The Book of Esther, Part 1

(Rewritten notes from a sermon on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010)

The plan for August

I. Aug. 8, Chapters 1:1—2:18 (New International Version translation at Logos.com)

II. Aug. 22, the weekend after summer camp, Chapters 2:19—7:10

III. Aug. 29, Chapters 8–10

Please read the entire book; it can be done in one sitting. Then read it over again.

Background

Although we do not know who wrote the book of Esther, from internal evidence it is possible to make some inferences about the author and the date of composition.

• Esther is her Persian name, in Hebrew her name is Hadassah = myrtle or joy
  
  
• Ahasuerus (NKJV, KJV, ESV, NRSV, NASB) = Xerxes
  
  
• It is clear that the author was a Jew, both from his emphasis on the origin of a Jewish festival -- Purim -- and from the Jewish nationalism that permeates the story.
  
  
• The author’s knowledge of Persian customs, the setting of the story in the city of Susa – a city about 200 miles east of Babylon and considered the winter home of the Persian royalty -- and the absence of any reference to conditions or circumstances in the land of Judah suggest that he was a resident of a Persian city. (BTW, Susa is also where Daniel had his vision in Daniel 8 of the ram and the goat.)
  
  
• The first group of Jews returned to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. Twenty years later, the temple was completed.
  
  
• Esther’s story takes place in 478 B.C. She saved her people from genocide in 473 B.C.
  
  
• Fifteen years later, Ezra went to Jerusalem (458 B.C.) and 13 years after that, Nehemiah rebuilt the city’s walls. It is entirely possible that Esther’s actions allowed for Nehemiah to carry out the rebuilding of Jerusalem; had the Jews been killed off, no one may have returned to supervise the construction.

Concepts to understand

• The author’s central purpose was to record the institution of the annual festival of Purim and to keep alive for later generations the memory of the great deliverance of the Jewish people during the reign of Xerxes. The book accounts for both the initiation of that observance and the obligation for its perpetual commemoration.
  
  
• An outstanding feature of this book—one that has given rise to considerable discussion—is the complete absence of any explicit reference to God, worship, prayer, or sacrifice. This “secularity” has produced many detractors who have judged the book to be of little religious value.

o However, it appears that the author has deliberately refrained from mentioning God or any religious activity as a literary device to heighten the fact that it is God who controls and directs all the seemingly insignificant coincidences (see, e.g., note on 6:1) that make up the plot and issue in deliverance for the Jews. God’s sovereign rule is assumed at every point (see note on 4:12–16), an assumption made all the more effective by the total absence of reference to him. It becomes clear to the careful reader that Israel’s Great King exercises his providential and sovereign control over all the vicissitudes of his beleagured covenant people.

o "Martin Luther’s opinion of the book was even worse, “I wish it had not come to us at all”, he declared”, “for it has too many heathen unnaturalities!”

"I’m not sure I know what a ‘heathen unnaturality’ is, but I think I do know what Luther means. You see Esther doesn’t really seem to fit very well in the Bible. In fact in some ways it appears not to belong at all. I mean, can you think of another Old Testament book where there are no priests, and no prophets? Where no-one has a dream or a vision, and no-one even prays? Can you think of another portion of Old Testament Scripture where there’s no mention of Jerusalem, the temple, or even of the Law? Where no animals are sacrificed, no sins forgiven. And believe it or not, in the Book of Esther, not even God seems to get a look-in. He’s not mentioned, not even once."

--Mark Barnes, Bethel Evangelical Church, UK

My editorial 2 cents: As great a theologian/man of God Martin Luther was, I think he was wrong in his sentiment of the Book of Esther. If careful reading in the broader context of the Old Testament narrative is taken into account, it very much belongs in the cannon of the Jewish Scripture. Not only that, I get the feeling (call me crazy if you wish) that God really wanted it included.

• Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, kronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of undetermined period of time in which something special happens. What the special something is depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative nature.

Kronos = quantitative = it can be measured

Kairos = qualitative = it has a particular characteristic that sets it apart, a distinguishing attribute

The term "kairos" is used in theology to describe the qualitative form of time. In rhetoric kairos is "a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved." In the New Testament kairos means "the appointed time in the purpose of God", the time when God acts (e.g. Mark 1.15, the kairos is fulfilled). It differs from the more usual word for time which is chronos (kronos).

Read Esther 1:1-2:18

Who's in control here?

At first glance, the answer must be Xerxes. Look at verses 1-8. Here is a king with vast wealth. A king who rules 127 provinces. This is a party-loving king. Now maybe you like parties, but I bet you’ve never thrown a party that lasts for six months! But that’s what Xerxes does in verse 4. With that kind of a ability, this is a man who can clearly win friends and influence people. And look at his wealth as we read about all the furnishings in verses 5 and 6. That’s not to mention the guest list at his "small party." This small party only lasts a week, but the entire population was invited! Clearly, here is a king who yields great influence, and great control.

The next character to be introduced is his wife, Queen Vashti. As the Queen of Persia, she clearly yields more than a little power herself. So much so, that when Xerxes orders her to parade herself in front of his drunken friends, verse 11, she stubbornly refuses. Here, in the pages of the Bible, is an icon for feminists everywhere. Here is a woman who stands up for herself. A strong woman. A powerful woman. A woman of destiny.

Then there are the seven special advisors (verse 10). If you think we’re having problems with special advisors interfering with the civil service, just be glad you didn’t live in Susa. These boys ruled the roost. These seven people were the only ones in the whole land who could go and see the King uninvited. They held such power over him, it seems every suggestion they made, he would follow. Frankly, to some people, it looked as though they ran the country, not the king!

So who is in control?

Surely not Xerxes, who could not control his own wife, and who was manipulated by his advisors. And definitely not Vashti, who quickly loses the power she had and is banished from the royal palace. And not even the advisors feel in control, because despite their authority in the citadel, needed an royal decree to ensure that their wives submitted to them!

So who is in control? We’ll come back to that question, later.

--Mark Barnes, Bethel Evangelical Church, UK

Also, as a way of foreshadowing, mark, circle, highlight, underline, verse 5:

Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachina king of Judah.

This verse takes on major significance in Part 2 of this series.

Some questions to ask, ponder, discuss, journal, pray over:

1. Why did Mordecai have Esther hide her identity?

What times in your life have you deliberately NOT mention something about your identity to others? What motivated you to do that, and did you finally get around to mentioning it? What happened then?

2. Again, who is in control? Do you see God’s hand anywhere in today’s passage (and for that matter, in the entire book)? Be specific, explain why you think the way you do, cite specific verses in Esther.

3. In your life, who is in control? Is it you? Is it your significant other? Is it a group of trusted friends? Who guides you/them?

4. Look back (NOT DWELL) with the Lord’s guidance over the past week, the past month, however far back he leads you, and ask what incidents, episodes, interactions with other people in your life led you to a kairos moment.

5. Look back (NOT DWELL) with the Lord’s guidance over the past week, the past month, however far back he leads you, and ask what incidents, episodes, interactions with other people in your life is LEADING you to a kairos moment.

6. Finally, look back (NOT DWELL) with the Lord’s guidance over the past week, the past month, however far back he leads you, and ask what incidents, episodes, interactions with other people in the life of CICF is LEADING His church to a kairos moment. Could it be the start of the discipleship groups? Could it be the bridging event with Pastor Danny’s church? Could it be the Aug. 22 fellowship with our host church, Living Truth? Could it be all of the above? Could it be all of the above and ____________________ ? Could it be something we can’t even fathom or conceive in our minds right now?

Re-read Esther, the entire book, again. Who is in control of the entire situation? Just because He is not mentioned, nor is there any literary evidence of Him through religious rituals, does it mean He is absent?

(URL for the Facebook note:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLK9IpF4y2k)