I find it interesting what reading the Bible in a different language can cause me to see. Not that there's something new there, or that I understand it better--I understand more in English, of course. But reading in Spanish makes me step back, I think, and look at a story I've always known differently.
Today I was reading Jonah. As the men were trying to save their ship and their own lives, it brought to mind the old classic "Lifeboat Exercise." You know, the one where you have to decide who gets thrown overboard and who gets to survive. Although it has been long decried by conservatives for promoting situation ethics, I don't believe I've ever heard it discussed in light of this story.
Here we have a boatload of sailors, all pagan in the traditional sense of the word (each cries to his own god), and complete with the well-known morality of seamen. Yet even when they know Jonah is the cause of their trouble, even when he himself tells them to throw him overboard, they resist. Fearing God, they tried with all their might to get to land. Finally, when no other options existed, they first prayed and begged God not to judge them. Not to judge them? Didn't He send the storm? Didn't He show Jonah that they should throw him overboard? Yet they knew the value the Lord placed on human life. And they feared Him enough to be afraid to obey. Wow!
For another interesting note on this (hideous) group activity, see this link.