Jonah the Reluctant Missionary

This book is written on several levels. It is first of all a verse by verse commentary on the Book of Jonah with a short prologue on how to read the Bible as parable - always and everywhere true but not using the modern criteria for truth that is history and science. It also draws from the traditions of Jewish commentary and liturgical life. While being a thoughtful and careful commentary it makes no claims to exhaustive exegesis or higher critical methodology. It offers rather a work of biblical spirituality more akin to a Christian midrash than biblical theology.Jesus sign of Jonah is in fact the sacrifice which both Jonah and Jesus make of their lives in order to save the nations (Gentiles) and this book presents a self-consciousness of Jesus as the anointed High Priest (the older priestly Messiah rather than the later kingly one). It explores the sacrifice on the cross as the liturgy of the high priest on the Day of Atonement - but again like Jonah - a sacrifice for the nations. At the heart of the argument is the belief that the best Christianity is one that is engaged in loving and respectful Mission - Gods mission - just as the best of Israels life is when it is spent in accomplishing the Mission of God as the Suffering Servant of the Lord.