3. What proves the account of Jonah to be authentic?

³ There is no question that the entire account of Jonah is authentic. The “Perfecter of our faith, Jesus,” referred to Jonah as an actual person and gave the inspired interpretation of two of the prophetic happenings in Jonah, thus showing the book to contain true prophecy. (Heb. 12:2; Matt. 12:39-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-32)

11. What is “the sign of Jonah”?

¹¹ At Matthew 12:38-41, Jesus told the religious leaders that the only sign that would be given them was “the sign of Jonah.” After three days and three nights in “the belly of Sheol,” Jonah went and preached to Nineveh, thereby becoming a “sign” to the Ninevites. (Jonah 1:17; 2:2; 3:1-4) Similarly, Jesus spent parts of three days in the grave and was resurrected. When his disciples proclaimed the evidence of that event, Jesus became a sign to that generation. According to the Jewish method of measuring time and the facts in fulfillment of Jesus’ case, this period of “three days and three nights” allows for less than three full days.b