upon, he will help you immediately. Here belong many psalms.
V. 8. Since my soul despaired with me.
This is also taken from the 42nd Psalm, v. 12: "Why do you grieve, my soul, and are so troubled within me" etc.
V. 9: Those who hold above the void.
This is what the spirit does immediately, that he, instructed by his experience, teaches others the same, and condemns everything, whatever it may be, in which we trust outside of our uprightness. This is the only and quite right service of God, when in adversity we take refuge in him as a father to obtain help. All our works, undertakings and all the efforts with which we want to help ourselves are null and void, they cannot help us; in adversity everything falls away, because it is something null and void, as Jonah calls it here, and not only that, but they are also null and void people, because they hold above the null and void and take care of it, i.e., what they take care of or worry about is null and void, and their works, with which they struggle so vainly, are null and void.
Abandon their grace.
That is, the grace of God, in which they should hope for everything. For the grace of God is ours, since we are to hope in it alone, and are preserved by it alone in all adversities. Everything else, by which we want to help ourselves, is null and void.
Thus we learn to keep the grace of God in no other way than in temptation, when we think that it is all over for us, when not only God but also all creatures seem to be against us, when we cannot remedy the evil with our advice, with our wisdom, reason and all our efforts.
V. 10. But I will sacrifice with thanksgiving.
This is the sacrifice of the godly, this alone does the Lord require of them, these are the farrows of the lips, that is, thanksgiving. See the whole 50th Psalm. [There it is said, v. 14: "Offer thanksgiving to God," likewise (v. 23.): "He who offers thanksgiving praises me," namely, if we ascribe everything to God, nothing to ourselves etc.
I will pay my vows to the Lord.
"Pay vows" is everywhere in the Psalms for giving thanks. For it is "to pay the vow" to confess and praise that the Lord alone is our God, who alone can and will snatch us out of all temptation and adversity, and it is done for us if he does not save us etc.
V. 11. The fish fed Jonah from the land.
Thus, for the godly, death and sin are the cause of life and righteousness, and disgrace is the cause of honor: in fact, everything must serve them for the best, as we said at the beginning of this chapter. What, therefore, can separate us from the love of God? Hunger or persecution etc.? Rom. 8, 35.