The Pulpit Commentary — Jonah — Section 23

not be eaten (Exo<l. xxi. 28). Even the man who slew another by misadventure made his life forfeit to the avenger of blood if he were caught outside the city of refuge (Deut. xix. 6). Blood, in fact, according to Scripture, muat have blood (Gen. ix. 5, 6). There is no other satisfaction for it. The value of it cannot be expressed in any earthly currency. Even the whole world is no compensation for a lost life (Mark viii. 36). '!'hose principles find little place in the consciousness of heathendom. It is filled wHh "the habitations of cruelty." You will get no heathen nation in any age exhibiLing either in private life or public an adequate sense of the inviolability of human life. It is evident that in the case before us the sailors have been impressed by the Divine portents on the occBBion, and under their impulse act for a time on a higher than the heathen plane. Not in their heathenism, but in the theism it is for the time in contact with, must we look for the explanation of their humane and generous conduct. The knowledge of God is early and inevitably practical. By it "grace is multiplied," and the "pollutions of the world" escaped (2 Pet. i. 2; ii. 20). II. 'l'HEY RECOGNIZED THE BELIEVING LIFE AS SPECIALLY SACRED. It will be concede,) that, other things being equal, the life of a believer is more important than that of an unbeliever. Not only has it elements and functions which a.re all its own, but these are intrinsically more excellent than any others. God treats it as precious in a peculiar sense (Ps. lxxii. 14; cxvi. 15), keeping count of the very hairs of bis people's bead.3 (Matt. x. 30), and using (1 Cor. iii. 21, 22; 2 Cor. iv. 15), and even sacrificing, the lives of the wicked for their preservation (Isa. xliii. 4). He also safeguards it by a double rampart of threat and promise. The death or the hurt of the saints he will avenge with punishment worse than death (Luke xviii. 8; Matt. xviii. 7); whilst even a cup of water to the least of them shall meet with eternal recognition and reward (Matt. x. 42; xxv. 40). Of the inviolable sacredness of the saint's life the sailors had evidently an intuitive idea. "Although himself accuse himself, and lay his fault plain before them, although winds and waves did con.firm it, although the lot throwa did assure it, although in words he did desire to be cast into the water, yet those who should have done it do so ill like of the matter, that if sails or oars can serve they will back again to the land-rather leave their intended journey than use any violenco towards him" (Abbot). It was not on the score of his humanity merely that Jonah was so tenderly dealt with. The hurricane, the power and wrath of God speaking in it, Jonah's revealed connection with both, his acknowledgment and denunciation of his fault, and the meek manhood of his offer to die that they might live, were all circumstances to awe and soften them. "Disobedient though he may be, Jonah they perceive is God's prophet, and his servant still. Revering his God, they respect him. 'l'hey feel that it is a solemn thing to have to do with anything that this God marks as bis own-marks as his own even by his displeasure. Hence they pause" (Martin), This is godliness in its normal operation, and realizing its "promise of the life that now is" by surrounding it with an invisible yet inviolable guard. III. THEY SHAPED THEIR CONDUCT m THE EMERGENCY AS FAR AB POSSIBLE BY GoD's. "Thou, 0 Lord, hast done as it pleased thee" (ver. 14). They would have spared the prophet's life had the thing been possible. It is only when Providence fights a.,"1Wl.St them, and logically shuts them up to it, that they accept the inevitable, and throw him overboard. As their words imply, they" assume that to be righteous which God will have to be done; and because they see him will it, and that he will take no nay, therefore they know it is just, and accordingly yield unto it" (Abbot). The rule of right is God's will. The expression of this in a particular case supersedes the general law. "Thou shalt not kill" and "'l'hou shalt not steal" are canons•in the universal moral code. Yet Abraham would have killed Isaac, and Samuel killed Agag, whilst Israel spoiled the Egyptians at the commaad of God. Then, from the general law forbidding homicide, was excepted the whole class of cases in which it was necessary for self-defence; and to take spoil in war, or as much food from a neighbour's field 118 would save the life, was excepted from the general law forbidding theft. On the same principle the execution of Jonah was legalized by the expressed will of God to that effect, and became to the sailors an act of simple duty. And their course was exemplary. Obedience to God is the highest morality. Whatever is done so is done well. It may seem anomalous aad unfit. But that is only on the surface. S011,c uf the fiuest passages in lite,atu,e D,re least obviously conformable to grammatical rule.  20 THE BOOK OF JONAH. (oH, I, 1-17,