The official Catholic Bible for the US, the NAB, also states that the stories such as the Tower of Babel, Jonah and the whale, and Balaam and the donkey are fables. And that Joshua’s conquests are folk tales. Yet the N.T. treats such as literal historical events.
II. Christ’s Use of Scripture
As L. Gaussen has asserted, “We are not afraid to say it: when we hear the Son of God quote the Scriptures, every thing is said, in our view, on their divine inspiration we need no further testimony. All the declarations of the Bible are, no doubt, equally divine; but this example of the Savior of the world has settled the question for us at once. This proof requires neither long nor learned researches; it is grasped by the hand of a child as powerfully as by that of a doctor. Should any doubt, then, assail your soul let it behold Him in the presence of the Scriptures!” 1
1. He knew the Scriptures thoroughly, even to words and verb tenses. He obviously had either memorized vast portions or knew it instinctively: John 7:15. 2
2. He believed every word of Scripture. All the prophecies concerning Himself were fulfilled 3, and He believed beforehand they would be. 4
3. He believed the Old Testament (Tanakh) was historical fact. This is very clear, even though from the Creation (cf. Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:4, 5) onward, much of what He believed has long been under fire by critics, as being mere fiction. Some examples of historical facts:
* Luke 11:51 Abel was a real individual
* Matthew. 24:37-39 Noah and the flood (Luke 17:26, 27)
* John 8:56-58 Abraham
* Matthew 10:15; 11:23, 24 (Luke 10:12) Sodom and Gomorrah
* Luke 17:28-32 Lot (and wife!)
* Matthew 8:11 Isaac and Jacob (Luke 13:28)
* John 6:31, 49, 58 Manna
* John 3:14 Serpent
* Matthew 12:39-41 Jonah (vs.42 - Sheba)
* Matthew 24:15 Daniel and Isaiah
4. He believed the books were written by the men whose names they bear:
* Moses wrote the Pentateuch (Torah): Matthew 19:7, 8; Mark 7:10, 12:26 (”Book of Moses” the Torah); Luke 5:14; 16:29, 31; 24:27, 44 (”Christ’s Canon”); John 1:17; 5:45, 46; 7:19; (”The Law [Torah] was given by Moses; Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.”) 5
* Isaiah wrote “both” Isaiah’s: Mark 7:6-13; John 12:37-41.
* Jonah wrote Jonah: Matthew 12:39-41.
* Daniel wrote Daniel: Matthew 24:15.
5. He believed the Old Testament (Tanakh) was spoken by God Himself, or written by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, even though the pen was held by men: Matthew 19:4, 5; 22:31, 32, 43; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37.
6. He believed Scripture was more powerful than His miracles: Luke 16:29, 31.
7. He actually quoted it in overthrowing Satan (Hasatan)! The O.T. Scriptures (Tanakh) were the arbiter in every dispute: Matthew 4; Luke 16:29, 31.
8. He quoted Scripture as the basis for his own teaching. His ethics were the same as what we find already written in Scripture: Matthew 7:12; 19:18, 19; 22:40; Mark 7:9, 13; 10:19; 12:24,29-31; Luke 18:20.
9. He warned against replacing it with something else, or adding or subtracting from it. The Jewish leaders in His day had added to it with their Oral Traditions: Matthew 5:17; 15:1-9; 22:29; (cf. 5:43,44); Mark. 7:1-12. (Destroying faith in the Bible as God’s Word will open the door today to a “new” Tradition.)
10. He will judge all men in the last day, as Messiah and King, on the basis of His infallible Word committed to writing by fallible men, guided by the infallible Holy Spirit: Matthew 25:31; John 5:22, 27; 12:48; Romans 2:16.
11. He made provision for the New Testament (B’rit Hadashah) by sending the Holy Spirit (the Ruach HaKodesh). We must note that He Himself never wrote one word of Scripture although He is the Word of God Himself (the living Torah in flesh and blood, see John, chapter 1). He committed the task of all writing of the Word of God to fallible men guided by the infallible Holy Spirit. The apostles’ words had the same authority as Christ’s: Matthew 10:14, 15; Luke 10:16; John 13:20; 14:22; 15:26, 27; 16:12-14.
12. He not only was not jealous of the attention men paid to the Bible (denounced as “bibliolatry” by some), He reviled them for their ignorance of it: Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24.
13. Nor did Jesus (Yeshua) worship Scripture. He honored it even though written by men.
The above leaves no room but to conclude that our Lord Jesus Christ (Yeshua Hamashiach) considered the canon of Scripture (Tanakh) as God’s Word, written by the hand of men.
Although some religious leaders profess to accept Scripture as “God’s Word,” their low view of “inspiration” belies the fact. They believe and teach that Scripture is, to a very significant degree, man’s word. Many of their statements are in essential disagreement with those of Jesus Christ (Yeshua Hamashiach). From the evidence of their books, we conclude that some Christian leaders are opposite to Christ in His regard for the authority, the inspiration, and the inerrancy of Scripture.
And now, the most important point.
III. Jesus Christ Was Subject to Scripture
(to read more)
http://ldolphin.org/infallible.html
The New American Bible recognizes as allegory the instances you cited. It also doesn't refer to a whale, but rather to a large fish. The difference is irrelevant to the allegory and its message.