The truthfulness of the story of Jonah is affirmed by Jesus, who refers to Jonah's experience as a sign of His own death and resurrection.
The historicity of Jonah is affirmed through Jesus' own references to the account as a sign, specifically in Matthew 12:39-40. Jesus stated, 'For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.' This connection highlights the reality of Jonah's experience and positions it as a prophetic foreshadowing of Christ's death and resurrection. By identifying Jonah's story as a validated historical event, we recognize it as more than an allegory; it serves as a critical teaching moment pointing towards the grace and mercy of God towards repentant sinners.
Scripture References:
Matthew 12:39-40, Luke 11:29-30
Commentary