Does Jonah Have a Right to Be Angry?

Yes, He Does!

Abstract

This article contends that Jonah rejected and fled from his prophetic mission not because of any nationalistic ideology or the falsehood of his message but for two primary reasons. First, Jonah was unwilling to be a participant in God’s salvation plan for Nineveh, embarking on a personal rebellion against his perception of inequity. Second, Jonah had a legitimate right to be angry at the atrocities of Assyria’s past actions against Israel. Anyone who believes justice was not enforced has a right to be angry at its failures, and to deny the person the right to be angry dismisses his or her grievance and therefore disarms equity.