Sharper Iron — Majoring in the Minors – Jonah 4:1-11: Should Jonah Be Angry?

https://kfuo-od.streamguys1.com/recast/sharper-iron/20250918100819-2025-09-18_SI.mp3
Download Audio File

The account of Jonah doesn’t end with Nineveh’s repentance; the prophet tells us his angry reaction. Jonah despises the LORD’s forgiveness for “those people,” and so he despises the LORD. Yet the LORD calls Jonah back. The LORD first appoints a plant to give Jonah shade. Soon, however, the LORD appoints a worm to kill the plant and take away Jonah’s shade, and then the LORD appoints an east wind to make Jonah miserable. When Jonah becomes angry over the plant, the LORD points out that Jonah has pity over something that he had not planted or grown. In the book’s concluding question, the LORD calls Jonah, and all of us, to consider how great the LORD’s compassion is for all people and all His creatures, whom He loves in His Son Jesus Christ.

Rev. James Helms, Jr., pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Greenbelt, MD, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jonah 4:1-11.

To learn more about Holy Cross, visit myholycross.com.

“Majoring in the Minors” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum. Although the books of these prophets are shorter, the Word of God they preached was important in the years leading up to the coming of the Christ, and that Word remains important for the Church today. Just as we still need to listen to their call to repentance over our idolatry, so we still need to heed their call to trust in the Savior, Jesus.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Jonah 4:1-11

Jonah’s Anger and the Lord‘s Compassion

4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly,[a] and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant[b] and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort.[c] So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Jonah 4:1 Hebrew it was exceedingly evil to Jonah

Jonah 4:6 Hebrew qiqayon, probably the castor oil plant; also verses 7, 9, 10

Jonah 4:6 Or his evil