 Christian theologians have traditionally interpreted Jonah as a type for Jesus Christ.Jonah being in swallowed by the giant fish was regarded as a foreshadowing of Jesus's crucifixion and Jonah emerging from the fish after 3 days was seen as a parallel for Jesus's emerging from the tomb after 3 days.Saint Jerome equates Jonah with Jesus's more nationalistic side, and justifies Jonah's actions by arguing that "Jonah acts thus as a patriot, not so much that he hates the Ninevites, as that he does not want to destroy his own people."