Jonah 1 in the early church
[Vulgate: Jonas]
121 passages quote, allude to, or echo Jonah 1, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 9 · 12 · 14 · 15 · 17
Jonah 1 as a whole
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1–Jonah:4 | Canon 60 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | ca. 343–381 |
| Jonah 1–Jonah:4 | Canon 47 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 397 |
Jonah 1:1
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:1–2 | Homilies on Numbers 16.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Jonah 1:1–3 | Poem 3 (Jonah), lines 1–24 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th cent. (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:1–3 | On Jonah and Nineveh, lines 1–25 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th century (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:1 | On Ecclesiastical Theology 2.18.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 337–339 |
| Jonah 1:1–17 | Tractates 2.17.2 · Zeno of Verona | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362-380 |
Jonah 1:3
Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
Jonah 1:4
Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:4 | Homilies on Ezekiel 6.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s) |
| Jonah 1:4–5 | On Jonah and Nineveh, lines 26–50 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th century (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:4 | Letters to Serapion 1.7 · Athanasius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 357–360 |
| Jonah 1:4 | Letters to Serapion 1.8 · Athanasius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 357–360 |
| Jonah 1:4 | Oration 2.41 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
Jonah 1:5
The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:5–11 | Poem 3 (Jonah), lines 50–73 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th cent. (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:5–12 | On Jonah and Nineveh, lines 51–75 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th century (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:5 | Catechetical Lecture 14.17 · Cyril of Jerusalem | allusion, high confidence | ca. 350 |
| Jonah 1:5 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 43.85.1 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
| Jonah 1:5 | Poem 24, lines 161–190 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, high confidence | ca. 393–431 |
Jonah 1:6
The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:6 | Miscellanies 5.14.135 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Jonah 1:6 | Catechetical Lecture 14.17 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
Jonah 1:7
“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:7 | Homilies on Ezekiel 6.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s) |
| Jonah 1:7 | Homilies on Joshua 23.2 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Jonah 1:7 | On Elijah and Fasting 70 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-390 |
| Jonah 1:7 | Letters 49.9 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Jonah 1:7 | Sermon 37 · Peter Chrysologus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
Jonah 1:9
“I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:9 | Against Heresies 3.20.1 · Irenaeus of Lyons | quotation, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Jonah 1:9 | Miscellanies 5.14.135 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Jonah 1:9 | Book of Heresies 96.1 · Philastrius of Brescia | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380s |
Jonah 1:12
“Pick me up,” he answered, “and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:12–17 | Poem 3 (Jonah), lines 74–105 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th cent. (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:12–17 | On Jonah and Nineveh, lines 76–105 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 4th-5th century (disputed) |
| Jonah 1:12 | Historical Fragments 1.4.1.25 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 343–367 |
| Jonah 1:12 | Catechetical Lecture 6.23 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
| Jonah 1:12 | Catechetical Lecture 14.17 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
| Jonah 1:12–15 | Letter 231 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–390 |
| Jonah 1:12–15 | Tractates 1.8.3 · Zeno of Verona | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362-380 |
| Jonah 1:12 | Letter 133.12 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Jonah 1:12 | Sermon 37 · Peter Chrysologus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
Jonah 1:14
So they cried out to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life! Do not charge us with innocent blood! For You, O LORD, have done as You pleased.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah 1:14 | Miscellanies 5.14.136 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
Jonah 1:15
Then they picked up Jonah and cast him into the sea, and the raging sea grew calm.
Jonah 1:17
Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish.