The subject discussed a year ago under the above title in this REVIEW is of such world-wide interest, and the views developed so reactionary from widely accepted opinion, that it was obviously calculated to rouse controversy and draw out whatever there might be of conflicting or corroborating evidence. This it has done.
The denial, in some quarters, of the story of James Bartley, a denial attributed to the captain's wife, is noteworthy. It must be remembered, however, that denial is not the same as disproof, especially a denial which apparently amounted to no more than the assertion that she "had never heard of the story." Here then is a conflict of evidence to be weighed. On the one hand an isolated negative, based on a plea of individual ignorance; on the other the affirmation of "captain and sailors" of the vessel in which the episode occurred, elaborately investigated by M. de Parville, accepted in the Journal des Debats, and earlier by the Abbé Moine in the scientific journal Kosmos; a statement vivid in life-like details, including even the peristaltic action of the monster's throat, such as it would seem to be beyond human ingenuity to invent---a preponderating weight of evidence in the affirmative, which can hardly be compensated for except by some strong desire to disbelieve.
There is one item in James Bartley's experience which is of special importance, as bearing on the possibility of survival for the given number of hours. Although there is no very clear evidence of the condition of the atmosphere in a whale's belly it seems probable that there would be a deficiency of the amount of oxygen necessary to sustain human life. It is true that the whale, being a warm-blooded animal and therefore itself dependent on such supplies, is compelled to come to the surface every twenty minutes to breathe; but it is not clear how this could carry supplies to assist Bartley in breathing. But did he breathe? Let the account, as quoted in the original article, speak for itself: "Inside [the stomach of the whale] was found the missing sailor doubled up and unconscious. He was laid on the deck and treated to a bath of seawater, which soon revived /p. 619/ him." Not much oxygen needed for a man "doubled up and unconscious"! At first he says "he could easily breathe"; but "losing his senses through fright" he speedily lapsed into what appears, according to the account, to have been a state of suspended animation.
Thus far the physiological aspect in the case of the sperm whale (Cachalot). This has been hitherto assumed as identical with Jonah's "great fish," because it alone has a throat amply large enough to swallow him. Obviously also, if the Bartley account is accepted it carries with it the power of survival. This, however, is not the only possible assumption. The right whale (Mysticetus) was supposed to be excluded because of the acknowledged minuteness of its oesophagus. But this objection has been discounted by the late Mr. E. J. Sewell in a learned paper read before the Victoria Institute, entitled, "The Historical Value of the Book of Jonah."1 After an elaborate consideration of the book from the linguistic and historical points of view (which may be commended to the earnest consideration of the student) he faces the physiological difficulty; and for the very reason of the minuteness of its throat, he assumes that the "great fish" was the right whale, since in that case Jonah, being too large to be literally "swallowed" would perforce be retained in the gigantic mouth, and so would not fail of his share of the regular, periodical supplies of oxygen. To quote in brief outline his exact idea: "Jonah was therefore imprisoned in the animal's mouth."2 "While the whale moved with its jaws open [its regular way of swimming on or near the surface to obtain food] the seawater rushed in over Jonah and then out again through the whalebone screen: but at frequent intervals the whale closed its great overlapping lips, excluding the water and outer air, and 'sounded': i.e. settled down even to the bottom of the sea." "It can only dive in this way because of the reservoir of air in its gigantic mouth." "During these periods Jonah was in perfect darkness, but was warm and dry," with a plentiful supply of oxygen to preserve life. When the whale rose to the surface he had fresh air and light. Mr. Sewell claimed "a reasonable /p. 620/ latitude" in regard to the words, "a great fish to swallow" Jonah; and he argued that it would be hypercritical to refuse to accept the ordinary word καταπιεῖν, or its Hebrew equivalent, as covering the exceptional case of the more limited swallowing capacity of the Mysticetus.
Here then are two suppositions sufficiently diverse to cover the physiological condition of all such great fish. And in either case it becomes evident that, however strange an event, the experiences of Jonah do not travel beyond the possibilities of the situation in the domain of natural law.
It is necessary, however, at the same time to insist once again upon the distinction postulated in the earlier article, that this by no means negatives the idea of divine interposition, which while on the one hand it may transcend the laws of nature may, on the other hand, as in the present case work its wonders through the use of existing laws, which are beyond the range of human knowledge, or, if known, are beyond human power to bring into play. So that the more extraordinary and superhuman are the events recorded the stronger is the emphasis laid on that divine interposition which is so clearly predicated in the Bible record of the Book of Jonah.
Nor is this all. The postulate of divine guidance and control is necessary to the full understanding of our Saviour's teaching when he uses Jonah as His prototype. The "three days" period which, with solemn reiteration He had given to the world along with the prophecy of His Death and resurrection, had become recognized by adversary and adherent alike as the central prophetic mystery of His claim to Messiahship: central point of bewilderment for His all but despairing followers after His death, central theme of mockery for His foes in the hour of its apparent failure.3 No wonder they made so much of it. He had given it them as His chosen test in answer to their demand for a "sign," a guarantee of His divine mission: "What doest Thou for a sign that we may see and believe Thee? What workest Thou?" But the vital work and the sign or guarantee of it lay at the moment in the future. It was Resurrection that was to save them. It was the power of God triumphing over death physical and death spiritual. His followers would be able to use that sign, and prove His saving power by witnessing to His resurrection /p. 621/ again and again.4 But for the present the only sign was that of His prototype, the prophet sent by His Father to preach repentance to the people of distant Nineveh. It was his marvelous deliverance which made Jonah a sign to them. When they asked him "What sign shewest thou?" he had his guarantee ready in the accomplished fact; for he could tell them how he had been like one dead and buried, and divine interposition had marvelously brought him to life again, convincing thereby his own rebellious heart of God's purpose, and giving him in the story of this his superhuman deliverance the sure guarantee to the people of the truth of God's message and of him His messenger.
So it was always. When the people came thirsting to Christ to draw water out of the wells of salvation, always He plumbed depths lower than they sought: always He taught them deeper, and more fundamental truths. Even to these, though they were evil and adulterous He would give that in which by faithful study they could have found the answer they sought.
Who that reads His Spirit can figure Him talking to them of such vital matters like an ignorant peasant man in terms of some age-long myth of folklore, whose fabulous grotesqueness He had taken no care to verify; or setting out to build one of the central pillars of His world-wide salvation on so insecure a foundation, and to daub it with such untempered mortar?
Ambrose J. Wilson
Cheltenham, England