Through The Bible

Session #14 – Ezra & Nehemiah

April 17, 2002

About the books:

• They share similarities in writing style and as we said before, some believe Ezra & Nehemiah were part of the same work as Chronicles.
• Note that 2 Chronicles 36:23 seems to end abruptly and is repeated at least in part in Ezra 1.1-4.
• Many consider them both to once be part of a single book called, “Ezra.” In Jerome’s work (around 400 AD) we first find mention of Ezra as 2 books.
• Consider them a “sequel” to Chronicles. They continue the story.
• Most believe they were written shortly after 400 BC (note this is the end of the OT witness too).
• Two central figures: Ezra was a priest; Nehemiah was a governor.

Framework of the story:

• Focuses on two decrees:

(1) ... from Persian king Cyrus (Ezra 1) for the Jews to return to their homeland and resume temple worship; Ezra 1-6 describes this event.

(2) ... from Persian king Artaxerxes (Ezra 7) who commands that the Mosaic law for all Jews. Ezra 7-Nehemiah 13 describes the implementation of the Mosaic Law on the people and its affects.

• The creation of a distinctive Jewish identity was central to the return:

- Ezra insists on separation from the non-Jews.

- Nehemiah pushes for a similar separation when he encloses Jerusalem with a wall and purges the community from all things foreign.

- Ezra is often called the “father of Judaism.” Why do you think this might be so?

How do we put this material in a framework?

• The material in these books is not chronological.
• There’s much debate and discussion as to when and exactly how these events transpired.
• The table below comes from Celia Brewer Marshall, A Guide Through The Old Testament (Louisville, KY: Westminster / John Knox Press, 1989), p. 124.

Period	Old Testament Sources	Events in Jerusalem	Persian Rulers
586 BC to 500 BC	Ezra 1-6 Haggai and Zechariah 1-8	586 BC: Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon; Second and final deportation; Diaspora Jews in Babylon 538 BC: First wave of the people returning to Jerusalem begins (groups will continue to drift back over the next century). Zerubbabel begins rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Samaritans thwart the rebuilding efforts; rebuilding halts. 520 BC: The prophets Haggai and Zechariah call for the rebuilding of the temple to continue; work begins. 515 BC: In March, the second temple is finished.	550-530: Cyrus II (the great) 539: Fall of Babylonian Empire to Cyrus the Great. 538: Cyrus the Great issues Edict of Toleration, allowing the Jews to return home. 530-522: Cambyses II 522-486: Darius I
500 BC to 400 BC	[Esther?] Nehemiah’s Memoirs: Neh. 1-7 and Neh. 11-13. [Jonah & Ruth?] Malachi	444-432: Nehemiah hears of the plight of Jerusalem while in Persia. He is appointed governor of Judah; the walls around Jerusalem are rebuilt.	485-465: Xerxes I (“Ahasuerus” in the book of Esther). 465-423: Artaxerxes I [Age of Pericles in Athens]. 423: Xerxes II 423-404: Darius II 404-358: Artaxerxes II

Period	Old Testament Sources	Events in Jerusalem	Persian Rulers
400 BC to 331 BC	The “I” narrative – Ezra 7:11-9:15. The “He” narrative – Ezra 10 and Nehemiah 8-10. The king’s letter – Ezra 7:12-26. The Lists – Ezra 8:1-14; Ezra 10:18-44; Nehemiah 10:1-27.	398 (?): Ezra, priest and scribe, institutes reforms of worship. This marks the end of Old Testament history as we have it recorded. The date of this is approximately 400 BC.	331: Alexander the Great conquers the Persian Empire (Darius III is defeated); This is also the age of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle; and the rise of Hellenism or Greek way of life and thought.

Look at 3:10-4:5

• The foundation was laid.

• Many of the priests and Levites wept at this event because it didn’t measure up to the first temple’s standards. What lesson is there in this for us? (They couldn’t let go of the past. It was hard for them to make a new beginning.)

• Note the opposition to the rebuilding. The enemies of Judah and Benjamin (4.1) are talked about, these are probably Samaritans (people from the Assyrian Empire who were taken away after the fall of the Northern Kingdom to Assyria in 721 BC. Many consider this animosity and opposition to be the root for the animosity between Jews and Samaritans that runs throughout the New Testament.