This research paper by Nathan Johnson, submitted to Dr. Belcher for OT516 – Isaiah–Malachi at Reformed Theological Seminary – Charlotte (December 7, 2016), examines the concluding parable of the kikayon in the book of Jonah as the key to understanding the book’s unifying message. Johnson argues that the final verse’s grammatical ambiguity is intentional, emphasizing Yahweh’s sovereign freedom to bestow both mercy and judgment as He wills.
Johnson critiques traditional interpretations that view Jonah’s lesson as simply a moral about divine compassion. Instead, he contends that Jonah’s error lies in treating divine mercy as “deviant,” believing it violates strict justice. Through the kikayon, Yahweh exposes Jonah’s hypocrisy—his idolatrous elevation of justice above grace—and demonstrates that both Jonah and Nineveh stand as undeserving recipients of unmerited mercy.
The analysis concludes that the deliberate ambiguity of Jonah 4:11 serves as a theological tension reflecting both divine mercy and justice. Yahweh’s mercy, while freely given, demands repentance, and His justice remains active when mercy is despised. For Israel and Judah, this dual message called them to repentance, warning that presuming upon mercy leads inevitably to judgment. Johnson closes by connecting Jonah’s themes to the gospel, asserting that all humanity, like Jonah, must learn that “salvation belongs to Yahweh.”
Course and semester: OT516 Isaiah–Malachi — Fall 2016
