Article April 11, 1983 Issue

Self-government? or a ticket to Tarshish?

THOMAS C. ASHER

In the Old Testament story, as soon as Jonah was told by God to travel to Nineveh, he went down to the coast and took passage on the next ship to Tarshish. Tarshish was in the opposite direction from Nineveh. Why did Jonah turn his back on government by God?

Did fear prompt Jonah's disobedience? Was he afraid to carry God's message calling for repentance to the great city of Nineveh? Evidently there was another factor. Jonah said later he had suspected from the first that God might show mercy on the Ninevites and reverse his (Jonah's) prophecy of destruction. Pride as much as fear may have tempted Jonah to head for Tarshish.

But pride and fear probably didn't advertise themselves honestly. They may have suggested, "Here's a chance to get away from it all!" Or, "Tarshish is the in place these days."

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