1~4절 카드 ↗
The Prophet's Discontent. . 1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 2 And he prayed unto the LORD , and said, I pray thee, O LORD , was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3 Therefore now, O LORD , take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. 4 Then said the LORD , Doest thou well to be angry? See here, I. How unjustly Jonah quarrelled with God for his mercy to Nineveh, upon their repentance. This gives us occasion to suspect that Jonah had only delivered the message of wrath against the Ninevites, and had not at all assisted or encouraged them in their repentance, as one would think he should have done; for when they did repent, and found mercy, 1. Jonah grudged them the mercy they found ( Jonah 4:1 ; Jonah 4:1 ): It displeased Jonah exceedingly; and (would you think it?) he was very angry, was in a great heat about it. It was very wrong, (1.) That he had so little government of himself as to be displeased and very angry; he had no rule over his own spirit, and therefore, as a city broken down, lay exposed to temptations and snares. (2.) That he had so little reverence of God as to be displeased and angry at what he did, as David was when the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza; whatever pleases God should please us, and, though we cannot account for it, yet we must acquiesce in it. (3.) That he had so little affection for men as to be displeased and very angry at the conversion of the Ninevites and their reception into the divine favour. This was the sin of the scribes and Pharisees, who murmured at our Saviour because he entertained publicans and sinners; but is our eye evil because his is good? But why was Jonah so uneasy at it, that the Ninevites repented and were spared? It cannot be expected that we should give any good reason for a thing so very absurd and unreasonable; no, nor any thing that has the face or colour of a reason; but we may conjecture what the provocation was. Hot spirits are usually high spirits. Only by pride comes contention both with God and man. It was a point of honour that Jonah stood upon and that made him angry. [1.] He was jealous for the honour of his country; the repentance and reformation of Nineveh shamed the obstinacy of Israel that repented not, but hated to be reformed; and the favour God had shown to these Gentiles, upon their repentance, was an ill omen to the Jewish nation, as if they should be (as at length they were) rejected and cast out of the church and the Gentiles substituted in their room. When it was intimated to St. Peter himself that he should make no difference between Jews and Gentiles he startled at the thing, and said, Not so, Lord; no marvel then that Jonah looked upon it with regret that Nineveh should become a favourite. Jonah herein had a zeal for God as the God of Israel in a particular manner, but not according to knowledge. Note, Many are displeased with God under pretence of concern for his glory. [2.] He was jealous for his own honour, fearing lest, if Nineveh was not destroyed within forty days, he should be accounted a false prophet, and stigmatized accordingly; whereas he needed not be under any discontent about that, for in the threatening of ruin it was implied that, for the preventing of it, they should repent, and, if they did, it should be prevented. And no one will complain of being deceived by him that is better than his word; and he would rather gain honour among them, by being instrumental to save them, than fall under any disgrace. But melancholy men (and such a one Jonah seems to have been) are apt to make themselves uneasy by fancying evils to themselves that are not, nor are ever likely to be. Most of our frets, as well as our frights, are owing to the power of imagination; and those are to be pitied as perfect bond-slaves that are under the power of such a tyrant. 2. He quarreled with God about it. When his heart was hot within him, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips; and here he tells us what he said ( Jonah 4:2 ; Jonah 4:3 ): He prayed unto the Lord, but it is a very awkward prayer, not like that which he prayed in the fish's belly; for affliction teaches us to pray submissively, which Jonah now forgot to do. Being in discontent, he applied to the duty of prayer, as he used to do in his troubles, but his corruptions got head of his graces, and, when he should have been praying for benefit by the mercy of God himself, he was complaining of the benefit others had by that mercy. Nothing could be spoken more unbecomingly. (1.) He now begins to justify himself in fleeing from the presence of the Lord, when he was first ordered to go to Nineveh, for which he had before, with good reason, condemned himself: " Lord, " said he, " was not this my saying when I was in my own country? Did I not foresee that if I went to preach to Nineveh they would repent, and thou wouldst forgive them, and then thy word would be reflected upon and reproached as yea and nay?" What a strange sort of man was Jonah, to dread the success of his ministry! Many have been tempted to withdraw from their work because they had despaired of doing good by it, but Jonah declined preaching because he was afraid of doing good by it; and still he persists in the same corrupt notion, for, it seems, the whale's belly itself could not cure him of it. It was his saying when he was in his own country, but it was a bad saying; yet here he stands to it, and, very unlike the other prophets, desires the woeful day which he had foretold and grieves because it does not come. Even Christ's disciples know not what manner of spirit they are of; those did not who wished for fire from heaven upon the city that did not receive them, much less did Jonah, who wished for fire from heaven upon the city that did receive him, Luke 9:55 . Jonah thinks he has reason to complain of that, when it is done, which he was before afraid of; so hard is it to get a root of bitterness plucked out of the mind, when once it is fastened there. And why did Jonah expect that God would spare Nineveh? Because I knew that thou was a gracious God, indulgent and easily pleased, that thou wast slow to anger and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. All this is very true; and Jonah could not but know it by God's proclamation of his name and the experiences of all ages; but it is strange and very unaccountable that that which all the saints had made the matter of their joy and praise Jonah should make the matter of reflection upon God, as if that were an imperfection of the divine nature which is indeed the greatest glory of it--that God is gracious and merciful. The servant that said, I knew thee to be a hard man, said that which was false, and yet, had it been true, it was not the proper matter of a complaint; but Jonah, though he says what is true, yet, speaking it by way of reproach, speaks very absurdly. Those have a spirit of contention and contradiction indeed that can find in their hearts to quarrel with the goodness of God, and his sparing pardoning mercy, to which we all owe it that we are out of hell. This is making that to be to us a savour of death unto death which ought to be a savour of life unto life. (2.) In a passion, he wishes for death ( Jonah 4:3 ; Jonah 4:3 ), a strange expression of his causeless passion! " Now, O Lord! take, I beseech thee, my life from me. If Nineveh must live, let me die, rather than see thy word and mine disproved, rather than see the glory of Israel transferred to the Gentiles," as if there were not grace enough in God both for Jews and Gentiles, or as if his countrymen were the further off from mercy for the Ninevites being taken into favour. When the prophet Elijah had laboured in vain, he wished he might die, and it was his infirmity, 1 Kings 19:4 . But Jonah labours to good purpose, saves a great city from ruin, and yet wishes he may die, as if, having done much good, he were afraid of living to do more; he sees of the travail of his soul, and is dissatisfied. What a perverse spirit is mingled with every word he says! When Jonah was brought alive out of the whale's belly, he thought life a very valuable mercy, and was thankful to that God who brought up his life from corruption, ( Jonah 2:6 ; Jonah 2:6 ), and a great blessing his life had been to Nineveh; yet now, for that very reason, it became a burden to himself and he begs to be eased of it, pleading, It is better for me to die than to live. Such a word as this may be the language of grace, as it was in Paul, who desired to depart and be with Christ, which is far better; but here it was the language of folly, and passion, and strong corruption; and so much the worse, [1.] Jonah being now in the midst of his usefulness, and therefore fit to live. He was one whose ministry God wonderfully owned and prospered. The conversion of Nineveh might give him hopes of being instrumental to convert the whole kingdom of Assyria; it was therefore very absurd for him to wish he might die when he had a prospect of living to so good a purpose and could be so ill spared. [2.] Jonah being now so much out of temper and therefore unfit to die. How durst he think of dying, and going to appear before God's judgment-seat, when he was actually quarrelling with him? Was this a frame of spirit proper for a man to go out of the world in? But those who passionately desire death commonly have least reason to do it, as being very much unprepared for it. Our business is to get ready to die by doing the work of life, and then to refer ourselves to God to take away our life when and how he pleases. II. See how justly God reproved Jonah for this heat that he was in ( Jonah 4:4 ; Jonah 4:4 ): The Lord said, Doest thou well to be angry? Is doing well a displeasure to thee? so some read it. What! dost thou repent of thy good deeds? God might justly have rejected him for this impious heat which he was in, might justly have taken him at his word, and have struck him dead when he wished to die; but he vouchsafes to reason with him for his conviction and to bring him to a better temper, as the father of the prodigal reasoned with his elder son, when, as Jonah here, he murmured at the remission and reception of his brother. Doest thou well to be angry? See how mildly the great God speaks to this foolish man, to teach us to restore those that have fallen with a spirit of meekness, and with soft answers to turn away wrath. God appeals to himself and to his own conscience: " Doest thou well? Thou knowest thou does not." We should often put this question to ourselves, Is it well to say thus, to do thus? Can I justify it? Must I not unsay it and undo it again by repentance, or be undone forever? Ask, 1. Do I well to be angry? When passion is up, let it meet with this check, "Do I well to be so soon angry, so often angry, so long angry, to put myself into such a heat, and to give others such ill language in my anger? Is this well, that I suffer these headstrong passions to get dominion over me?" 2. "Do I well to be angry at the mercy of God to repenting sinners?" That was Jonah's crime. Do we do well to be angry at that which is so much for the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom among men--to be angry at that which angels rejoice in and for which abundant thanksgivings will be rendered to God? We do ill to be angry at that grace which we ourselves need and are undone without; if room were not left for repentance, and hope given of pardon upon repentance, what would become of us? Let the conversion of sinners, which is the joy of heaven, be our joy, and never our grief. return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verses-5-11" class="com-number"
Pericope (part_of)
- part_of
pericope/per-jon-4-001
절 (explains)
bible-text/jon-4-1, bible-text/jon-4-2, bible-text/jon-4-3, bible-text/jon-4-4
Source
source-manifest/mhm— Matthew Henry Complete Commentary (PD)- evidence_grade: T_theological
> 그러나 요나는 이 일을 몹시 못마땅하게 여겼고, 화가 났습니다. 그는 여호와께 기도하며 말했습니다. "여호와여, 제가 아직 제 고향에 있을 때에 이렇게 될 줄 말씀드리지 않았습니까? 그래서 제가 서둘러 다시스로 도망치려 했던 것입니다. 저는 주께서 은혜로우시고 긍휼이 많으시며, 좀처럼 화내지 않으시고, 한결같은 사랑이 풍성하시며, 재앙 내리시기를 돌이키시는 하나님이신 줄 알았기 때문입니다. 그러니 여호와여, 이제 제 목숨을 거두어 주십시오. 제게는 사는 것보다 죽는 것이 낫습니다." 여호와께서 말씀하셨습니다. "네가 이렇게 화내는 것이 옳으냐?" (욘 4:1-4)
여기서 하나님의 자비에 대해 요나가 얼마나 부당하게 다투었는지를 살펴보라. 니느웨 사람들이 회개하자, 요나는 다음과 같이 행동하였다.
**첫째, 요나는 그들이 받은 자비를 못마땅하게 여겼다(욘 4:1).** 이 일이 요나에게 몹시 못마땅하였고, 그는 몹시 화를 냈다. 이것이 얼마나 잘못된 일인지를 보라.
(1) 자신의 감정을 전혀 다스리지 못하고 몹시 못마땅해하며 화를 냈다는 것이다. 자신의 마음을 다스리지 못하는 자는 무너진 성처럼 모든 유혹과 올무에 노출된다.
(2) 하나님이 행하신 일을 못마땅하게 여기고 화를 냈다는 것에서, 하나님에 대한 경외심이 얼마나 부족했는지가 드러난다. 다윗이 웃사에 대하여 여호와께서 재앙을 내리셨을 때 화를 낸 것처럼, 하나님을 기쁘시게 하는 것은 무엇이든 우리를 기쁘게 해야 한다. 그 이유를 헤아리지 못하더라도 우리는 그것을 받아들여야 한다.
(3) 니느웨 사람들의 회개와 그들이 하나님의 은혜를 받은 것에 대해 못마땅해하고 화를 냈다는 것에서, 사람들에 대한 사랑이 얼마나 부족했는지가 드러난다. 이것은 세리들과 죄인들을 가까이하신다고 구주를 비난한 서기관들과 바리새인들의 죄와 같다. 그러나 하나님이 선하시다고 해서 우리의 눈이 나빠질 이유가 있겠는가?
그렇다면 요나는 왜 니느웨가 회개하고 살아남은 것을 그토록 괴로워했는가? 이토록 터무니없고 이치에 맞지 않는 일에 좋은 이유를 댈 수 없고 그럴싸한 구실조차 찾기 어렵다. 다만 그 원인을 짐작해 볼 수 있다. 격한 성격의 사람들은 대개 자존심도 강하다. 다툼의 시작은 교만에서 온다. 하나님과 사람을 향한 다툼도 마찬가지다. 요나는 체면과 명예 때문에 분노했다.
[1.] 요나는 자기 나라의 명예를 위해 열심을 냈다. 니느웨의 회개와 변화는 회개하지 않은 이스라엘의 완고함을 부끄럽게 만들었다. 이방 사람들이 회개하여 하나님의 은혜를 받은 것은 유대 민족에게 불길한 조짐이었다. 마치 그들이 결국 교회에서 쫓겨나고 이방 사람들이 그 자리를 대신하게 될 것처럼 보였으니—실제로 그렇게 되었다. 베드로 사도 자신도 유대인과 이방 사람 사이에 차별을 두지 않아야 한다는 말을 들었을 때 "주여, 그리하지 마옵소서"라고 저항하였다. 그러니 요나가 니느웨가 하나님의 총애를 받는 것을 못마땅하게 여긴 것도 그리 놀랍지 않다. 요나는 이스라엘의 하나님으로 하나님을 섬기는 데 열심이 있었으나, 그것은 올바른 지식에 따른 열심이 아니었다. 주목하라. 많은 사람이 하나님의 영광에 대한 관심을 핑계로 삼아 하나님께 불만을 품는다.
[2.] 요나는 자신의 명예를 위해 열심을 냈다. 만일 사십 일 안에 니느웨가 무너지지 않는다면, 자신이 거짓 선지자로 낙인찍힐까 봐 두려워했다. 그러나 그러한 불만을 가질 필요가 전혀 없었다. 심판의 위협 안에는 회개하면 그 심판이 면제된다는 뜻이 내포되어 있었기 때문이다. 또한 자신의 말보다 더 좋은 일을 하는 사람에게 속았다고 불평하는 사람은 없을 것이다. 게다가 그들을 멸망시키는 것보다 구원하는 도구가 되는 것이 훨씬 더 큰 영예였다. 그러나 우울한 기질을 가진 사람들은—요나도 그런 사람이었던 것 같다—없는 악을 상상하여 스스로를 불안하게 만드는 경향이 있다. 우리의 두려움과 괴로움 대부분은 상상력이 만들어 내는 힘에서 비롯된다. 그런 폭군 아래 종이 된 자들은 참으로 가련하다.
**둘째, 요나는 이 일에 대해 하나님께 불평하였다.** 마음이 뜨거워지자 그는 입술로 경솔한 말을 하였다. 그가 무슨 말을 했는지가 욘 4:2-3에 나온다. 그는 여호와께 기도하였는데, 이는 물고기 배 속에서 드린 기도와는 매우 다른, 어색하기 짝이 없는 기도였다. 고난은 우리에게 겸손히 기도하는 법을 가르쳐 주는데, 요나는 이미 그것을 잊어버렸다. 불만 가운데서도 그는 평소 어려울 때 하던 대로 기도하는 의무를 다하려 하였다. 그러나 그의 부패한 본성이 은혜를 앞질러, 자신이 하나님의 자비로 유익을 얻어야 할 때에 오히려 다른 사람들이 그 자비로 유익을 얻는 것을 불평하고 있었다. 이보다 더 부적절한 말은 없다.
(1) 요나는 이제 처음에 니느웨에 가라는 명령을 받았을 때 여호와의 앞을 피하여 도망친 것을 정당화하기 시작하였다. 이전에는 마땅히 자기를 꾸짖었건만, 이제는 이렇게 말한다. "여호와여, 제가 아직 제 고향에 있을 때에 이렇게 될 줄 말씀드리지 않았습니까?" "제가 니느웨에 가서 전파하면 그들이 회개하고 주께서 용서하시리라는 것을, 그리하면 주의 말씀이 어긋나 보이고 비난을 받으리라는 것을 저는 이미 알고 있었습니다." 요나는 얼마나 이상한 사람인가, 자기 사역이 성공할까 봐 두려워하다니! 많은 사람이 선을 이룰 가망이 없어 보여서 그 일을 물러난 유혹을 받지만, 요나는 선을 이룰까 봐 두려워서 전파하기를 꺼렸다. 그럼에도 그는 여전히 같은 잘못된 생각에 집착하여, 다른 선지자들과 달리, 자신이 예언한 재앙이 오기를 바라며 그것이 오지 않는 것을 슬퍼한다. 심지어 그리스도의 제자들도 자신이 어떤 영에 속한 자인지 알지 못할 때가 있다. 자기들을 영접하지 않는 마을에 하늘의 불을 내리기를 원했던 제자들이 그랬고(눅 9:55), 자기를 영접한 성읍에 하늘의 불이 내리기를 바라는 요나는 더욱 그러하였다.
(2) 요나는 죽음을 구하였다(욘 4:3). "여호와여, 이제 제 목숨을 거두어 주십시오. 제게는 사는 것보다 죽는 것이 낫습니다." 이 또한 매우 어리석은 말이었다. 그는 죽음을 두려워해야 할 이유가 충분함에도 불구하고 죽기를 구하였다. 심각한 실망에 빠진 사람들은 자기가 무슨 말을 하는지도 모르고 이런 말을 내뱉는다. 또 이를 통해 요나가 사역의 성공보다 자신의 평판에 더 관심이 있었음이 드러난다. 참된 선지자라면 니느웨 사람들이 회개하고 구원받은 것에 기뻐해야 했다. 주목하라. 자기 유익보다 공공의 유익을 우선시하는 것이 경건한 정신이다.
**셋째, 하나님께서 부드럽게 책망하셨다(욘 4:4).** "네가 이렇게 화내는 것이 옳으냐?" 하나님께서는 요나의 격한 분노를 당장 호되게 꾸짖지 않으셨다. 오히려 이처럼 부드럽고 이성적인 질문으로 그를 나무라셨다. "네가 화내는 것이 옳으냐?" 이것은 "그럴 이유가 있느냐, 생각해 보아라"라는 뜻이다. 이처럼 하나님께서는 자기 백성을 인격적으로 대하시며, 잘못된 감정과 생각을 가질 때 부드럽게 되돌아보게 하신다.
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원주석
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commentary-section/mhm-jon-4-1-4(Matthew Henry, PD) - CC0-1.0 · Sonnet 위탁 번역 · 성경 인용은 WEB(PD) 기반
1~11절 카드 ↗
J O N A H. CHAP. IV. We read, with a great deal of pleasure, in the close of the foregoing chapter, concerning the repentance of Nineveh; but in this chapter we read, with a great deal of uneasiness, concerning the sin of Jonah; and, as there is joy in heaven and earth for the conversion of sinners, so there is grief for the follies and infirmities of saints. In all the book of God we scarcely find a "servant of the Lord" (and such a one we are sure Jonah was, for the scripture calls him so) so very much out of temper as he is here, so very peevish and provoking to God himself. In the first chapter we had him fleeing from the face of God; but here we have him, in effect, flying in the face of God; and, which is more grieving to us, there we had an account of his repentance and return to God; but here, though no doubt he did repent, yet, as in Solomon's case, no account is left us of his recovering himself; but, while we read with wonder of his perverseness, we read with no less wonder of God's tenderness towards him, by which it appeared that he had not cast him off. Here is, I. Jonah's repining at God's mercy to Nineveh, and the fret he was in about it, Jonah 4:1-3 . II. The gentle reproof God gave him for it, Jonah 4:4 . III. Jonah's discontent at the withering of the gourd, and his justifying himself in that discontent, Jonah 4:5-9 . IV. God's improving it for his conviction, that he ought not to be angry at the sparing of Nineveh, Jonah 4:10-11 . Man's badness and God's goodness serve here for a foil to each other, that the former may appear the more exceedingly sinful and the latter the more exceedingly gracious. return to ' Top of Page ' <a name="verses-1-4" class="com-number"
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source-manifest/mhm— Matthew Henry Complete Commentary (PD)- evidence_grade: T_theological
요나 4장은 이 책의 결말로, 니느웨가 회개하여 하나님의 심판을 면한 뒤에 요나가 보인 반응과, 하나님께서 그에게 교훈을 가르치신 사건들을 담고 있다. 이 장은 두 단락으로 나뉜다. 첫째, 요나가 니느웨가 구원받은 것에 몹시 분노하며 하나님께 불평하는 장면(욘 4:1-4). 둘째, 하나님께서 박 넝쿨과 벌레와 뜨거운 바람을 통해 요나에게 하나님의 긍휼이 얼마나 넓은지를 가르치시는 장면(욘 4:5-11). 이 장 전체는 하나님의 주권적 자비와 선지자의 편협한 마음을 극명하게 대조하며, 독자에게 자신의 마음을 돌아보도록 한다.
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commentary-section/mhm-jon-4-intro(Matthew Henry, PD) - CC0-1.0 · Sonnet 위탁 번역 · 성경 인용은 WEB(PD) 기반
5~11절 카드 ↗
The Prophet's Discontent; The Withering of the Prophet's Gourd; God's Remonstrance with Jonah. . 5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. 7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. 9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. 10 Then said the LORD , Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: 11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? Jonah persists here in his discontent; for the beginning of strife both with God and man is as the letting forth of waters, the breach grows wider and wider, and, when passion gets head, bad is made worse; it should therefore be silenced and suppressed at first. We have here, I. Jonah's sullen expectation of the fate of Nineveh. We may suppose that the Ninevites, giving credit to the message he brought, were ready to give entertainment to the messenger that brought it, and to show him respect, that they would have made him welcome to the best of their houses and tables. But Jonah was out of humour, would not accept their kindness, nor behave towards them with common civility, which one might have feared would have prejudiced them against him and his word; but when there is not only the treasure put into earthen vessels, but the trust lodged with men subject to like passions as we are, and yet the point gained, it must be owned that the excellency of the power appears so much the more to be of God and not of man. Jonah retires, goes out of the city, sits alone, and keeps silence, because he sees the Ninevites repent and reform, Jonah 4:5 ; Jonah 4:5 . Perhaps he told those about him that he went out of the city for fear of perishing in the ruins of it; but he went to see what would become of the city, as Abraham went up to see what would become of Sodom, Genesis 19:27 . The forty days were now expiring, or had expired, and Jonah hoped that, if Nineveh was not overthrown, yet some judgement or other would come upon it, sufficient to save his credit; however, it was with great uneasiness that he waited the issue. He would not sojourn in a house, expecting it would fall upon his head, but he made himself a booth of the boughs of trees, and sat in that, though there he would lie exposed to wind and weather. Note, It is common for those that have fretful uneasy spirits industriously to create inconveniences themselves, that, resolving to complain, they may still have something to complain of. II. God's gracious provision for his shelter and refreshment when he thus foolishly afflicted himself and was still adding yet more and more to his own affliction, Jonah 4:6 ; Jonah 4:6 . Jonah was sitting in his booth, fretting at the cold of the night and the heat of the day, which were both grievous to him, and God might have said, It is his own choice, his own doing, a house of his own building, let him make the best of it; but he looked on him with compassion, as the tender mother does on the froward child, and relieved him against the grievances which he by his own wilfulness created to himself. He prepared a gourd, a plant with broad leaves, and full of them, that suddenly grew up, and covered his hut or booth, so as to keep off much of the injury of the cold and heat. It was a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief, that, being refreshed in body, he might the better guard against the uneasiness of his mind, which outward crosses and troubles are often the occasion and increase of. See how tender God is of his people in their afflictions, yea, though they are foolish and froward, nor is he extreme to mark what they do amiss. God had before prepared a great fish to secure Jonah from the injuries of the water, and here a great gourd to secure him from the injuries of the air; for he is the protector of his people against evils of every kind, has the command of plants as well as animals, and can soon prepare them, to make them serve his purposes, can make their growth sudden, which, in a course of nature, is slow and gradual. A gourd, one would think, was but a slender fortification at the best, yet Jonah was exceedingly glad of the gourd; for, 1. It was really at that time a great comfort to him. A thing in itself small and inconsiderable, yet, coming seasonably, may be to us a very valuable blessing. A gourd in the right place may do us more service than a cedar. The least creatures may be great plagues (as flies and lice were to Pharaoh) or great comforts (as the gourd to Jonah), according as God is pleased to make them. 2. He being now much under the power of imagination took a greater complacency in it than there was cause for. He was exceedingly glad of it, was proud of it, and triumphed in it. Note, Persons of strong passions, as they are apt to be cast down with a trifle that crosses them, so they are apt to be lifted up with a trifle that pleases them. A small toy will serve sometimes to pacify a cross child, as the gourd did Jonah. But wisdom and grace would teach us both to weep for our troubles as though we wept not, and to rejoice in our comforts as though we rejoiced not. Creature-comforts we ought to enjoy and be thankful for, but we need not be exceedingly glad of them; it is God only that must be our exceeding joy, Psalms 43:4 . III. The sudden loss of this provision which God had made for his refreshment, and the return of his trouble, Jonah 4:7 ; Jonah 4:8 . God that had provided comfort for him provided also an affliction for him in that very thing which was his comfort; the affliction did not come by chance, but by divine direction and appointment. 1. God prepared a worm to destroy the gourd. He that gave took away, and Jonah ought to have blessed his name in both; but because, when he took the comfort of the gourd, he did not give God the praise of it, God deprived him of the benefit of it, and justly. See what all our creature-comforts are, and what we may expect them to be; they are gourds, have their root in the earth, are but a thin and slender defence compared with the rock of ages; they are withering things; they perish in the using, and we are soon deprived of the comfort of them. The gourd withered the next day after it sprang up; our comforts come forth like flowers and are soon cut down. When we please ourselves most with them, and promise ourselves most from them, we are disappointed. A little thing withers them; a small worm at the root destroys a large gourd. Something unseen and undiscerned does it. Our gourds wither, and we know not what to attribute it to. And perhaps those wither first that we have been more exceedingly glad of; that proves least safe that is most dear. God did not send an angel to pluck up Jonah's gourd, but sent a worm to smite it; there it grew still, but it stood him in no stead. Perhaps our creature-comforts are continued to us, but they are embittered; the creature is continued, but the comfort is gone; and the remains, or ruins of it rather, do but upbraid us with our folly in being exceedingly glad of it. 2. He prepared a wind to make Jonah feel the want of the gourd, Jonah 4:8 ; Jonah 4:8 . It was a vehement east wind, which drove the heat of the rising sun violently upon the head of Jonah. This wind was not as a fan to abate the heat, but as bellows to make it more intense. Thus poor Jonah lay open to sun and wind. IV. The further fret that this put Jonah into ( Jonah 4:8 ; Jonah 4:8 ): He fainted, and wished in himself that he might die. "If the gourd be killed, if the gourd be dead, kill me too, let me die with the gourd. " Foolish man, that thinks his life bound up in the life of a weed! Note, It is just that those who love to complain should never be left without something to complain of, that their folly may be manifested and corrected, and, if possible, cured. And see here how the passions that run into an extreme one way commonly run into an extreme the other way. Jonah, who was in transports of joy when the gourd flourished, is in pangs of grief when the gourd has withered. Inordinate affection lays a foundation for inordinate affliction; what we are over-fond of when we have it we are apt to over-grieve for when we lose it, and we may see our folly in both. V. The rebuke God gave him for this; he again reasoned with him: Dost thou well to be angry for the gourd? Jonah 4:9 ; Jonah 4:9 . Note, The withering of a gourd is a thing which it does not become us to be angry at. When afflicting providences deprive us of our relations, possessions, and enjoyments, we must bear it patiently, must not be angry at God, must not be angry for the gourd. It is comparatively but a small loss, the loss of a shadow; that is the most we can make of it. It was a gourd, a withering thing; we could expect no other than that it should wither. Our being angry for the withering of it will not recover it; we ourselves shall shortly wither like it. If one gourd be withered, another gourd may spring up in the room of it; but that which should especially silence our discontent is that though our gourd be gone our God is not gone, and there is enough in him to make up all our losses. Let us therefore own that we do ill, that we do very ill, to be angry for the gourd; and let us under such events quiet ourselves as a child that is weaned from his mother. VI. His justification of his passion and discontent; and it is very strange, Jonah 4:9 ; Jonah 4:9 . He said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. It is bad to speak amiss, yet if it be in haste, if what is said amiss be speedily recalled and unsaid again, it is the more excusable; but to speak amiss and stand to it is bad indeed. So Jonah did here, though God himself rebuked him, and by appealing to his conscience expected he would rebuke himself. See what brutish things ungoverned passions are, and how much it is our interest, and ought to be our endeavour, to chain up these roaring lions and ranging bears. Sin and death are two very dreadful things, yet Jonah, in his heat, makes light of them both. 1. He has so little regard for God as to fly in the face of his authority, and to say that he did well in that which God said was ill done. Passion often over-rules conscience, and forces it, when it is appealed to, to give a false judgment, as Jonah here did. 2. He has so little regard to himself as to abandon his own life, and to think it no harm to indulge his passion even to death, to kill himself with fretting. We read of wrath that kills the foolish man, and envy that slays the silly one ( Job 5:2 ), and foolish silly ones indeed those are that cut their own throats with their own passions, that fret themselves into consumptions and other weaknesses, and put themselves into fevers with their own intemperate heats. VII. The improvement of it against him for his conviction that he did ill to murmur at the sparing of Nineveh. Out of his own mouth God will judge him; and we have reason to think it overcame him; for he made no reply, but, we hope, returned to his right mind and recovered his temper, though he could not keep it, and all was well. Now, 1. Let us see how God argued with him ( Jonah 4:10 ; Jonah 4:11 ): " Thou hast had pity on the gourd, hast spared it" (so the word is), "didst what thou couldst, and wouldst have done more, to keep it alive, and saidst, What a pity it is that this gourd should ever wither! and should not I then spare Nineveh? Should not I have as much compassion upon that as thou hadst upon the gourd, and forbid the earthquake which would ruin that, as thou wouldst have forbidden the worm that smote the gourd? Consider," (1.) "The gourd thou hadst pity on was but one; but the inhabitants of Nineveh, whom I have pity on, are numerous." It is a great city and very populous, as appears by the number of the infants, suppose from two years old and under; there are 120,000 such in Nineveh, that have not come to so much use of understanding as to know their right hand from their left, for they are yet but babes. These are taken notice of because the age of infants is commonly looked upon as the age of innocence. So many there were in Nineveh that had not been guilty of any actual transgression, and consequently had not themselves contributed to the common guilt, and yet, if Nineveh had been overthrown, they would all have been involved in the common calamity; "and shall not I spare Nineveh then, with an eye to them?" God has a tender regard to little children, and is ready to pity and succour them, nay, here a whole city is spared for their sakes, which may encourage parents to present their children to God by faith and prayer, that though they are not capable of doing him any service (for they cannot discern between their right hand and their left, between good and evil, sin and duty), yet they are capable of participating in his favours and of obtaining salvation. The great Saviour discovered a particular kindness for the children that were brought to him, when he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Nay, God took notice of the abundance of cattle too that were in Nineveh, which he had more reason to pity and spare than Jonah had to pity and to spare the gourd, inasmuch as the animal life is more excellent than the vegetable. (2.) The gourd which Jonah was concerned for was none of his own; it was that for which he did not labour and which he made not to grow; but the persons in Nineveh whom God had compassion on were all the work of his own hands, whose being he was the author of, whose lives he was the preserver of, whom he planted and made to grow; he made them, and his they were, and therefore he had much more reason to have compassion on them, for he cannot despise the work of his own hands ( Job 10:3 ); and thus Job there argues with him ( Jonah 4:8 ; Jonah 4:9 ), Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me, have made me as the clay; and wilt thou destroy me, wilt thou bring me into dust again? And thus he here argues with himself. (3.) The gourd which Jonah had pity on was of a sudden growth, and therefore of less value; it came up in a night, it was the son of a night (so the word is); but Nineveh is an ancient city, of many ages standing, and therefore cannot be so easily given up; "the persons I spare have been many years in growing up, not so soon reared as the gourd; and shall not I then have pity on those that have been so many years the care of my providence, so many years my tenants?" (4.) The gourd which Jonah had pity on perished in a night; it withered, and there was an end of it. But the precious souls in Nineveh that God had pity on are not so short-lived; they are immortal, and therefore to be carefully and tenderly considered. One soul is of more value than the whole world, and the gain of the world will not countervail the loss of it; surely then one soul is of more value than many gourds, of more value than many sparrows; so God accounts, and so should we, and therefore have a greater concern for the children of men than for any of the inferior creatures, and for our own and others' precious souls than for any of the riches and enjoyments of this world. 2. From all this we may learn, (1.) That though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, yet he will not suffer them to lie still in it, but will take a course effectually to show them their error, and to bring them to themselves and to their right mind again. We have reason to hope that Jonah, after this, was well reconciled to the sparing of Nineveh, and was as well pleased with it as ever he had been displeased. (2.) That God will justify himself in the methods of his grace towards repenting returning sinners as well as in the course his justice takes with those that persist in their rebellion; though there be those that murmur at the mercy of God, because they do not understand it (for his thoughts and ways therein are as far above ours as heaven above the earth), yet he will make it evident that therein he acts like himself, and will be justified when he speaks. See what pains he takes with Jonah to convince him that it is very fit that Nineveh should be spared. Jonah had said, I do well to be angry, but he could not prove it. God says and proves it, I do well to be merciful; and it is a great encouragement to poor sinners to hope that they shall find mercy with him, that he is so ready to justify himself in showing mercy and to triumph in those whom he makes the monuments of it, against those whose eye is evil because his is good. Such murmurers shall be made to understand this doctrine, that, how narrow soever their souls, their principles, are, and how willing soever they are to engross divine grace to themselves and those of their own way, there is one Lord over all, that is rich in mercy to all that call upon him, and in every nation, in Nineveh as well as in Israel, he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him; he that repents, and turns from his evil way, shall find mercy with him. return to ' Top of Page ' Jonah Jon 3 Jonah Jon Micah Mic 1 Footnotes: Copyright Statement These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that is available on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library Website. Bibliographical Information Henry, Matthew. "Complete Commentary on Jonah 4". 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Pericope (part_of)
- part_of
pericope/per-jon-4-001 - part_of
pericope/per-jon-4-002
절 (explains)
bible-text/jon-4-5, bible-text/jon-4-6, bible-text/jon-4-7, bible-text/jon-4-8, bible-text/jon-4-9, bible-text/jon-4-10, bible-text/jon-4-11
Source
source-manifest/mhm— Matthew Henry Complete Commentary (PD)- evidence_grade: T_theological
> 그러자 요나는 그 성읍에서 나가 성읍 동쪽에 앉았습니다. 거기에 초막을 짓고 그 그늘 아래 앉아서, 그 성읍이 어떻게 되는지 보려고 기다렸습니다. 여호와 하나님께서 한 그루의 박 넝쿨을 예비하셔서 요나 위로 자라 올라가게 하셨습니다. 그것이 그의 머리 위에 그늘이 되어 그의 괴로움을 덜어 주게 하셨습니다. 그래서 요나는 그 박 넝쿨로 인해 매우 기뻐했습니다. 그러나 하나님께서 이튿날 새벽에 한 마리 벌레를 예비하셔서 그 박 넝쿨을 갉아먹게 하시니, 넝쿨이 시들어 버렸습니다. 해가 떠오르자 하나님께서 뜨거운 동풍을 예비하셨습니다. 햇볕이 요나의 머리 위로 내리쬐어 그가 기진하여, 자기 목숨이 끊어지기를 구하며 말했습니다. "제게는 사는 것보다 죽는 것이 낫습니다." 하나님께서 요나에게 말씀하셨습니다. "네가 이 박 넝쿨 때문에 화내는 것이 옳으냐?" 요나가 대답했습니다. "제가 화내는 것이 옳습니다. 죽도록 화가 납니다." 여호와께서 말씀하셨습니다. "너는 네가 수고하지도 않았고 자라게 하지도 않은 이 박 넝쿨을 아꼈다. 그것은 하룻밤에 났다가 하룻밤에 사라진 것이다. 그런데 하물며 내가 저 큰 성읍 니느웨를 아끼는 것이 마땅하지 않겠느냐? 그 안에는 오른손과 왼손을 분간하지 못하는 사람이 십이만 명도 넘게 있고, 또한 수많은 가축까지 있지 않으냐?" (욘 4:5-11)
요나는 여기서 불만을 고집하고 있다. 하나님과 사람 사이의 다툼이 시작되면 마치 물이 터지는 것처럼 그 틈이 점점 벌어진다. 격정이 기세를 얻으면 나쁜 것이 더 나빠진다. 그러므로 처음부터 잠잠히 억눌러야 한다. 여기서 다음 세 가지를 살펴보겠다.
### I. 요나가 니느웨의 운명을 지켜보며 기다리다(욘 4:5)
니느웨 사람들은 요나의 메시지를 믿고 그를 환대하며 영예롭게 대우하려 했을 것이고, 그에게 최선의 식사와 거처를 제공하려 했을 것이다. 그러나 요나는 뚱한 기분에 빠져 그들의 친절을 받지 않으려 하고 그들을 향해 예의를 갖추지 않으려 하였다. 이것은 자칫 사람들이 그와 그의 말에 등을 돌리게 할 수도 있었다. 그러나 보물이 질그릇 안에 담겨 있을 뿐 아니라, 그 보물의 관리를 우리처럼 약함이 있는 사람들에게 맡기셨는데도 목적이 이루어질 때, 이 능력의 탁월함이 사람에게서가 아니라 하나님께 있음이 더욱 분명히 드러난다는 것을 인정해야 한다.
요나는 성읍을 나가 홀로 앉아 침묵을 지켰다. 니느웨 사람들이 회개하고 돌이키는 것을 보았기 때문이다(욘 4:5). 아마도 그는 폐허 속에 죽지 않으려고 성읍을 떠난다고 주변 사람들에게 말했을 것이다. 그러나 그는 소돔에 어떤 일이 생기는지 보러 올라간 아브라함처럼(창 19:27), 그 성읍이 어떻게 되는지 보기 위해 거기 있었다. 사십 일이 다 되어 가거나 이미 지났는데도, 요나는 비록 니느웨가 무너지지 않더라도 자신의 체면을 살려 줄 어떤 심판이라도 내리기를 바라며, 결과를 매우 초조하게 기다리고 있었다. 그는 집에 머물기를 꺼리고—지붕이 자기 머리 위에 무너질 것 같아서—나무 가지로 만든 초막에 앉아 바람과 날씨에 그대로 노출되어 있었다. 주목하라. 성마르고 불안한 영을 가진 사람들은 스스로 불편함을 만들어 내는 경향이 있다. 어떻게든 불평할 것이기 때문에 늘 불평할 거리를 찾는다.
### II. 하나님께서 요나의 피신처와 위로를 은혜롭게 예비하시다(욘 4:6)
요나가 이처럼 어리석게 스스로를 괴롭히며 괴로움을 더해 가는 동안, 하나님께서는 그를 가엾이 여기셨다. 마치 다루기 힘든 아이를 바라보는 어머니처럼 그를 불쌍히 보시고, 그가 스스로 만들어 낸 고통에서 구해 주셨다. 하나님께서 박 넝쿨을 예비하셨다. 넓은 잎이 무성한 이 식물이 갑자기 자라나 그의 초막을 덮어, 추위와 더위의 해를 많이 막아 주었다. 이것은 그의 머리 위에 그늘이 되어 그의 괴로움을 덜어 주었다. 몸이 새롭게 힘을 얻어 마음의 불안을 더 잘 이겨 낼 수 있도록 하기 위함이었다. 외부의 고난과 어려움은 종종 마음의 불안을 더 심하게 만들기 때문이다. 하나님께서 이전에는 요나를 물의 해로움에서 지키기 위해 큰 물고기를 예비하셨고, 이제는 대기의 해로움에서 지키기 위해 큰 박 넝쿨을 예비하셨다. 하나님은 모든 종류의 악으로부터 자기 백성을 보호하시는 분으로, 식물도 동물도 그분의 명을 받으며, 자신의 목적을 이루기 위해 그것들을 빠르게 준비시키신다. 자연의 이치로는 천천히 자라는 것도 그분은 갑자기 자라게 하실 수 있다.
박 넝쿨이 기껏해야 빈약한 피신처에 불과하다고 생각할 수도 있다. 그러나 요나는 그 박 넝쿨 때문에 매우 기뻐하였다. 이것을 주목하라.
1. 그것은 그때 그에게 진정한 위로였다. 그 자체로는 작고 보잘것없는 것이라도 때를 맞추어 오면 큰 복이 될 수 있다. 맞는 자리에 있는 박 넝쿨 하나가 삼나무 숲보다 더 유익할 수 있다. 미물도 하나님께서 원하시면 큰 재앙이 될 수 있고(파리와 이가 바로에게 그랬던 것처럼), 또는 큰 위로가 될 수 있다(박 넝쿨이 요나에게 그랬던 것처럼).
2. 그는 강한 감정의 지배를 받고 있었기 때문에, 그것이 줄 만한 이유보다 훨씬 더 큰 만족감을 거기서 얻었다. 그는 매우 기뻐하며 그것을 자랑스럽게 여기고 의기양양해했다. 주목하라. 강한 감정을 가진 사람들은 자신을 실망시키는 사소한 일에 쉽게 낙담하는 것처럼, 자신을 기쁘게 하는 사소한 일에도 쉽게 들뜬다. 때로는 사소한 장난감 하나가 성마른 아이를 달래듯, 박 넝쿨 하나가 요나를 달랬다. 그러나 지혜와 은혜는 우리로 하여금 고난에는 마치 울지 않는 것처럼 울고, 위로에는 마치 기뻐하지 않는 것처럼 기뻐하게 한다. 피조물의 위로는 누리되 감사하라. 그러나 그것이 우리의 행복이 된다고 생각하거나 우리 자신이 그것을 얻었다고 자랑해서는 안 된다. 피조물이 주는 위로는 그것보다 훨씬 더 크신 하나님을 향한 열망을 채워 주는 것이지, 그 열망을 끝내는 것이 아니다.
### III. 박 넝쿨이 시들어 요나가 더욱 낙담하다(욘 4:7-9)
하나님께서 이튿날 새벽에 벌레를 예비하셔서 박 넝쿨을 갉아먹게 하셨다. 이처럼 하나님께서는 우리의 피조물 위로들을 갑자기 빼앗아 가실 수 있다. 식물에도, 동물에도, 그보다 더 큰 것들에도 그분의 명이 미친다. 요나는 박 넝쿨이 시드는 것에 화가 났다. 그것을 가엾게 여겼다고 할 수도 있다. 하나님께서 다시 그에게 물으셨다. "네가 이 박 넝쿨 때문에 화내는 것이 옳으냐?" 그러나 요나는 이번에는 그 책망을 받아들이지 않았다. 이전에는(욘 4:4) 하나님의 물음에 아무 대답도 하지 않음으로써 양심이 자기 분노를 정당화할 수 없음을 알고 있었다. 그러나 이제는 "제가 화내는 것이 옳습니다. 죽도록 화가 납니다"라고 대답하였다. 이처럼 강한 격정은 이성과 양심을 둔하게 만든다. 화가 머리끝까지 난 사람과는 이야기해 봐야 소용이 없다. 격분은 자신을 정당화하는 법이다. 주목하라. 뜨거운 열정에 사로잡힌 사람을 다루기는 매우 어렵다. 그 열정이 식을 때까지 기다려야 한다.
### IV. 하나님께서 결론적 교훈으로 요나를 나무라시다(욘 4:10-11)
이제 하나님께서 박 넝쿨에서 끌어낸 논증으로 요나를 설득하신다. 이것이 이 책의 결론이요 요점이다. 요나는 박 넝쿨을 아꼈다(욘 4:10). 그 박 넝쿨은 하룻밤에 났다가 하룻밤에 사라진 것으로, 요나가 수고하지도 않았고 자라게 하지도 않은 것이었다. 그런데도 그가 거기에 그처럼 강한 애착을 가졌다면, 하나님께서 니느웨를 아끼시는 것이 얼마나 더 마땅한 일인가! 이 논증에서 다음을 주목하라.
**첫째, 니느웨에 대한 하나님의 관심은 훨씬 더 강한 근거가 있다(욘 4:11).** 박 넝쿨에 대한 요나의 관심과 비교해 보면 이것이 분명히 드러난다.
(1) 박 넝쿨은 피조물에 불과하였지만, 니느웨 사람들은 하나님의 형상을 따라 지음받은 피조물이다. 동물에 대한 하나님의 관심도 있지만(욘 4:11, "수많은 가축"), 사람에 대한 관심은 그보다 훨씬 더 크다.
(2) 요나는 박 넝쿨이 자라도록 전혀 수고하지 않았지만, 하나님은 니느웨 사람들을 창조하시고 생명을 주신 분이다.
(3) 박 넝쿨은 하룻밤에 났다가 하룻밤에 사라졌지만, 니느웨는 오랫동안 자라온 큰 성읍이다.
(4) 박 넝쿨은 하나의 식물에 불과하였지만, 니느웨에는 십이만 명이 넘는 사람들이 있었다. "오른손과 왼손을 분간하지 못하는" 어린아이들만 해도 그 수가 그러했다. 이들은 아직 도덕적 분별을 갖추지 못하여 자신들이 지은 죄에 대해 그 아버지들보다 훨씬 덜 책임이 있는 자들이다. 무고한 어린아이들의 무리가 그 성읍에 가득 차 있었다. 그렇다면 하나님께서 그들을 아끼시는 것이 마땅하지 않겠는가? 그리고 요나도 하나님의 자비에 함께 기뻐해야 하지 않겠는가?
**둘째, 이 논증 안에는 더 깊은 교훈이 담겨 있다.** 하나님은 이 질문을 독자들에게도 열어 두신다. 하나님께서는 요나에게뿐만 아니라, 이 이야기를 읽는 모든 사람에게 물으신다. "내가 니느웨를 아끼는 것이 마땅하지 않겠느냐?" 이 질문에는 대답이 없다. 그것은 독자 스스로 답하도록 남겨진 것이다. 주목하라.
1. 하나님의 자비는 인간의 좁은 생각을 훨씬 뛰어넘는다. 우리의 마음은 종종 우리 자신의 집단, 민족, 교파를 편애한다. 그러나 하나님의 자비는 온 인류를 품는다.
2. 피조물에 대한 우리의 작은 연민조차도 하나님의 더 크신 자비의 논거가 된다. "하물며 하나님이 자기 택하신 자들의 원한을 풀어 주지 아니하시겠느냐"(눅 18:7).
3. 사람의 생명과 영혼은 그 어떤 피조물보다 귀하다. 요나가 아꼈던 것은 금방 사라질 식물 하나였지만, 하나님께서 아끼시는 것은 하나님의 형상을 따라 지음받은 영혼들이다.
4. 회개하는 자를 구원하시는 것이 하나님의 성품에 합당하다. "재앙 내리시기를 돌이키시는 하나님"(욘 4:2)이심을 요나 자신도 알고 있었다. 하나님은 자신의 성품에 따라 행하셨다.
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원주석
- 번역원본
commentary-section/mhm-jon-4-5-11(Matthew Henry, PD) - CC0-1.0 · Sonnet 위탁 번역 · 성경 인용은 WEB(PD) 기반