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Collins_ Reflective Essay 2

Collins_ Reflective Essay 2

by Calvin Collins -
Number of replies: 1

 

Many books in the prophets are reflective upon God’s judgement to God’s people. The book of Jonah shows the reader that there is a fear of God from the sailor’s perspective which is in Jonah 1:14, but not as much from Jonah’s perspective in Jonah 1:3. In Jonah 1:3, this occurs after God has commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh. He does not listen so what peruses is a storm and then a whale swallowing Jonah. Jonah decides to listen after being in a “time out” in the whale after he cries out to God in Jonah 2: 1-9. After this, Jonah is let out of the whale and still again is instructed to go to Nineveh. Thinking about the prophetical aspect of Jonah, according to Collins, “Jonah never was actually called a prophet, but he is called to speak in the name of the LORD. (281)” This book is a narrative text where there is a person stating what his happening. Collins also says that “this book possibly was written after 612 BCE which was after Nineveh was destroyed. He calls this ‘belated literature,’ which is written in reaction to the stereotypes of the prophets. (281)”


 The book of wisdom literature is normally reflective upon human experience and the relationship between God and God’s creation. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Vanity is repeated multiple times. From the Editors Introduction in the NOAB, “the word vanity is repeated thirty-seven times in Ecclesiastes and is perhaps its most important term. (1088)” This book portrays that “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. (Ecc. 3: 17)” There are multiple verses in this text about helping the poor (Ecc. 5:8) and the oppressed (Ecc. 4:1) This book is from the voice of the teacher also known as Qoheleth. According to Davis Hankins and Brennan W. Breed in Ecclesiastes Name, Authorship, and Canonical Status states that “this is likely a descendent of David, but traditionally indicates Solomon, who succeeded David on the throne. (944)” 


In reply to Calvin Collins

Re: Collins_ Reflective Essay 2

by Julia O'Brien -

Thanks, Calvin.

The choice of Jonah is an interesting one if your thesis is that the prophets show God's judgment. The sailors do fear God, but the primary message of the book is that the Ninevehites are forgiven when they repent and that Jonah is cared for by God even when he sulks. God doesn't punish in this book.

What does Ecclesiastes actually say about what humans can learn from experience? You've given some information about the book but I don't see how it fits with the claim you make. Apart from these individual passages in the book, can you say more about the "big take away" of Ecclesiastes? What does it say about God and our ability to understand God's activities in the world?