Summary of Ezra by Ceu Kingshill

            Hill and Walton combine Ezra and Nehemiah in chapter 14 of their survey of the Old Testament.  For this paper I will make brief mention of Nehemiah as I focus on Ezra.  It will be only towards the end of the paper that personal comments will stray from the assigned book.  Ezra

            Ezra was a priest and scribe who had a great talent for reading the Torah and interpreting Mosaic Law.[1]  Hill and Walton conclude that Ezra was a priest and scribe as well as that Ezra was Secretary for Jewish Affairs in the Persian government during the reign of King Artaxerxes between 464-424 B.C.  Ezra occupied an important position in the royal court which included both political and religious responsibilities.  Ezra’s place in the biblical history of God’s people was as follows: a) to read the Torah before the Assembly of God’s people in Jerusalem in order to return the law of God to the people, and b) to provide leadership to the postexilic community as they returned to Israel. Ezra came to Jerusalem after the work of Zerubbabel on the Temple stopped. The temple had stopped because the Samarians had no positive interest in the restoration of Jerusalem.[2]

Time and Place of the Book.

            The actual composition of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah occurred in stages and was probably completed around 400 B.C.[3]  Ezra has large sections of text in the Aramaic language (Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26 cf. Dan.2:4-7:28.).  Because Aramaic was the language of international trade, it is difficult to use this to determine where the book was written in Persia or Palestine. 

            However, Hill and Walton say that “The Hebrew adaptation of the Cyrus edict (Ezra 1:2-4) and the Artaxerxes letter (Ezra 7:12-26) suggest that the final compilation of the books of Ezra-Nehemiah occurred in Palestine.” [4]

 Purpose of the Book

            The general purpose of the two books, Ezra and Nehemiah, is to describe the history of the postexilic community in a three-fold manner:

                1) The Hebrew return to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile, including the rebuilding of the altar and temple;

                2) The arrival and ministry of Ezra, including the religious reform of the community based on the Law of Moses;

                3) The arrival and ministry of Nehemiah, including the repair of Jerusalem wall and continued social and

                    economic reform in the restoration community.[5]

            The historical purpose incorporates a theological emphasis of preserving Yahweh’s faithfulness by demonstrating God’s providential working among human kings and governments. The narrative shows the physical and spiritual restoration of Jerusalem in order to affirm Yahweh’s promise to renew the remnant of Israel.  The theological idea is covenant renewal in the postexilic community.   

For the chronicler, the return from exiles in Babylon was a new exodus for Israel….

     Finally; the chronicler reaffirmed and expanded the notion of God’s sovereign rule of human history.

The conclusion of Shesbazzar/Zerubbabel narrative as a prologue to Ezra and Nehemiah memoirs underscored

God’s involvement in the restoration of Israel by revealing Yahweh’s role in prompting Persian kings to

permit Israel to return to her land and rebuild the temple.[6]

Structure and Organization of the Book.

            In the telling of the postexilic history three blocks of material are woven into the account:

            1)  The Shesbazzar/Zerubbabel narrative (Ezra 1-6).

            2)  The Ezra autobiography (Ezra 7-10; Nehemiah.7:73-10:39).

            3)  The Nehemiah autobiography (Nehemiah 1:17:73; 11:1-31:31).[7]

            The following types of literature are included in these accounts: first person and third person materials, official documents, prayers and songs, as well as various listings.

The Major Components of the Chapter. 

Yahweh as Covenant Keeper  

            Yahweh is faithful to his word as the keeper of the covenant oath and this assurance means there is yet hope for Israel ( Ezra 10:2).  In Ezra, God responds to Israel’s petitions and continues to declare them ‘his people’ (Ezra 7:9-10, 27-28).This assurance gave strength to other postexilic prophets such as Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi to give similar messages of hope and encouragement for Israel’s restoration (Haggai 2:4-9, Zechariah 1:16-17, Malachi 3:6-7).[8]

Restoration Period Reforms and the Seeds of Pharisaism

            Under Ezra and Nehemiah there resulted a significant reordering of Hebrew society which had both immediate and far-reaching implications:  Their societal changes prevented another Hebrew exile and preserved Israelite ethnic identity while under the yoke of Persia and the ever present threats from the surrounding hostile nations.  The priesthood was rehabilitated (Ezra 10:18-44).  The Torah, Law of Moses, was reintroduced as the rule of community life (Nehemiah 8:1-12). Temple ritual and Sabbath observance were reinstituted (Nehemiah 8:13-18, 13:15-22).  Through the covenant renewal ceremony Hebrew possession of the land was secured (Nehemiah 9:38-10:27).

            The Torah determined religious, social, and economic policy.  A major effect was increasing separation of the Hebrews from the gentiles who represented a polluted world order.   Ezra, a priest and scribe, became the model for a later class of religious professionals, the Pharisees, who had the task to study and interpret Mosaic Law (See Ezra 7:10).[9]

Important Themes in Ezra Discussed in the Chapter.

            The themes discussed by Hill and Walton are reiterated in other parts of the bible; however I will focus only on those themes which are pertinent to Ezra.
Authorship

            No one knows for sure who the author of Ezra was; however there is general agreement that Ezra himself was probably the author of the book which carries his name.[10]

Yahweh’s Covenant

            The rebuilding of the temple shows that even with all the disobedience of Israel, God was good to them and did not give up on them(Ezra 7).  Israel was important in God’s sight especially when they assembled together as one community to praise Him (Ezra 3:1, 10-11).  God’s hand was upon Ezra as he chose the studious and observant follower of the Law (Ezra 7:8 -10, 28).  The beginning of Ezra flows almost seamlessly from the ending of the book of 2 Chronicles which cites God’s promise to rebuild the temple that was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah.  The history of the Jewish people continues with Ezra and confirms Yahweh’s ongoing faithfulness to his covenant promise (2 Chronicles 36: 22-23;

Ezra 1:1).[11] 

            The very first verse of the book, the Passover celebration at the end of chapter 6, and the reading of King Artaxerxes letter immediately followed by Ezra’s beautiful doxology in chapter 7, all show that God amazingly fulfilled his covenant through unbelieving monarchs.  It reveals, as well, the humble nature of a very talented man, Ezra, who gave all the credit to Yahweh

 (Ezra 1:1-4, 6:19-22; 7:21-26, 27-28).

Confession of Sin and the Holiness of God

            When God’s people married foreigners it showed one more time their disobedience of God’s commandment.  Ezra’s cry on behalf of the people in repentance for their sins and the community’s resulting gathered confession demonstrate the powerful charisma of Ezra’s leadership.  He was able to touch the people’s heart in such a way that they were moved to tearfully turn back to God in one tremendous response of repentance and desire to be holy again.

               One of the remarkable characteristics of this prayer sermon is the shift from the first person singular,

                “I” in vs. 6 to the first person plural, “We”, in vs. 7. Ezra not only intercedes for the guilty community

                – a priestly function – but identifies himself with that community.[12] 

Themes that I identified with the most.

The Yahweh Covenant

            I am amazed that after Israel disobeyed God so many times, He was still willing to give them another chance to keep his part of the covenant. 

            Fee and Stuart make the following comment in their section concerning Christians and the Old Testament State:

                   What is important for your understanding is that in making covenant with Israel on Sinai, God used

                this well-known covenant form when he constituted the binding contract between himself (Yahweh =

                “the LORD”) and his vassal, Israel.  In return for benefits and protection, Israel was expected to keep the

                many stipulations (i.e., commandments) contained in the covenantal law as we find it in Exodus 20 –

                Deuteronomy 33.[13]

Most of the people knew the law of God (Ezra 7:25) and Pentateuch law ruled out marriage with the inhabitants of Canaan {Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-6}.[14] 

                So people in the past were just like us Christians today.  We know the law but we disobey it all the time.  I can identify with this theme when God has mercy on me as a sinner and God continues to show his mercy everyday of my life.   As God could have just wiped out Israel for her sins, God could have gotten rid of me anytime.  Because of humanity’s sins God could have given up on us at any point in history.  In the book of Ezra I am able to truly sense Yahweh who talks to me and walks with me.

The Two Walls: Physical and Spiritual  

            Even though I am not focusing on Nehemiah, he was very important because as it was said in class Nehemiah was dealing with the city’s walls in order to physically protect God’s people.  This allowed Ezra to focus well on the spiritual wall. 

            If we do not have people to take care of the physical aspects of ministry such as materials and finances for Christian education and mission as well as maintenance of the church building, the spiritual leaders – pastors, elders, missionaries – can not focus well on the spiritual dimension.  Pastors sorely need good ‘Nehemiahs’ to encourage them.

The Practical Principles of the Book - My Life, Ministry, and Calling.

            In 1994 before I went to Thailand on a mission trip I dreamt that an angel told me to apply the book of Ezra to a seminar I was supposed to give on the subject, Praise Dance and Dance Theatre in Worship.  The specific theme had not yet been communicated to me by the seminar leaders at the university; nevertheless, due to the dream I began to study Ezra. Rebuilding the temple and restoration of the community got my attention, so I created a process of work based on those two themes.  When I arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to my surprise, the selected theme was Restoration of the Temple.   No one had communicated this to me prior to my arrival.

             While I administered the seminar there was one girl who never spoke during the whole week of class.  However, during the feedback time at the end when I asked through the Thai language translator if anyone wanted to talk about their experience, this girl was the first person to say something.   She said that after one year in the church she had never understood the love of God until the seminar.  She cried a lot as she was sharing her testimony.

            I did not understand very much at that moment but afterwards the translator told me that when the girl was only 10 years old she was sold to a foreigner by her father for 200 dollars.

At 14 years of age she was taken from the street to live at a recuperation home for women called The Agape House.  

            Suddenly I understood that the theme given to me in my dream was to be the basis for my way to help people through Movement and Dance to worship God.  Since then I have been working and helping many people who have suffered various forms of abuse. I have been helping them to rebuild themselves and to understand themselves as a temple of God. 

            Holiness is a crucial aspect of authentic and acceptable worship of God.  We try to maintain holiness on our own and we do this with others.  Worshipping God alone is important but worshipping God in community is even more important.   When we are in community we do not have to cry, to be anxious, or to suffer in other ways alone; we can also rejoice together as a gathered body. 

            So the shift from Ezra’s fervent repentance for Israel’s sin to the Israelite community’s own united repentance for their sin became quite clear to me.   Through the process that happened during my seminar in Thailand, it was significant that the participants were able to make a similar shift as a community to help the girl truly understand the depth of God’s love for her.  My dream prior to embarking on that mission experience was God’s way of saying that He remains concerned for each individual to live fully in holy, restorative community.  

                With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: He is good his love to Israel endures forever.[15]

Selected Bibliography

Buttrick, George Arthur, ed. The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. III, The Book of Ezra and The

Book of Nehemiah: Introduction and Exegesis by Raymond A. Bowman, Exposition by Charles W. Gilkey New York: Abingdon Press, 1995.

Fee, Gordon D., and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth Grand

            Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.

Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament Grand Rapids:

            Zondervan, 1991.

Mays, James L. Harper’s Bible Commentary San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers,

            1988.

Myers, Jacob M. Ezra. Nehemiah – A Translation with Introduction and Commentary,

            Vol.14 New York: The Anchor Bible, 1965.

New International Version, Life Application Study Bible Wheaton: Tyndale House

            Publishers, Inc., 1997.