Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - PREJUDICED

PREJUDICED

When one studies the book of Jonah in the Bible it is not hard to see that there is more to the story than the commonly considered portion of Jonah and the fish. Jonah’s run from God and his hatred of the inhabitants of Nineveh are really central and there is no secret made of the reason for his feelings towards those people. But at the same time, it is important to examine our own feelings as to how we look to other cultures and groups today because, in many cases, we still harbour similar feelings although hopefully not to the same extent. Looking carefully, we can see that Jonah was prejudiced against the Nineveh inhabitants in five different ways.

He mistakenly disliked them in a national way and not really individually. Not knowing each of them, he disliked the national culture of the people and so do we not still today make judgement based on a nation rather than individuals living within that country?

He disliked the people of Nineveh because of their history and past actions; not considering how the situation may change in the future. Don’t we today evaluate people in the way their ancestors behaved more that the way things are at present and get caught up in past instead of looking toward the future?

He disliked them from their physical actions and did not consider them from a spiritual sense at all. It is evident that God considered the people of Nineveh just as worthy of salvation as He did the people in Jerusalem.

The Lord is…not willing that any should perish 

but that all should come to repentance. 

(2 Peter 3:9)

And this is the reason God sent Jonah to Nineveh and the reason we are sent to various places today.

Further, Jonah looked upon the people of Nineveh in a hateful manner and not mercifully. Jonah was so consumed with hatred towards those people because of their previous atrocities that he really could not think beyond this emotion. It is difficult to consider a merciful attitude when one harbours such feelings but this is what God apparently wants us to do - put aside such emotions and to consider that all are creations of God and that He died to be…

the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours only, 

but also for the sins of the whole world. 

(1 John 2:2 KJV)

And lastly, he disliked them because of the ethnicity, because they were of a different background than he and his Jewish compatriots. Through history, and such is so clearly evidenced in the Old Testament, people were hated because of where they came from and their ethnic heritage - Jews verses the Gentiles being the most evident. One can dislike and disagree with the others beliefs, and even culture, but can still accept and cooperate with their person and being.

We all, today, may still have similar feelings toward others who are “different” but hopefully not to the same extent as did Jonah. We must learn to live in harmony with each other and look at others individually and toward the future and in a spiritual and merciful way remembering also…

…there is no partiality with God. 

(Romans 2:11)

and that…

…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believes in Him should not perish 

but have everlasting life. 

(John 3:16)

All things we should continue to think about.